MS in Accounting and Fundamental Analysis - Columbia Business School

Hello All,

I am an Undergrad from India (Econ major with Math minor) who aims to learn the ropes of the hedge fund industry in the US. I applied to many Financial Engineering programs (NYU, Columbia, etc.) but have been rejected by them all.

I have a very good chance of being admitted to Columbia Business School's MSAFA (Masters in Accounting and Fundamental Analysis) program. However, I have a few reservations about the same. They are as follows:

  1. The MSAFA program is barely two years old. Does it hold a good reputation in the finance world, given that it is run by CBS.
  2. Upon graduating from the program, what kind of roles can I get in the Investment Banking industry/Hedge Fund industry?
  3. One major worry that I have is the fact that I will not be able to differentiate myself from a CFA holder if I do the program. Hence, is it worth paying so highly for the program?
  4. Most of the graduates from the program seem to go back to Hong Kong/Singapore for a job. Is the job market in such a bad state in the finance world in the USA?

I would be really grateful if someone can help me out here.

13 Comments

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 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

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
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...”