Non-Target -> MSRE

Hi all,

I've been an avid reader of WSO for easily 2 or 3 years now. With that said, I haven't posted before as I can generally find whatever info I am seeking by looking at previously posted threads etc. I have a more specific question that I'd love some help with.

I go to UMass and am coming up on graduation. I'll likely graduate early next year, but I'm in no rush to end my college experience early. UMass places ~fine~ at CRE firms in Boston and I have been networking with guys at Cushman & Wakefield etc. After chatting to a lot of them, I really would like to work in REPE rather than brokerage, and would love to get an acquisitions role.

With that said, I have been putting a lot of thought into doing an MSRE after graduation. I moved here from Ireland in my junior year of HS, so I'm looking at LSE in the UK as well as NYU and Gtown. I have read a lot of posts that say the sweet spot for maximizing the value of an MSRE is about 2.5 years, but I sort of want to expedite my way into CRE by way of the masters.

I have a 3.65 GPA in an Econ major. I have tech internship experience as well as residential brokerage internship experience. I have some strong extracurriculars in volunteering for my local church, and hold a leadership position at my fraternity.

I'd love to know if:

A. You guys think doing an MSRE after graduation is feasible, and an agreeable move to become an acquisitions analyst

B. If my stats would even get me in the door at NYU/GTown without industry experience

I also saw Fordham has an MSRE now, anyone know about this?

Thanks for any info in advance, if you're in Boston I'd take you out for a Guinness and a networking chat!

 

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  • Chances for top MSF programs-Good GMAT from Non-target research intern at a global commercial real estate firm chances b-school ... Could anyone tell me my chances to get in top MSF programs? I'm considering the Master of Financial ... Economics program at Columbia, in quantitative finance at Fordham, MSF at MIT. For some personal reason ...
  • Senior at a Non-Target leverage to get that position? commercial real estate Real Estate beginner noob RE CRE AM PM Realty ... Summer and I am having a hard time. I'm interested in CRE finance, but studying Real Estate ... from a non-target, and I am not getting many responses to applications. I graduate in December 2018 ...
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Most Helpful

As someone who started in acquisitions right out of college (in college as an intern, actually), and a government major, I will say this. Being “target” or “non-target” is only as important as you make it. Sure, schools have reputations and people want to funnel and support what they know, but the most important thing is your persistence, willingness to adapt and learn and networking.

Going to grad school right out of college just to become an acquisitions guy at a REPE firm, in lieu of a generalist role where you will be exposed to so many facets of the industry you probably didn’t know exist, will probably leave you dissatisfied in the long run. I ended up jumping around from brokerage to acquisitions to now development, and I never once saw any of the changes coming 6 months prior.

Additionally, being in the workforce as an analyst and getting that experience has truly made me understand why it makes more sense to wait on grad school (even if it’s specialist) until you have 3-4 years getting real experience. You’ll be able to parlay that knowledge you get and take it back to school and then be that much better off for it.

My two cents.

 

totally agree - +1.

Would like to emphasize the target/non-target comment - it really doesn't matter much. If you're at a non-target you probably wont end up at BX, Starwood, or Carlyle. But you can for sure get a solid acquisitions gig. I went to a school nobody has ever heard of and got in acquisitions at a PERE 50 firm out of undergrad. Network, network, and network some more

 
Shkreli4Prez97:
A. You guys think doing an MSRE after graduation is feasible, and an agreeable move to become an acquisitions analyst

Do yourself a favor and work for at least a year before starting grad school. You will come in with much more knowledge and come out with a better job

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Hey CRE,

Firstly, thanks for your contributions on this real estate forum. I was initially interested in brokerage when I looked into CRE, and I read your "day in the life" posts that were hugely insightful. You're making an impact on readers that may not even have an account yet!

Do you really think having a year of non-related CRE work will still make a difference?

 

Which market are you hoping to end up in?

I'm studying in Europe, been told Reading MSRE is the best bet. Places very well in European REPE as well as the brokerages and other RE finance roles. Not sure how it would be perceived in the states though.

 

Hoping to end up in New York or Boston, not likely going to move home to Dublin or even London unless I somehow got funding to go to LSE.

Funnily enough I haven't heard about the Henley program until I just looked it up, and it looks like it places well. For 18 thousand pounds, cost of living in the UK, and flights, it would still work out cheaper than NYU and the likes. Thanks for the info on that, I'm actually going to look into it.

 

You could probably get admitted to NYU or GTown with a 3.65, but I'm not sure going direct without some work experience is the best idea. Getting 2 or 3 years of basic finance or RE experience makes an MBA or MSRE way more understandable and valuable (you know why you are there).

There seems to be an increasing trend of people going direct to grad school. Clearly this is better than roaming the streets, but I can't think it's not optimal for many.

Final thought, people on WSO really don't understand what "target" means from the employers perspective. This term comes from schools the HR recruiters have decided to focus their energy upon for on-campus recruiting. Factors such as prestige, familiarity (i.e. alum work there), and even distance (i.e. can we drive there?) all matter. It is NOT ever meant to imply that a candidate from a "non-target" isn't worthy of consideration or less qualified than those at HYP or whatever. UMass is just fine and very well known in Boston and the NE in general. Frankly it will do fine in California if you wanted to apply out there.

 

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