MSF work experience definition

Many MSF programs say that most of their students have a year or so of work experience some even more.

My question is that suppose that you had an unpaid internship, for 6 months to a year, could that substitute for work experience in the MSF application process?

Has anyone gotten accepted to a good MSF program with only having internship experience?

 

most MSF's that I know of are primarily composed of students will less than 1 year of work exp. I got in at WUSTL MSF with 0 years of work experience but 1.5 years of internship experience from undergrad. I think close to 70% of my class this year has less than 1 year WE. I think other programs like Vandy, Nova, MIT, etc. are similar.

 
fakemonkey:

Hi ANT. I'd PM you, but I'm still a few bananas shy (long time lurker). Do MSF programs only consider "relevant" WE or any WE in general? I'm sure the answer is obvious (working at McD's doesn't count), but I'd like a definitive answer from a viable source than my own gut.

Honestly man, I wouldn't discount any work experience. Obviously having something business or related would be optimal, but anything showing you did more than just playing xbox is good. I'll SB you so you can PM if you want to talk about your direct situation.

 

If you want to be a quant then you go for the MFE and switch careers. The MSF tends to be for college age students with little or no WE. Maybe in the future this will change (Princeton has students with significant experience), but right now, if you come into a program with a lot of work experience, you will get dinged.

 

From what I gather it seems like if you have zero internships/WE it's almost impossible to get a decent job anywhere - even outside of IBD/financial services. For someone with this profile coming from a non-target, would going to a good MSF program even help with the job search? I'm worried about spending $30-60K on an MSF and then having just as hard of a time with recruiting because I have no WE.

Pumpkin, you're dating a tumbling, tumbling dickweed.
 

No. ANT had more than three years before going to his MSF. Vanderbilt accepts people with more than 2 years of MSF. All of MSFs do that. They wouldn't turn you away because of that. In fact, you'd look bettter than other applicants with no work experience or no internships before going into their MSF. Also, the recruiters would like that too.

 

if you go for summer 2011, you'll be in the same spot as me (2 years of experience except i'm entering my msf in summer 2010). i'm curious about other opinions as well...

anthony, so you're saying you were in that awkward bucket where neither mba recruiters nor ugrad recruiters knew what to do with you? or what? i kinda remember you posting on a thread i'd started saying that 24 or 25 wasn't too old for an analyst gig...the thread was something like "how do you get recruiters to realize..." how old you are or something like that...

EDIT: i just checked that thread and i was mistaken about you having replied to it.

 

Villanova has no MBA recruiting because all the MBA's are working. I would imagine that I would of had more opportunities had there been FT graduate OCR. You should be ok, but anything over a year is risky.

 

I'm in a similar situation. I did 4 years military and then 2.5 years of financial advising with a big firm (Fidelity/ML/Schwab) without ever completing my undergrad degree. (stopped after 3 years for personal reasons) So now I am 30 y/o and back in undergrad and finally graduate next year. I'm studying Math/Econ with a 3.63 gpa but not sure yet if I want to pursue MSF, Mfin, MFE, or MBA. Any thoughts?

 

well that is somewhat good to hear. I am an applied math major looking to get into finance but failed to land anything for my junior year internship except for a small part time position at a local asset management firm. I plan on studying my ass off and acing the GMAT and depending on which Mfin's I get into I figured I might even have the chance at an SA next summer.

 

I think TNA is right about the MBA route being a better option for someone in your position. To answer your question, if you're curious, a large portion of MSF graduates have essentially 0 FT work experience at time of graduation. Their experience, if they have any at all, is almost always exclusively internship experience. In my situation, I entered an MSF program with no FT or internship experience. I was able to land an internship through the program, specific to private healthcare business valuation/consulting. I'm currently working as a business valuation/consultant for big 4 advisory, specializing in biotech/pharma.

Most of my friends ended up in CF, IB, AM, ER or in PE. Again, none of them, with the exception of 1, had actual, finance related, full-time experience.

Hope this helps.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 

Fuga et optio dolorum occaecati consequatur quia. Et veniam sed atque repellat dolores provident. Veniam quibusdam nulla pariatur.

Quia deleniti neque iure quis. Aliquam et omnis ullam minima est. Omnis voluptatem dignissimos nihil qui numquam accusantium culpa.

Quod sunt cumque quam excepturi itaque aut quisquam laborum. Fuga modi laboriosam adipisci molestias suscipit. Et in sunt soluta.

"I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies but not the madness of people"

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”