Is Columbia Value Investing Program losing it’s charm

I see many students in the value investing program at Columbia business school (CBS) are struggling with full time opportunities on the buy side, and rarely break into HFs
I went through profiles of multiple students and recent pass outs (2021-2025)on LinkedIn and winners of the stock pitch competitions (Pershing and Artisan) And i see a pattern that international students move back to their country try or join a small shop for sometime and move to sell side or other finance roles.
What has changed over the years?? Professors, course structures or the industry itself?
can someone please help (thoughts from insiders please)
It’s still my dream program!!

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Placing into the buy side has gotten harder every year. And many of the spots that folks land don’t sponsor visas (explains the foreign student issue you’ve observed). The VI program is very useful if you’re pursuing buy side but it ain’t a golden ticket. 

I am a VI program grad from within the last 10 years. I would encourage anyone to do it if you’re pursuing an MBA and want to go to the buy side, but ultimately your recruiting outcome will be heavily dependent on your specific knowledge and ability vs your participation in the program. 

 

Anonymous Monkey:

Placing into the buy side has gotten harder every year. And many of the spots that folks land don’t sponsor visas (explains the foreign student issue you’ve observed). The VI program is very useful if you’re pursuing buy side but it ain’t a golden ticket. 

I am a VI program grad from within the last 10 years. I would encourage anyone to do it if you’re pursuing an MBA and want to go to the buy side, but ultimately your recruiting outcome will be heavily dependent on your specific knowledge and ability vs your participation in the program. 


Thanks for your input

But most individuals are experienced with good research backgrounds (bulge bracket AM, PE, mutual funds and even some HF- DE SHAW, Susquehanna, others)

If I may ask how many of the selected 40 VIP move to good seats - I understand it’s subjective and mix of what an individual wants to achieve, but from a societal prestige perspective what were the good names
What about the long-short hedge funds, don’t they actively recruit from here - I don’t see maverick or Greenlight very keen on taking in people, even Ackman and Dan (D1) have been very vocal about taking folks from PE only

Anything you can share light on!!

 

Lots of shitty funds like actual fund I-III garbage independent sponsor slop spinouts heavily brand themselves as 'opportunities to take real risk and scale to mid-level/senior quickly', give offers quickly, kids accept and therefore don't fully maximize recruiting elsewhere, those funds end up sucking ass, or don't pay well, or fire ppl soon bc they suck ass & can't close deals. Literally happens every year and the kid gets fucked cuz he believes a pipe dream

 

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