Is an NYU MSRE the right move for me?

Any advice I plan on enrolling in January 2025 and completing the program in 18 months once I here back I will be networking heavily for summer internships immediately I have money left in my college account to cover the cost

My experience: 2.5 years at a small single-family real estate fund I also own a laundromat in Brooklyn and hope to expand that business

I’d like to work for a mid-size repe fund, reit, or even something in asset management or development I’m not picky and will take whatever opportunities come my way

I do not want to work at a reib or REPE mega fund because the hours won’t be conducive to building up a very lucrative laundromat business that also has a ton of tax benefits

Does an MSRE make sense?

18 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's what you need to know:

NYU MSRE Program Considerations:

  1. Networking and Alumni Network:

    • NYU Schack has a very large NYC alumni network, which is a significant advantage for networking and securing internships.
    • Many people at the shops you want to work at also went to NYU, which can be beneficial for networking and job placements.
  2. Program Flexibility:

    • The program can be completed full-time or part-time, which might be useful if you need to balance your studies with managing your laundromat business.
  3. Cost and Accessibility:

    • The NYU MSRE is much cheaper than a top MBA program and does not require a GMAT, making it more accessible.
  4. Reputation and Acceptance Rate:

    • The program has a high acceptance rate and includes students from various real estate-related backgrounds. This can be a double-edged sword; while it makes the program accessible, it may also mean a more diverse range of student capabilities and experiences.
  5. Career Outcomes:

    • Graduates from the NYU MSRE program have successfully broken into REIB, CRE Lending at BBs, LMM/MM REPE, and top developers. However, the key differentiator is the internships and networking done during the program.
    • The program is well-recognized, especially in the NYC real estate market, and can open many doors if you work hard and network effectively.

Your Specific Situation:

  • Experience: With 2.5 years at a small single-family real estate fund and ownership of a laundromat, you already have some relevant experience and entrepreneurial skills.
  • Career Goals: You aim to work for a mid-size REPE fund, REIT, or in asset management or development, which aligns well with the career paths of many NYU MSRE graduates.
  • Work-Life Balance: You do not want to work at a REIB or REPE mega fund due to the demanding hours, which is a reasonable consideration given your business interests.

Conclusion:

Given your background, career goals, and the advantages of the NYU MSRE program, it seems like a suitable choice for you. The program's strong network, flexibility, and focus on real estate can help you achieve your career objectives while allowing you to manage and expand your laundromat business.

Recommendations:

  • Network Heavily: Start networking as soon as you enroll to secure valuable internships and job opportunities.
  • Leverage Alumni: Utilize the extensive NYU alumni network to connect with professionals in your desired fields.
  • Focus on Internships: Prioritize securing internships during your program to gain practical experience and improve your job prospects post-graduation.

Best of luck with your decision and future endeavors!

Sources: My 8-month real estate finance internship journey + some general thoughts on NYU's MSRE, Which Fall 2020 MSRE program should I pursue to build towards a REPE or REIB career?, MBA or Masters of Science in Real Estate??, NYU Masters Real Estate vs. Non-Ivy MBA, MSRE vs. MBA decision - looking for opinions based on my situation/interests

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Directionally this question has been asked so many times on this board to the point where the auto-bot appears to have produced a cogent and somewhat respectable answer.

That considered -- the long tail, credited wisdom is that if you are aiming for investment and finance-oriented roles (and you lack an undergrad degree in finance or economics) then the NYU MSRE Finance and Investment program (track) delivers the best results. If you want to focus on development roles immediately or in the future (and you lack substantial development experience) then the Columbia MSRED delivers the best results. All this (very) strictly assumes that you will be putting in a ton of regular legwork (treating it like it is your job from the outset) networking during the program with professors, classmates, project/case study mates, and their colleagues (and industry friends) and completing ~2 end-game relevant internships (with solid references) by the time you are ready to graduate. 

 

Will starting in the spring and doing a program in 18 months put me at a disadvantage my plan is to start networking as soon as I hear back in the next few weeks for summer 2025 internships for undergrad I had a 3.7/4 in finance at a top 50 undergrad business school 

 

Don't do it, was in the program and like many graduated Aug/Dec 2023. Know many people looking for a job for 6-12 months and others who left the industry/city.

You already have a solid role and are building something, why throw away $100k and 18 months to learn academic real estate when you're getting practical experience. There were honestly 2 very useful classes in terms of learning and technicals from smart people - but they've since 2x the class size from 20-25 when I was there to 50+ to get more students.

They don't care about the individual experience and just want to use it as a cash grab. These professors will now not have time to give real feedback like they did before on each case. You area already making money and building something on the side, put your attention towards that and maybe look to do smaller deals outside the city to learn. You don't need NYU at all.

 

I mean it really depends on how focused you want to be on laundromats/small businesses in general vs. having a more stable white collar job. With the time and money you spend on an MSRE, you could have potentially built a $1mm EBITDA business. If you’re kind of undecided on industry and are willing to venture into the world of sub $1mm EBITDA businesses I think an MBA and/or school of hard knocks would be more worthwhile. 

 

once my loan is paid off in 2028 my laundromat will cash flow 300k a year I get half and I get 100% write-offs on federal and fica for at least nexgt 10 years cause of machine depreciation, by the time that expires all have more stores for more writeoffs I purchased a pre-existing business and I actually consider it more stable then a white-collar job since I can't get fired and its recession-resistant 

 
Most Helpful
moosey7

Genuine question, why would someone opt for a MSRE instead of an MBA?

A few reasons I can think of

1. Reposition earlier in your career. MBAs typically like more experience. You can graduate undergrad and at some programs immediately apply to a MSRE, or work in some nowhere fast job for a year or two and use the MSRE to immediately make you hirable in real estate. 
 

2. Less expensive. Pretty self explanatory here. Student loans suck. 
 

3. Real estate focus. Only a handful of top MBA programs have comprehensive real estate coursework beyond just a few classes. Now, one might say you don’t go to business school for the classes, but still…

4. Don’t have the stats for a good enough MBA program. Not trying to be rude here, but because MSRE programs aren’t ranked in any way, they can accept applicants on a holistic basis (or just because they want the tuition money) vs. worrying about their reported class GPA or GMAT average. 
 

There’s no question going to a M7 MBA program is better than a MSRE or MRED program, but that’s also not the choice for most people. If you know you want to do real estate, are only a few years into your career, and your realistic choice is between a random state school MBA program or a MSRE/MRED, I’m not sure why you would take the low ranked MBA route. 

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