Does taking an MBA at a top US business school give you an advantage over your counterparts at top schools in Europe? When it comes to careers in finance, it seems that the answer may be yes, particularly when dealing with a US bank.

Despite the existence of more than 80 business schools in the UK alone, most banks, especially US-owned institutions, recruit 50% of their MBA entrants from the other side of the Atlantic. In some instances the proportion is higher still - Credit Suisse First Boston takes 75% of its MBA summer interns from US schools.