Want to do investment banking, need help selecting year 11-12 subjects

I want to get into BAFE (bachelor of advanced finance and economics) at UQ so i can get into investmnet banking. that needs 99+ atar. Commerce at sydney university or UNSW is fine also. I'm doing Methods, Specialist, Physics, English, Economics. What should my 6th subject be? Should I choose something easy like art so I can put more effort into the other ones as worst subject doesn't contribute to atar. Or, should I do literature? biology?

 

My Atar was out of 1000, in qld, so I might be a bit too out of it to help.

I'd do second humanities because to my understanding you already have sufficient science loading to maximize  atar

 

Yo, yeah I've heard that languages is good for ATAR, it seems that BAFE is really popular. do you think beacuse all the investment banks are in Sydney/melbourne, its better to go to a uni in NSW because it has more recognition and internship opportunities?

 

Hey mate, another BAFE student here - those subjects are fine if you can do well enough in them to get the 99 ATAR (I believe you'll only need a 97 as UQ awards 2 points for Specialist). I'd recommend picking up a language if possible for the 6th (to lower your required ATAR to 95) as if you pass I believe you'll get an extra 2 points. Otherwise maybe accounting or just some easy subject/spare period.

Also, would like to mention that most banks (boutiques not so much) really dont care about your ATAR, there are plenty of people who didnt get atar for bafe but really buckled down in B.Commerce or B. Adv Business at UQ and were able to break in. ATAR really doesnt matter so long as you have relevant work experience (try to be across this in your first year at uni, I regret not seeking internships), can convey a genuine interest in the job and have done well in your degree at Uni.  

 

Also re which uni, it doesn't really matter too much - eg UWA in Perth places well into Syd/Melb IB. BAFE honestly isn't a hard degree if you are motivated (w/ exception of a 2-4 courses), so if you are proactive in getting work experience, participate in a society + case comps, and get a good GPA you'll be a decent shot at interviews. 

USyd Comm/Law places really well into IB, and I believe UNSW & USyd have extensive work experience programs which is why some applicants will have IB, PE and ER experience before it even comes to applying for internships in your second last year.

Final tip is that firms like UBS & Barrenjoey (maybe others - would have to double check) run Cadet programs where Year 12s apply for a job at the bank while they study at Uni (obv would have to be studying in Syd or Melb). Banks like UBS hire a considerable amount of their Summer Interns from the cadet program. Not many people would be aware of these programs so if you were to get very good grades and build some interesting ECs this wouldn't be an unrealistic option 

 
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