I have recently completed the MSc Finance at Bocconi, and since it's application time for many people, I'm going to share my experience in case it can help someone.
 
Just to get perspective, I’m a European student (non-Italian) who graduated with a 2:1 in Economics at UCL and spent one year working at Moody’s (a rating agency) before enrolling in this master.
 
I had a good time both at Milan and at Bocconi, but if I went back in time, I wouldn’t have chosen this programme. This is why:
 
-Classes are too big. There are 2 classes, each consisting of 85 home MSc students plus some exchange ones. This translates into poor class interaction and limited access to teachers. You can try talking to them during the 2 office hours they hold weekly, but be ready to get there a couple of hours early to get in the queue during assignment/exam times.
 
-Below-average teaching quality. There are some quality teachers (Fulvio Ortu, Carlo Favero&#8230 but for at least half of them, you wonder how the hell did they get there, when they speak limited English, haven’t got an impressive CV or even know how to give a class effectively. Moreover, how one of these people can become the programme director is way beyond my understanding.
 
-Unorganized. Constant changes in the lectures schedule… you’d better not plan breaks in advance. You never know when assignments or exams will be graded either. No matter how simple what you want to do is, be ready to be patient while dealing with the internal bureaucracy.
 
-Technologically limited. The computer rooms are small, open during limited hours, and hold extremely outdated equipment. Besides, you have to queue to get access to a PC or printer when you most need it.
 
-Average students. Apparently the brightest undergraduate Bocconi people leave to do some work experience or have their masters in the US or the UK, so although the level of the Italian students at the MSc Finance is good, the best ones are not here. But it is the level among internationals which is most disappointing… with a majority of Bulgarians, Romanians and other Eastern Europeans who seem to be there through need-based scholarships just to help Bocconi boost their international numbers.
 
-Expensive. I find it hard to believe how this programme costs as much as the top UK ones. Even if you get a partial scholarship (which I did), it is very difficult to keep on your second year. You also have to take into account the living costs of a 2-year programme when, and at current exchange rates, Milan is almost as expensive as London.
 
-Ridiculous grading. You may sometimes get a top grade after not answering half of the questions in an exam, whereas other times you get a **** grade when you actually did quite well on the exam. Why so? The grading is adjusted to a particular distribution they look for. Sometimes you end up with a strange feeling of getting through without really knowing your stuff and others you are frustrated because you know you deserved better. Also, being used to the time pressure at UCL exams, I always had a lot of extra time at Bocconi… where you often see people cheating or continue writing 5 minutes after the exam is officially over.
 
-Italian focused. If you don’t speak fluent Italian you will miss out on pretty much everything that goes on. Social activities, career opportunities, etc. Sometimes teachers would have a chat with a bunch of students at the end of the lecture… in Italian, of course.
 
-Shadowed by SDA Bocconi. In contrast to "Università Bocconi" (which gives the Master in Finance), "SDA Bocconi" (which gives the MBA) has smaller classes, better teachers, better technology... and better rankings and reputation. It is also more expensive, of course.
 
-Not so great placement. Bocconi stopped publishing statistics on graduates destinations or average salaries a while ago, and this is a bit a red flag. Some of my colleagues are well placed in Italy or London, but there are many others still looking or falling down to some audit or dull finance job. Let’s say that the distribution of the class placement success has very fat tails.
 
The fact that there is so many Bocconi graduates in the City is misleading, since any Italian who wants a shot at IB will do the undergraduate there. Moreover, everyone at Bocconi wants to go to London, whereas this is not the case within the business schools in my country (and probably other European places).
 
Anyway, I can’t complain since I did get an IBD job in London (not sure if thanks to Bocconi, UCL, or my previous work experience).
 
So in my opinion, Bocconi is only a good option if:
 
a) You want to learn Italian.
b) You want to work in Italy.
 
Otherwise, this is my ranking (I wish I have had it a couple of years ago):
 
Money isn’t an issue:
1. MIT Sloan – Master of Finance
2. Princeton – Master in Finance
3. Boston College – MSc Finance
(Not counting financial engineering degrees).
 
You can still afford it:
*London Business School – Master in Finance (experience required)
1. London School of Economics – MSc Finance and variants.
2. Oxford - MSc Financial Economics
3. Cambridge - Master of Finance
 
For the budget conscious:
1. Stockholm School of Economics - MSc in Finance
2. St. Gallen – Master in Banking and Finance
3. Rotterdam School of Management – MSc Finance and Investments
 
Feel free to message me if you have any particular questions.
 
PS. I have realized the post turned out to be quite negative. Bocconi isn't that bad, it is just that there are much better options out there.

When talking about top continental universities, usually people consider Bocconi one of these.
 
I studied there three years and I'm currently enrolled in their MSc Finance. So I would like to shed some light on this program, particularly because there've been some recent changes.
I hope this will be useful for potential applicants
 
WHY GO?
 
- You want to work in IBD: This is the strongest field and the alumni network is impressive. If you are a good candidate and prepare accurately your apps, you'll have an interview with practically every BB. There are people who prepared 3-4 messy apps or people with nothing more than good grades that now have offers or had some interviews.
 
- You want to work in Italy or Ticino: Many BBs recruit only from Bocconi for their Italian offices and even at 2nd-tier banks' final rounds 80% of candidates is from Bocconi. Only Milan Polytechnic is somewhat comparable, but obviously for quant/tech roles
 
- You want to live in Milan: St Gallen is a nice town and Stockholm is a beautiful city, but Milan (and generally Italy) is for many people way more interesting.
 
- You want to learn Italian: Obvious reason
 
WHY NOT GO?
 
- You want to be a trader: Unless you fancy being a trader in Italy, it is extremely difficult to land a trading job in London. You should be an excellent candidate with sky-high grades (equivalent of a first) and some previous finance internship, actually only DB seems to like Bocconi students as traders. Except DB (that it's interviewing now), I know very few people with S&T offers (exactly two, and they meet the aforementioned requirements) and only a very small number who had at least an interview (I think not more than 4-5 including also research). Many people apply for S&T summer internships in their final year, apply to FT roles after an IBD internship or long-term internships in Italian offices.
 
Edit (to be more specific):
- if you speak Italian, it is easier because you can intern/work in Milan offices and then move to London (FT recruitment, change office, etc..)
- Sales > Equity Research > Structuring > Trading > Strategy (and other heavy quant)
 
- You have a Merit Award scholarship: Bocconi hands out around 60 scholarships (around 25-30 to Finance students). The probability to have it for the 2nd year is not very high, and the new rules will make it harder and harder. BTW, a good MSc for € 10500 is still not bad.
 
- You are not used to study a lot: Many friends who got their Economics degrees in UK (not LSE or Oxbridge) are struggling: they got 1st and now they can barely pass exams. And the fact that you want to do the apps and interviews doesn't help, you should be sure to get an internship and then a FT offer otherwise you're gonna have serious problems. Many people who know how Bocconi works, try to find a balance (a I did).
 
-Teaching quality: Very volatile and the new "management" badly affected this area. There are some very good professors (particularly quant/markets courses), but some are terrible (particularly corporate finance/accounting courses where senior professors still rule).
 
If you have any questions...

Eheh
Disons que celui qui m'intéressait (Finance & Private Equity) m'a dingé aussi rapidement que RSM ne m'a accepté - la faute à l'un de mes référents dont la référence n'a pas été prise en compte la première fois -__-

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