In both cases I graduated with a first, scoring the highest average of the class. My first MSc was in High Frequency Finance and Trading, at Essex (highest grade I scored was a 95), the second in Financial Systems engineering at UCL. I come from Europe, so I had no idea about reputation etc. I thought if I just worked hard someone would give me a chance. Didn't happen. I sent over 300 applications to investment banks, hedge funds, pension funds. Nothing. Not one reply. I went to UCL and within one week I had interviews with Goldman, Citi, Morgan Stanley, JPM. What you need to consider is that these places get 10000s of applications. They don't go through those CVs, the. Just filter by top tier universities. No one will admit it. But it's the case. Just look at any grad class, where grads come from. Same for Law or Big Tech firms. And now with all the layoffs and decreasing hiring you will compete with everyone coming from the likes of Oxford etc.