MSF shool advice: Villanova, Case Weastern,JHU ,Purdue

Hi,I recently got accepted in several MSF program: Villanova, Case Western, JHU and Purdue.
Case Western gave me 15%off, JHU offered me 10000USD, and Purdue gave me 5000USD.
I am a foreign student, who wants to find a job in US. I really want to take the chance to learn something, since I have academic background different from finance. I also have concern about the placement, because I am quite ware that it is more difficult for international students to find a decent job after graduation.
I am interested in investment banking or equity research.
Can anyone give me some advice? Which program is better for me?

3 Comments
 
Best Response

All 4 are very good schools and will provide a great education. Location wise, if you go to Purdue you are going to be focusing your job search in Chicago. Johns Hopkins will be Baltimore/DC, Case Western in Cleveland and Villanova will be Philadelphia/NYC.

Villanova has more of an "official" MSF program in the meaning that it is clearly a distinct program with a cohort, someone who deals with graduate recruiting, over 200 MSF alumni, etc etc. JHU is more of a customize program. Case and Purdue, don't really have too much to talk about with them. I'd call them more "pure educational" type MSF programs. Meaning it will be less about placements and more about learning.

You need to decide how much finances are an important decision maker for you. Without pulling up anything, I believe all would be about the same price factoring in the various scholarships/price differences in programs. Cost of living would probably be cheaper at Purdue and Case, but so would quality of life (IMO).

Ask yourself what is really the biggest factor in your decision making process. That will eliminate or highlight certain programs.

 

Thank you very much. Placement and program curriculum are mainly considered.

As for placement, I know that a lot of programs are almost completely international students, and almost all of these students went for employment in their home countries after graduation. I still want to pursue the possibility to find a job in US.

And the curriculum, of course I am looking for the program with curriculum covering a wide range of in-depth knowledge in finance. I know some programs seem to only offer basic courses which is not worth of my investment.

With these two factors, is it possible to rank the school choices?

 

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