To start off, I would like to say that i HAVE read all the relevant posts about Cass already. There seems to be a definite negative impression that I get from Cass with anything besides the MSc in MTF. However, I have graduated from a very non-quant program (BSc in Philosophy and Economics) from the LSE with a 2.1, but now having been exposed to finance in the 3rd year, I am very interested in the quantitative side of finance. Anyway, I have an offer from Cass to do the Msc in Investment Management and I have a few questions:1. Is it really *that* bad (judging from the posts in other threads)?2. Will it make it any easier for me to find a job in either trading or ibanking? I am also not an EU citizen, and I don't have any relevant internship under my belt (again, a finance late bloomer).3. I have this little snobbery thing about graduating from the LSE ... do you think going to Cass to do the MSc 'degrade' my profile in anyway? (no offence to anyone, but it's just something i want to know)4. Personally, the course content sounds very interesting as it seems quant-ish but apparently the level of mathematics is of course not comparable to a finmath program. However, will it at least be useful as a 'conversion' degree of sorts in case I would want to pursue another MSc in real finmath? And "IF" i decide to pursue another degree, would the two degrees overlap too much?Anyhow, I am also applying to LSE's own MSc in Management and Regulation of Risk, but I'm doubtful if I will be accepted. In anycase, do you think it wise for me to go ahead with the MSc in Investment Management, also bearing in mind that it's bloody expensive at 17k pounds sterling. Thank you for any replies.

Cass is well regarded for it's MBA and the Mtrading..I've heared good things from people with no maths, economics or finance backgrounds who managed to get on the course and used it as a stepping stone to the CFA - material will fly over your head without a relevant background! I don't see the problem of say going to Cambridge, LSE or indeed any top 10 Uni (Warwick, York etc..) and then going to one slightly out of the bracket - remember they are ranked on undergrad rankings and as long as the uni is say in the top 20, your gaining direct career exposure - employers already will screen you on your undergrad studies so you will be fine..One point this path along with the CFA are fine for investment management, risk management, sales-trading type positions but there is no way you will get into the quant side - no way will they accept you onto a finmath with your degree or this degree...the level of maths is far to advanced! I've known many people with 1sts in maths from good unis struggle with finmaths courses!

what is MTrading?

I assume it is the Masters in Mathematical Trading and Finance.

If it's really that bad why are some of my friend from this MSc 2003 and 2004 working in -Corporate Finance at ML in London-Equity Derivatives at ML in Frankfurt-Real Estate M&A at JP Morgan-Equity Research at Fidelity-Equity Research at DBI find the level of maturity and open-mindedness in some of the messages here quite low. My first question is why would you go about bashing the hell out of a school that one didn't attend? I graduated from Cass with an MSc and I'm currently working for JP in Equity Research. I have loads of friends from the school that are working in front office positions in leading investment banks in the city, (M&A at CSFB, another one at Goldman in ECM, one at West LB in fixed income trading, another one in Equity Derivatives at DRKW, the list is long, but I'm sure it is for other leading schools as well). The latest FT European business school rankings have placed Cass second best business school in the UK behind LBS and sixth in Europe in front of schools like Warwick and Imperial. Yet I would be the first one to recognize that both the former are excellent . It's not where you did your MSc that counts exclusively but the whole package.

>> If it's really that bad why are some of my friend from this MSc 2003 and 2004 working in Ah yes - but how many of them are not working in that sort of a role? I have friends with no degree who are working in comparable business areas - does that mean that foregoing an education is the route to success? At best you have established some anecdotal correlation - but you are a long way off establishing a causal link.

It's impressive how well you master the art of rhetorics.Of course not every one from this MSc gets jobs in the prestigious IB I mentionned, but quite a couple do, but can any school claim to place 100% of its students at Goldman. No school in the world can guarantee you a job in IB, and many as well from this MSc go work for smaller brokers and smaller houses that are far less prestigious, but that applies even to Oxbridge and LSE students equally! There is about 1500 graduate jobs in the City every year for the 10 to 15 most prestigious financial institutions... you can do the math; there are more than 100000 from schools all across europe applying for all these jobs, they obviously can't all go work in that sort of role.Linux, if it was up to me I would have never done an MSc or gone to Uni in the first place if I could have secured a job in the City, but today unfortunately it's becoming more and more the sine quanon condition if one wants to be considered for one of these roles!

>> It's impressive how well you master the art of rhetorics.Errr - no I was actually using the sort of very basic statistics one would normally hope to have mastered on a Finance related MSc from a reputable institute.Personally I think you are better off with an advanced degree when looking for most roles in the City right now - but then I suspect that an MA in Divinity from Toff College Cambridge will serve as well as an MSc in Trading from Toothickfor University. Where Cass fits in that spectrum is still open to question. Although I suspect it is at the more advantageous end this is on the basis of anecdote only. If you have any statistically significant evidence I would love to hear it and be happy to be proven wrong.

just a disclaimer: personally i do not hold any specific stance for or against Cass' MSc's. i am just asking based on the general feeling of the board towards the degree. sorry if that offended you Berty. best of luck and congrats for the job.

Had you considered either the finance programmes at Cranfield, LBS or Manchester? They're definitely on a par with the LSE in terms of reputation. Cranfiels especially has a really good name. What I would say though is that none of these are very "quant" heavy - not too much maths at all - so good if you want to do eg Risk Mgmt or S&T but not so great for being a quant.Remember that you are looking for a slightly different thing here. For your first degree you are wanting an education - for a vocational MSc you are looking for a training. They are very different things and schools which are famous and noted for one are not necessarily top draw for the other. I wouldn't rule out City either. I think many of the posts on this board are related specifically to the schools ability to turn out "maths geeks" (I use the term affectionately) - is this what you wan to be? It's not a bad school at all overall.

Have just finished the Math Trading course at Cass. Here is my 2 cents on a couple of the initial questions:*********************************************************************************************************2. Will it make it any easier for me to find a job in either trading or ibanking? I am also not an EU citizen, and I don't have any relevant internship under my belt (again, a finance late bloomer).The majority of EU citizens I have kept in touch with have all secured jobs for IB's, note most had either banking/software house experience prior to the MSc. However a number of non EU citizens have had a much harder time securing roles as the recruitment agencies tend not to work with them for junior roles 3. I have this little snobbery thing about graduating from the LSE ... do you think going to Cass to do the MSc 'degrade' my profile in anyway? (no offence to anyone, but it's just something i want to know)Employers tend to look at your undergrad as biggest indicator of ability, so you will always carry that with you. Banks will probably just view the MSc as an added bonus . On MTF students from good universities Oxford, Cambridge ,LSE, Imperial as well as not so distinguished (a mixed bag)