Getting into Cambridge from the humble HSC (2 Viewers)

[herbs1]

I used to be an investment banker before they fired me down at UBS

 

[Drongoski]

Is Oxford/Cambridge the route to a career in Investment Banking? Maybe LSE and the Business Schools of Harvard, U of Pennsyvania (Wharton), Columbia are more productive pathways.

But at the moment many people in investment banking (do you really know what that is?) are being laid off. I believe many MBAs can't get a job in the U.S. Afew days ago the Bank of America was planning to lay off about 13,000 staff. Please read the financial pages of Bloomberg, AFR, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNN etc etc. Haven't you heard the U.S. economy has been and is in deep trouble as is Europe (sovereign debt crisis - Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain etc) at the moment. That's why the world's stock markets have been heading south.

 

[dionb2014]

Look yes maybe you are right with LSE and whatever and I am completely aware of what an investment banker is and the current state of the economy. I just think that if your worthwhile they will keep you in bull and bear markets. Where there is drastic movement there is room to make some money whether it is north or south movement. I personally think that investment banks have all of the best people in the world applying for them so why would they take an MBA from any business school over a law and math grad from oxford or Cambridge, I do intend on keeping my options open though and of course a finance degree from Harvard or London school of economics could be beneficial.
I believe in response to what you say about the US economy is that the worst is still to come and it will get a lot worse. If/When the shanghai stock exchange and the Hong kong market merge (or any other major particularly Asian markets) we will be back in 2002. The 1% interest rates in the US where the start of the end as investors had no reason to by t-bills. Yes Allan Greenspan had to do something to boost the post 9/11 and tech bubble climate but truly that was the kiss of death. Well when china merges and has a serious option of becoming the worlds economic center they will face the same issue of trying to overstimulate the market (they are sort of communist) and becoming top dog even if it means paying less attention to financial products that truly should be regulated (again they are sort of communist). personally I think that is where we are heading and when we think we are in the clear and china becomes confident enough to do something that drastic we will face a much worse economic crisis than we already have and the US could possible be brought down for good because to be honest I'm not confident that the government has learnt it's lesson even though those bastards screwed up big time 2002-2007 and really 1920's aswell.
Just my take.

 

[dionb2014]

Thanks Bored_of_HSC it's great to know that sitting somewhere there is someone that has confidence in me albeit backhanded

 

[t0nyy]

OP you seem like a conceited prat who only wants to go into those jobs for the money

 

[anne1010]

OP you seem like a conceited prat who only wants to go into those jobs for the money

i dont think he is. he/she is really quite knowledgeable for someone in year 9.
go for it mate. yes its hard and yes it wont be easy, but if you really want something then you can get it. just keep your options open

 

[dionb2014]

To be honest t0nyy you sound like someone bitter at all bankers who you want to blame for the economic instability. Yeah we all meet people like you that like to discourage us from our vocation that makes irrational inferences on someone you have never met. Do whatever you want with your life because i'm not going to bother trying to prove to you why or why not all i care about is money.

 

[Drongoski]

dionb2014

From your long post I take back what I said. You certainly know better than I, the various issues affflicting the world economically & financially. Would you pleez forgive me. With your interest in this area, investment banking is certainly for you.

We all hear of the top investment bankers from Harvard Business School, Wharton & U of Columbia Business School (Warren Buffet still "teaches" there every year). Cambridge is great for science and of course in Economics as well.

I think you will end up with far better marks than you initially suggested - you'll easily get ATAR of over 99. - so no ploblem being considered by Oxbridge. Have you considered doing the International Baccalaureate programme (if your school offers it) instead of the NSW HSC? It's offered by, amongst others: Trinity Grammar, Ravenswood, Monte St Angelo, MLC Burwood, SCEGGS Redlands, Cranbrook, Newington College, St Pauls Grammar, Penrith.

 

[dionb2014]

Thankyou, of course it's easy to give off impressions about yourself online without fully explaining and I may have seemed arrogant. No my school does not offer the International Baccalaureate but it is interesting that you say that as my sister is currently in year 11 doing it at her school. I have emailed various universities including Cambridge and they say they are happy to consider HSC as long as it is over 98.5. My benefit is that my mum was born in England making it easy for me to get a visa or what not over there.

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

Thanks Bored_of_HSC it's great to know that sitting somewhere there is someone that has confidence in me albeit backhanded

Lol good luck though. Seriously.

@anne1010 "conceited" and "knowledgeble" aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[dionb2014]

I don't come across as conceited do I?
Anyway what sort of extra curricular things do those high end universities find worthwhile? for some reason I don't think a couple of years on the debating team will distinguish you.

 

[Gigacube]

I don't come across as conceited do I?
Anyway what sort of extra curricular things do those high end universities find worthwhile? for some reason I don't think a couple of years on the debating team will distinguish you.

You need a range of extra curricular activities over a long period of time. Debating is a good one but if you're part of the SRC or another leadership group in your school that's even better. If you're not part of the SRC I suggest you join and become an active member.

Other good extra curricular activities would be sport, music and volunteering. Something from those 3 for over a year is a decent amount of time. If you can, try to do the Duke of Ed award.

 

[dionb2014]

yeah thanks, I get my bronze duke of ed at the end of this year and I have been playing piano for close to 10 years.

 

[Gigacube]

yeah thanks, I get my bronze duke of ed at the end of this year and I have been playing piano for close to 10 years.

You'll need some sport and community involvement such as volunteering and some more inner-school involvement.

Maybe learn a language too.

You have to show that you're an all-rounder.

 

[dionb2014]

Is being conceited a really bad thing?

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

I don't come across as conceited do I?
Anyway what sort of extra curricular things do those high end universities find worthwhile? for some reason I don't think a couple of years on the debating team will distinguish you.

Nah dw, it's as you said. It's easy to give off bad impressions of yourself on the net.

 

[dionb2014]

Ooo, Does the rank of your school have any bearing on what your final atar will be

 

[Gigacube]

Ooo, Does the rank of your school have any bearing on what your final atar will be

No.

 

[anne1010]

Lol good luck though. Seriously.

@anne1010 "conceited" and "knowledgeble" aren't mutually exclusive.

i know. i was making reference to the person say hes in it for the money.

 

[dionb2014]

People who are in it for the money will eventually fail