Studying finance as undergraduate

[JMR]

Hi, could I get some advice on the best undergraduate business schools in Europe + USA? Theres alot in the US of course, but not a lot in Europe..

Also I have some difficulty applying to the US as their deadlines are already in January for applications, and I still have to improve my SAT score and do the SAT subject tests so I guess applying there for next year seems a bit difficult?

[sweetnsimple786]

When do you graduate [get your diploma]? May 2011? 2010?

I know you probably don't have as much access to testing sites and prep, but this is what I did:

I graduate in May 2010. I took the SAT1 in March and May of 2009 and the SAT2 in June of '09 [this year]. Many of my friends just took the SAT this weekend, and I think some are taking it in November.

If you can devote time to study, then you should be able to test just fine, if there are testing sites around you that offer the test late in your IB1 year and early in your IB2 year.

So if you are a M10 candidate like me, then you want to sign up for the Nov SAT like right now and I think there might be a January SAT too, so sign up for that as well. You can get it done. It's just really stressful. I recommend you do the SAT1 in Nov and SAT2 in Jan.

For US rankings, here's a quick google search: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/spec-finance

I don't know how much I'd trust that, but it's a starting point. And I have no clue for Europe. Google? I found something about BI [Norway].

[The Economist]

I'm sorry to interfere in your topic, but recently I found out that you can study finance separatly from economics, but I really have no clue what finance is.

Could somebody explain it to me?

And also I'm interested in knowing whether or not there is a future for a finance undergraduate student, lets say from LSE.

(of course followed by a masters)

By the way if you are interested in UK unis for Accounting & Finance here is a list from times online, which I'm pretty sure is trustworthy: http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/tol_gug/gooduniversityguide.php?AC_sub=Accounting+and+Finance&x=20&y=3&sub=0

[sweetnsimple786]

When I think of finance, I think of financial analysts that every company needs to make decisions about their possible ventures and whatnot. Also, you have accounting under finance. I think of economics more as a social science where you can become a financial whatever with an econ degree, but a finance one would be more direct.

See if this makes sense: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/557402-economics-vs-finance-vs-business.html

Don't quote me on this, but I think that there'll always be a need for financial consultants and other things like that. It may get more competitive over the years, but the job won't really die. I don't know how helpful that was, but that's about all I know haha. I guess it would also matter where you want to practice accounting or where you want to work in general.

[deissi]

And also I'm interested in knowing whether or not there is a future for a finance undergraduate student, lets say from LSE.

(of course followed by a masters)

Well, to put it simply, if you have a degree in Accounting & finance from the LSE, you've got the _best possible_ degree for a London City job (i.e. money). It's an extremely respected degree from a school which offers, by far, the best employment prospects in the financial sector in the UK. The degree need not be followed by a masters degree and, should the economy recover, you will probably find that you end up with a job offer that is so tempting that after graduating you don't want to do an MSc anymore.

Basically finance isn't something you study on its own, especially in your first year. If you look at the LSE modules for A&F, you'll notice that you'll be doing many of the same things as economics majors. The difference in the final years is that finance focuses more on microeconomics and gives you tools pertinent to what you will need in the banking sector, such as models to calculate risks of portfolios and optimization. I'm still a first year Financial Economics student myself, so I won't pretend that I have a clear picture of it, but I hope this helps you at least a bit.

[The Economist]

And also I'm interested in knowing whether or not there is a future for a finance undergraduate student, lets say from LSE.

(of course followed by a masters)

Well, to put it simply, if you have a degree in Accounting & finance from the LSE, you've got the _best possible_ degree for a London City job (i.e. money). It's an extremely respected degree from a school which offers, by far, the best employment prospects in the financial sector in the UK. The degree need not be followed by a masters degree and, should the economy recover, you will probably find that you end up with a job offer that is so tempting that after graduating you don't want to do an MSc anymore.

Basically finance isn't something you study on its own, especially in your first year. If you look at the LSE modules for A&F, you'll notice that you'll be doing many of the same things as economics majors. The difference in the final years is that finance focuses more on microeconomics and gives you tools pertinent to what you will need in the banking sector, such as models to calculate risks of portfolios and optimization. I'm still a first year Financial Economics student myself, so I won't pretend that I have a clear picture of it, but I hope this helps you at least a bit.

That seems pretty nice. But you see the subjects I chose I think will make my life a bit difficult if I finally decide to attend Acounting & Finance. Even at LSE they don't require Maths HL, neither will they consider that I have 2 sciences so this gives an "advantage" over to others that don't.

I finally found something that interests me but I don't know what to do!

Edited October 12, 2009 by Watermelon

[deissi]

That seems pretty nice. But you see the subjects I chose I think will make my life a bit difficult if I finally decide to attend Acounting & Finance. Even at LSE they don't require Maths HL, neither will they consider that I have 2 sciences so this gives an "advantage" over to others that don't.

I finally found something that interests me but I don't know what to do!

No specific subjects are required at A level, but candidates will normally have an A level in Mathematics (or equivalent).

Applications 2008: 2,326

First year students 2008: 118

Now, if you were the admissions tutor and you had 20 times as many applicants as places, and at least a quarter of these applicants had the grades and desired subjects for A&F, would you give an offer to a candidate with SL Maths, although they explicitly state that they like HL Maths? If LSE says they desire HL Maths, they are able to pick students who have HL Maths.

My friend [who did HL] just started his studies in A&F there and he's saying that the Maths is difficult and the professors are all ****, so I'm guessing that anyone without an HL Math background would be in deep trouble in any case.