Admitted to MIT MFin: worth it for US?
Hi, I recently got into the Master in Finance at MIT and I’m wondering if the opportunities to work in the US will be solid and the general consensus.
I’m from europe and I have experience in trading at a small shop (CTC, geneva, transmarket type) and other experience non-trading/tech in a big shop (DRW/HRT etc.).
Target is S&T or trading roles if I’m capable of passing the interviews.
Important is I am working now and will work until July to get the FO experience and not leave after 1 month the trading role.
Cost is 175k living included and my family is not rich but can afford it without debt.
Open to any input in terms of what your opinion is even not based on data but just perception
Not worth it. If you are from TMG or CTC in Europe, that is fine already, + have tech at a larger shop. You're fine on this, and MFE doesn't make sense, honestly.. use some headhunters and prepare that way.
Hey thanks for the opinion. I’m thinking that I would earn much more in the US rather than here so this would be my motivation to go, I think even S&T or something like that would be more profitable. However I realize it’s far from guaranteed
How much of the motivation for this is OPT and then possibly getting an H1B (assuming you are currently working in Europe and so directly working in US is not very realistic)? I don't think it's impossible that the salary differential between US and Europe in trading is 100k or more a year so 3 years of working on OPT and even post tax the cost of the degree isn't so terrible. On the other hand the increased comp is far from guaranteed and you will have less working experience. My general impression is that larger firms have been willing to hire international students on OPT and if they can't get H1B after 3 years then they go work in a foreign office for at least a year. Smaller firms without foreign offices are presumably much less likely to hire international students as getting H1B after 3 year is increasingly very far from a sure thing.
Whether you would prefer living in Boston/elsewhere in the US or Europe is another important consideration that you will know best.
100% of the motivation is to work in the US and get a higher salary or use the master to access some high paying markets like Saudi.
I’m just scared of the cost which is high and the fact that I might not recover if I end up in London instead of NY.
Seems reasonable assuming you have checked and typical starting comp for graduates of this program is well above your current comp. I don't think there is much trading activity in Saudi but Singapore/Hong Kong could be possibilities and due to low taxes post tax income there is usually quite high. I'm not sure but solely from an OPT perspective there may be cheaper master's programs but a better program like MIT may well be worth the additional cost anyways.
Congratulations! I would def take it considering your European background
Do it if you have the money.
Worst case scenario is you work in the US for 3 years then move back to Europe, but coming from MIT, your chances of breaking into better firms are a lot higher as long as you prep well and can interview.
Best case scenario is you get H1B in the 3 years and continue working in the US.
The curriculum is really good, program is widely recognized, I think ranked best MFin in North America. And whatever the outcome of H1B, having MIT on the resume is always a plus.
I did the one semester waiver option through the online courses and proctored exams before getting admitted but even then could not come close to afford it. So had to settle for sth else.
Also make sure you check the tuition differential if you want to do an internship and extend it to 18 months. It's like 45k if I remember correctly.
If you are already working at Optiver it doesn’t make any sense. You can get transferred quite easily if you are good and if you leave after 6 months no one will touch you because every single person will think you got fired (I have already that bias right now)
Saudi market doesn’t require any master degree for a trader, 3 years of success at a firm like Optiver is gold in the industry, what are you going to do after the master? Apply to the same job you have now ?
Minima aut doloribus eligendi voluptatum. Enim voluptas dolor eum rem a.
Adipisci aperiam blanditiis ea vero et magni et consequatur. Quo cum qui et soluta quia praesentium deserunt. Adipisci sint incidunt facere velit dolorum blanditiis possimus. Omnis nesciunt rem deleniti tempora tempora. Qui ipsum eos et ipsum necessitatibus commodi voluptatum.
Nihil et mollitia sit alias aut. Earum qui similique quia. Eum iste autem est eos est. A explicabo facilis eius itaque architecto consequatur quia.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...