Chances at MIT MFin / Vandy MSF
Hey guys I will be applying to Masters programs this year and was wondering about my chances.
- Will be a 3L at a top 20 law school (think 15-20)
- Will graduate around top 1/3
- Shitty 3.0 UGPA in psych from a small liberal arts university
- Psych research positions (published) and internships with a federal judge but no FT work exp
- LSAT = 168, GMAT = 790 (51V, 50Q)
- Only substantive math classes have been during my 2L year, Calc I = A, Calc II = A
I know its a weird combination of stuff but I had a very tough time in my life finding what I wanted to do and my UGPA was caused by a death in the immediate family (my last 2 years were 3.8+). I really have found a passion for finance after being able to shadow some family friends who work in the field, but have taken quite a roundabout path. Do I have a chance at any of the top MFin or MSF programs? Thank you.
Do you meet math requirements for MIT? If so, you might have a distant shot, but would have to REALLY sell your story.
Well if I'm good at anything I suppose it's storytelling. I must admit that I am unable to find MIT's math requirements on their website. Any ideas on other schools with similar programs?
Can't you just recruit into an associate position at a BB from your law school? Thought they had summer internships for lawyers.
I think you could greatly improve your chances by taking multivariable calculus, linear algebra, mathematical statistics and differential equations as a part time student. You won't even have to attend your lectures aside from mid terms and handing in assignments as there are some phenomenal resources online that you can work on during your weekends (MIT OCW, Khanacademy, Berkley etc) while working FT. Most ambitious high school students take calculus II these days.
MIT is going to be wondering why the heck you are in law school if you want to go into Finance. They will also be looking for industry experience.
The WUSTL MSF and Villanova MSF seem to be considered on WSO as the same tier as the Vandy MSF. You should consider those schools as well. UT Austin is also starting a new MSF program. http://msfhq.com/ - check that out if you havent already.
If you have family connections in finance maybe you could try find a finance-related internship for this summer to show an interest in finance?
I feel like with a 790 GMAT if you could show some type of interest in finance you would have a good shot at any of those five programs.
Yes BBs do recruit at a very select number of law schools, unfortunately mine is not one of them.
Understandable, I was not fortunate enough to find something I truly had a passion in so early in life. Honestly, law school seemed interesting upon entrance but after seriously looking into prosecution/defense I found several morality issues that would hold me back from working in the field.
Unfortunately I was late in the interview session for OCI so I missed a lot of direct networking. I am currently looking for a finance related internship for the upcoming months. Thanks everyone for the insight.
op is rich
enough said
True enough, cost is not much of an issue in choice of schools. Speaking of which I am expanding my list of schools to:
WUSTL Duke CMC Vandy MIT
You got a 790 on ur GMAT. I do believe you have a good shot of getting into many MSF programs, such as Vandy, Nova, Duke. But I guess the hardest would be MIT..
What kind of job are you looking for after your degree?
Sorry for the late response, busy with finals coming up. I just signed up for Linear Algebra and Differential Equations this summer, so that brings my quantitative classes to Calc I, Calc II, Linear Algebra, and Dif EQ (will be taking Calc III my first 3L semester so I can hopefully list that on my resume/app). So hopefully that will look good as a kind of alternative transcript by the time I send in my application. With all these classes I believe I satisfy the recommended quant knowledge at MIT.
Essentially my goal is to be an entrepreneur; however, I am no rush whatsoever. An ideal path would be at a BB bank or good consulting firm and move to private equity. I have a couple interviews with small PE firms in San Diego for the summer as well, so hopefully that works out. The summer between law school and the MSF (hopefully) will be another opportunity to get an internship.
I think you will be highly competitive at both. The key thing is going to be selling the adcoms on why you want to do an MSF after law school. The UG GPA isn't that big a deal since you crushed the GMAT. Assuming top third in your law program means you have a mid-3's GPA the law degree will forgive the UG. Top 20 law school means a solid brand going into the MSF also.
I'd maybe expand the MSF pool to include other top B schools that offer the program. Think UTAustin, USC. That way you can keep layering on the brands for this masters.
Good luck!
Interesting strategy for talking sense into me. :-)
Let's restart this conversation in another thread at a later date. We have a difference of opinion and it's not worth making it personal.
Sure. You called me out. I had been under the assumption that MIT was a little more quantitative and leaned a little more quantitative in its admits, but that impression has been changing over the past three years and continues to change.
BTW did you get in? This ought to be doable for an Accy major with a 770 GMAT.
Oh, I'm sure it is. MIT has Merton. I don't think Princeton is obsessed with beating other schools- we get great placements like everyone else.
Do your recruiting plans include the US or just the UK? Where are you aiming for? IBD? Fundamental hedge funds? Trading?
What in the fuck is going on here? And why are people who are helping with advice being shit on.
Lots of interesting folks out there. Congrats on getting into UCL, but next time apply to US schools.
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