UNI course and career advice needed!

You are better off studying NUS BBA and majoring in finance instead of accounting if you would like to learn more about risk/increase your chances of getting into IBD. Taking modules like financial modelling/financial risk mgt/financial markets (core module in finance).

Originally Posted by tastoon

Thx guys, really appreciate your inputs here. Yes i did read up a little on market risk analyst. They use concepts like VAR and stuff like matlab..and they sure sound very interesting..even more so after watching the movie "margin call" .

But im curious.. why does NUS maths degree majoring in QF, which is specifically design for jobs as an analyst, not a better choice for me to entering market risk management in investment banking?

Another reason that NUS maths degree with QF major may not be the best choice is because aside from the mathematical models, you would also need to be interested in the financial markets. For example, following what's going on in the financial world, which will be beneficial in your interviews. Taking Biz/Acc will bring you closer to the financial markets.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Another reason that NUS maths degree with QF major may not be the best choice is because aside from the mathematical models, you would also need to be interested in the financial markets. For example, following what's going on in the financial world, which will be beneficial in your interviews. Taking Biz/Acc will bring you closer to the financial markets.

Don't listen to all the bs. Follow your own guts and due diligence.

Which degree would be easier to get on the path of credit risk? What are the prerequisite and and are the barriers of entry high? What are the prospects and is that a good place to start, ie the skills learned will be versatile

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Don't listen to all the bs. Follow your own guts and due diligence.

Similarly, listen to advices like these to your own risk.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

wow... this is demoralising haha.. looks like reality just smacked me right in the face. There goes NUS quantitative finance.. . i guess i will be sticking with NUS bba acc.. looks like a safer route to me. Anyway, thx guys,this is really enlightening.

Ma de u dont even know what you want to do with ur career, how can you be in IB doing market analysis. If I am ultra HNWI, I also scared to let u advise me. Today u tell me US market good to invest, after u read bloomberg and hearsay from ppl in salary.sg, u say China market good to invest.

Yo wake up dude. If u know u gt the brain and skills (i highly doubt it since most losers are here including myself, coz winners r out there winning and only losers come here to kpkb) go accept the challenge of going into IB. If not stuck it out with ur BA accountancy and live a life as an average joe.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Ma de u dont even know what you want to do with ur career, how can you be in IB doing market analysis. If I am ultra HNWI, I also scared to let u advise me. Today u tell me US market good to invest, after u read bloomberg and hearsay from ppl in salary.sg, u say China market good to invest.

Yo wake up dude. If u know u gt the brain and skills (i highly doubt it since most losers are here including myself, coz winners r out there winning and only losers come here to kpkb) go accept the challenge of going into IB. If not stuck it out with ur BA accountancy and live a life as an average joe.

the only one kpkb-ing here is u.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Ma de u dont even know what you want to do with ur career, how can you be in IB doing market analysis. If I am ultra HNWI, I also scared to let u advise me. Today u tell me US market good to invest, after u read bloomberg and hearsay from ppl in salary.sg, u say China market good to invest.

Yo wake up dude. If u know u gt the brain and skills (i highly doubt it since most losers are here including myself, coz winners r out there winning and only losers come here to kpkb) go accept the challenge of going into IB. If not stuck it out with ur BA accountancy and live a life as an average joe.

Chill.. I think OP's fine. After all, OP said it's a dream job. It's alright to dream big, especially since he/she is still at an early stage. But yes, it's definitely not going to be easy at all. Entering the business courses in local Uni is equivalent to competing against the smarter and more motivated students in Singapore. Getting into IB is, of course, an extremely tough journey.

OP, you mentioned that you want to enter 'investment banking as a market risk analyst'. Not sure if you know about this, but fyi, there is a difference between the following careers:
1) Investment banking analyst: The one that pays really well. Extremely long hours and tough to get in though. --> Front office
2) Market risk analyst: Pays decently, but far off from what an Investment banking analyst receives. Nevertheless, still tough to get in from the local Unis. --> Middle office
3) Market risk analyst in an Investment bank: Similar to #2, but in an investment bank (e.g. Goldman, Barclays, etc.). Tough to get in. Pays decently, but like #2, far off from what an IB analyst receives --> Middle office

Originally Posted by Unregistered

My opinions are as follow (may not be fully accurate):
- NUS Mathematics majoring in QF: Very difficult to get into IB or Banks in general with a math degree.

This is complete BS. Math majors have a HUGE advantage in Sales & Trading and market risk.

As long as you get First Class Honours with your math degree, you will get called up for at least 1st round interview for S&T and risk jobs.

Originally Posted by tastoon

My dream job is to get into investment banking as a market risk analyst.

First of all, find out what the heck is investment banking. Market risk has nothing to do with IB. Just because a market risk analyst work at a bank doesn't mean it has anything to do with investment banking.

Clue: find out what is a TRADER.

Answer: market risk analyst calculates the TRADER's portfolio risk. It's totally not related to investment banking.

So many idiots here talk big but know nothing. Don't trust any of these suckers and do your own research.

Linkedin is a good tool. Go Linkedin and search for "market risk analyst" and see what qualifications these people have. Good luck.