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Old 19-12-2023, 04:31 PM
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Hi,

I'm at a significant crossroads in my academic and career journey and could really use your insights! I've been fortunate enough to get accepted into the Oxford Master of Financial Economics (MFE) and the SMU Juris Doctor program. I'm still waiting on the results from the NUS Juris Doctor program.

A little background: The Oxford MFE is a 9-month program, whereas a typical Juris Doctor in Singapore spans 3 years. My parents are supportive and willing to fund my education. My undergraduate studies were in Architecture, where I graduated with a First-Class Honours, and I've also scored 338/340 on the GRE. Additionally, I've applied to master's programs in Finance and Financial Engineering at NUS, NTU, and overseas institutions like MIT, Yale, and Columbia.

Here's where I need your advice:

Passion: Although my background is in design, I find myself passionate about various fields. My experience includes internships at several architecture firms, where I adapted to the intense 996 work culture. Both law and finance intrigue me equally, as I've spent a few months exploring the teaching materials in both domains.

Salary Concerns: Salary is a primary consideration for me. While the salary structure in big 4 law firms is quite transparent, I'm curious about the prospects in the job market for someone with a master's in finance, especially without a relevant bachelor's degree.

I'm torn between these paths and would really appreciate your perspectives, especially from those who might have been in similar situations or have insights into these career fields.

TL;DR: Accepted into Oxford MFE and SMU Juris Doctor, with a background in Architecture and high GRE scores. Seeking advice on career prospects and salary expectations in finance vs. law.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Finance without a shadow of a doubt. Oxford is a top target school for finance in both London and Sg, even at graduate level. If you know how to interview you can practically walk in to any firm/bank. Unlike law, in Sg finance in general is heavily skewed towards overseas grads.

To put it into perspective timings-wise - if you get into a very good IB in Sg straight out of your ~1 year MFE, you'd be on at least $120k base.

Whereas if you did law, it would take you at least 7 years (3 years JD, 1 year TC, ~6 months Part B, and then 3-4 PQE at B4) to get to $120k.
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