Thoughts on Cornell Baker Masters in Real Estate (2 years) in Current Job Environment

Had calls with many Harvard MRE and MIT MSRED current students who have expressed nervousness on finding a job post graduation given the current RE and Rate environment. 

Given that the Baker program is 2 years, allows internships and smoother pivots, just got a 30 million dollar endowment/donation from Paul Rubacha (which is apparently is very rare in MSRE programs such as Columbia and MIT) and has a strong "cornellian" network...

Do you think , in this current climate, the Baker program is now a more competitive option compared to Harvard and MIT? 

Obv there is opportunity cost and living in ithaca for two years. 

6 Comments
 

I think if the job market isn't better in 1 - 2 years then we have some big issues long term. I'm already noticing the hiring picking up in 2024. Is it a false start? Possibly, but I can't foresee us still being in this stalemate 2 years from now. Either market recovers this year or it dumps. Either case, hiring market picks up by 2025. Just my opinion but noting that opinions on this stuff are usually always wrong. 

 
Most Helpful

There's honestly no comparable time period to what we're experiencing now for several reasons. Real estate has never been as institutional as it is now. Other recent periods in the last 20 years were all more swift and violent. Today's is very strange and driven by really strong fundamentals (mostly) but getting crushed by rise in rates and everyone being confused as hell as to what cap rates and yields should be. Once we have more predictability into how this whole rate situation will unfold, transactions will start happening again. It doesn't make sense for funds and operators to just hold onto deals forever, but sales are low now because so many groups can convince themselves that rates will fall soon and they'll be back in the money on their investments, and because buyers are nervous about being too aggressive on exit caps and debt terms. Are they right? No idea. But once it's more clear whether they're right or wrong they'll be ready to move on and transact. 

Most deals getting done now are either being purchased by private capital who has a long-term view and is buying deals that don't make sense today because the basis feels right, or select few institutional groups that are getting more aggressive because they have a house view that cap rates will compress or that they will be able to refinance into positive leverage in a year or two. That means that there isn't much hiring because private capital is lean, and not many institutional groups getting deals done. 

 

Laudantium et quod officia rerum. Sapiente voluptatibus corporis aut officiis reprehenderit magni deleniti. Eaque non quisquam ipsam. Magni unde sit quia perferendis. Libero eveniet enim eaque maiores culpa et.

Dignissimos doloribus rem consequatur sed modi tenetur voluptatem sed. Unde nam id molestias. Recusandae maxime odit deserunt facere non odit rerum. In et harum id et expedita aliquid. Ut temporibus natus fugiat nihil.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”