Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
The numbers cited for Big 4 are generally accurate. To add further:
Not sure about Oxford MFE programme specifically, but I'd imagine Oxford as a target school would easily give what OP needs, which is an interview and to land an internship opportunity in the City. So long as OP is ready to hustle.
LSE would be a good choice too.
OP, NUS JD is a terrible prospect if your priority is money, which it rightly should be at this age.
You're gonna give up/pivot away from your existing career track and amassed skillset, forego 5 years in salaried opportunity cost, plus spend a ton of money that isn't government subsidized. And only to end up at square one: the same position as a 24 year old law undergrad.
Don't be fooled by the programme name. "Juris Doctor" in Singapore is not a prestigious professional grad degree on par with an MBA or a North American JD. Its basically an undergraduate law degree disguised as a postgrad degree to sucker people with a dream to do law. Career outcomes are no more different than if you'd studied law at the undergrad level.
A Singapore JD will not put you in an advantaged position to join US White Shoe or int'l firms where you access US law firm pay levels (which is the only outcome that would make such a career pivot worthwhile). You'd likely still have to grind in a Big4 firm for 2-3 years before being competitive for int'l firms, and even then have to fight with multitudes of Big4 junior assocs also looking to jump to these firms.
Do the JD ONLY if law is so strong a personal aspiration that you're willing to stay way behind your peers (of the same age bracket) financially for a long time, and possibly put a lot of life plans on hold. |
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your helpful comments. I understand the higher upside of IB compared to law, but I'm also aware of the intense competition in finance, with less than 1% of graduates securing coveted roles. In contrast, law might offer a lower ceiling but seems to have higher average salaries than the financial field. For instance, while Big 4 law firms pay less than IB, my chances of landing a role there seem higher than securing a position in IB or a Bulge Bracket firm.
I'm also contemplating how a 9-month Oxford MFE will impact my employability, given my architecture background. From what I've seen on LinkedIn, Oxford MFE grads from Singapore with engineering backgrounds have had varied success - some securing analyst positions at Deutsche Bank with decent salaries and bonuses, while others find roles at local banks like DBS or
OCBC with salaries around 5 to 6k.
For context, I am currently 23 and my ultimate fear is ending up as an insurance agent or in a sales role at a local bank like
OCBC, not that there's any disrespect to those in such positions, but I feel I've put in significant effort to shift my career. This decision is quite complex, and I'm in a challenging spot. I'd appreciate any further insights, especially regarding the real-world implications of an Oxford MFE for non-experienced individuals.
Thanks again for your guidance.