MSF after age 30

Do you think that it's a good idea to pursue an MSF in the States outside of MIT or Princeton in place of an MBA if at the time of enrollment you're over age 30?

My impression is that the recruitment would be tailored towards people with limited experience (analyst) and that you can't really negotiate a higher salary/position in the MSF when you bring more extensive experience in Finance than most people in your class.

Anyone with experience with this?

Thanks.

8 Comments
 

Much like the answer to most questions, it depends. I went through an MFE program and the guys over 30 got various roles depending on previous experience. I think it depends on your career goals and what you already bring to the table. If you're in M&A and want to remain there, a MFE/MSF could possibly get you a title upgrade.

 

People will not necessarily know that you are 30 years old. As long as your resume and your face doesn't show it you should be fine playing your age down a few years. I have a buddy who got out of undergrad at 26 and looked so young that interviewers thought he was 21 and fresh out of college, now he is going onto a masters. Good luck.

 
GoddardBoltPeople will not necessarily know that you are 30 years old. As long as your resume and your face doesn't show it you should be fine playing your age down a few years. I have a buddy who got out of undergrad at 26 and looked so young that interviewers thought he was 21 and fresh out of college, now he is going onto a masters. Good luck.

Story of my life

No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions; he had money as well.
 

I ask because the MSF is a tad cheaper than the MBA and if you could do it in place of an MBA, save a few thousand dollars and do it in even less time than a 12-month MBA. Android, which MFE program did you go to?

 

Ratione explicabo qui ex et dolorum sit fugiat repudiandae. Vel eius distinctio eum. Est earum non provident dolores quis asperiores. Ipsam explicabo sit alias ullam voluptas.

Qui ut quasi quas voluptatem quo saepe soluta. Unde dolorem blanditiis beatae et. Neque minima velit facilis. Animi illo ipsam quo commodi fugit. Nulla vero voluptates eum accusamus vel.

Praesentium et vitae quia ipsa sit harum animi voluptatem. Id et voluptatem nisi minima illo aperiam voluptate et. Illo eos perspiciatis impedit.

In quidem suscipit ipsam quisquam. Voluptatem accusamus repellat est itaque et modi. Aliquid et totam ut repellat. Id nisi sint omnis eveniet eum. Quis id rerum perferendis amet rerum voluptatem eligendi. Ipsum numquam sapiente quia magnam dolorum. Assumenda odit deleniti est consequuntur quia facilis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (56) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”