Ok guys, building on my post last year, I wanted to start something for this years applicants. Anyone applying this year, with a 2015 start and 2016 graduation, feel free to post your profile, ask questions or just add some comments. Looking to help and give advice to anyone applying in this cycle.
Let the mayhem begin!
Will be applying to LSE and HEC in Europe. Lean more towards HEC though.
Curious as to why you're leaning towards HEC?
-I wanna be fully proficient in french -Cheaper tuition and living costs
I feel like HEC + being able to speak french > LSE.
3.7 double major from non-target. Haven't taken GMAT yet goal is around 700. First choice probably Vandy or CMC. Also looking at UT and Nova. Dream is Oxford or LSE (doubtful)
LSE is actually quite easy to get in to (depending on the course). The tough to crack is MSc Finance, but if you go for MSc A&F, it should be in the bag assuming you have something slightly more than minimum entry requirements on your application.
What about chances to get in A&F at LSE with a 650 GMAT, 3.7 GPA and very strong extra curricular ?
Correct. LSE's MSc Finance has like a 2% acceptance rate, and I think finance&economics is a tough one as well. The rest aren't that bad.
3.3 overall GPA in Finance, Major GPA of 3.55. GMAT practices have been around 670/680ish with MGMAT cats. Applying to Vanderbilt, Villanova, UT Austin, SMU, Santa Clara, and USC.
I think if you get a 680 you'll have a good shot at the schools you listed.
Yeah I would want the Msc in Finance at LSE or the MFE at Oxford. Otherwise will probably go Vandy or CMC assuming I get in
Whats up gang. I plan on getting a Ph.D. after working for several years, so I am wondering if anybody knows which schools are more research oriented than others. Such as a research assistantship (UT Austin offers this) and WUSTL offers a course on research methods in Finance. I plan on applying to both of these schools, but having noticed these two interesting opportunities, I am now wondering if anybody else has noticed similar opportunities offered at other MSF programs.
The research methods class at WUSTL is a PHD course, although MSFs are allowed to sit in. My favorite class while I was there.
i thought a msf degree is useless?
you thought wrong
2.9 GPA in econ at a top 10 school. 770 GMAT (43V 50Q). Great leadership & extracurricular but not much relevant work experience. Applying to MIT (long shot I know), CMC, Duke, UVA, Vandy.
In at cmc, vandy and duke. Good chance at UVA. I think you have an OK shot at MIT. GMAT is great. IVY is big. 2.9 = a B IMO.
Good place to be in. Look at Michigan and ND if you're looking at Duke.
Does anyone have any recommendations on Canadian MSF programs? I'm looking at Queens MSc Management- Business Economics and UBC Sauder's MSQ program.
I remember how much help these threads were when I was looking for a program last year, specifically from guys like @TNA and @IlliniProgrammer. Figured I would pay it forward this year. If anyone has any questions regarding the search, interviewing, or program choice, feel free to message me - I'm happy to help.
My background: 3.3 GPA from a non-target, 780 GMAT, and decent work experience. After a long and thorough search, I ended up choosing Claremont McKenna for its career services department and the placement opportunities.
Just applied to the new Notre Dame part-time 1-year MSF in Chicago. I have 2 years total work experience and have a non-finance major. Not requiring GMAT because it's their first year, They said they will very likely require it next year. Starts in January 2015, and ends in December 2015 which misses the recruiting season, so I am a little worried since I am trying to get into IBD in Chicago. Also looking at possible opportunity to break into the banking while I am still taking classes in 2015
I think the PT ND program is probably your best bet for an msf within the city of Chicago. ND has a great brand and the msf will help your career down the road. Can you use it to break into banking? Up to you. There will be a lot of ND alumni and the degree should be well presented. With your experience though it might be a tough sell at the analyst level. I'd try and do Corp banking and then roll into an IBD job as an associate. Who knows though.
@TNA comments on PT MSF?
My take is don't do it unless you're happy where you are. There was another guy in my original Analytics group who did a part time MFE at Columbia. He's still in Analytics- they may have given him access to a few more interesting projects. Analytics is a perfectly respectable place to have a career- some days I still wonder if leaving for a desk strat role and then an MFE was the right choice- but a part time degree isn't the reset button that a full time degree is. If you want out of your current role or into a new field, you really need to think about an FT program or maybe an MBA.
I would just offer some caution on a PT program if you're not already in finance and your current employer isn't paying for it.
Thanks, did you by any chance go to uiuc? Just wondering because I did. I have 1 year experience as an Asset Management analyst at boutique. Do you think it's still a bad idea? I thought I could use the networking at least because there are a lot of uiuc and notre dame graduates in chicago
If your co is paying for it, I don't have a problem with it.
2014 B.Tech CompSci grad, India: 73.24%(>3.5 GPA), June 2015 CFA Level II Candidate, GRE:328(Q:168) & TOEFL: 110, Summer intern in Master data mgmt, Currently working as an Intern at a prime Inv Bank in India (work primarily involves Due Dilligence). Post Masters aim is IB.
Will be applying to MIT, Duke, LBS, LSE, UVa, UMich, UTAusitn, Vandy (& probably USC too). What do you guys think are my chances at these? Open to suggestions!
Guys, inputs please!
Does anyone have a personal experience with IE or possess some insight about the "real" placement numbers ? Do you think it's worth the money ?
IE is a good school but does not have the international reputation that the likes of MIT, LSE and Oxford have, even though it always scores high in the rankings. It's a very expensive program so unless you dont get accepted at another top school I wouldn't do it probably. Take a look at ESADE btw. Cheaper than IE and possibly even a better reputation.
Thank you for the quick answer. Yeah that is really my concern. IE is as expensive as LSE for instance but doesn't have the same reputation. I also suspect the school to inflate maybe more than others schools their ranking grades. So I would say 30K is overpriced... Esade is a bit cheaper 24k + 8k for the double program but their reference letter process is just a pain in the *** seriously. I hope a IE student will come around and tell me how wrong I am, but for now I am undecided. Feel free to share any other EU MiF insights !
3.2 from a non target school. Undergrad majors: Economics and Political Science. Internship experience at Prudential Financial (procurement). Currently working as an Economic Consulting firm outside the US. Haven't taken GREs yet but expecting both quant and verbal scores to be in late 150s/early 160s. Very strong extracurriculars.
I am considering Duke, UT Austin and WUTSL. Any thoughts/advice?
Also, anyone happens to know which MSF program have strong placements for international students within the States?
Thank you!
I have friends graduated from MIT and CMU MSF/MSE, both found decent jobs in US. PS: I don't think Duke has a MSF program
Duke's program is an MMS program - Masters in Management Studies. Very solid program with great brand name - places a bit more broadly than MSF programs.
I was looking at CMU's Public Policy and Management program. They also appear to have strong placements and do place a lot of their students in financial sector. Any opinion on that program?
P.S: My apologies for a late response. Still trying to get a hang of this website.
USC just started its MSF program last year and I know they took a fair amount of international kids. If i remember correctly, there admission staff places fairly heavy weight on test scores so I would make sure to do well on the GRE/GMAT. Won't really know about placement stats until this class graduates, but Marshall has a strong brand name, especially in California. Plus the USC alumni base is massive, so networking should be strong as well.
If you're looking to work in the West, i.e. California, I would definitely give USC and Claremont McKenna a look. CMC is the stronger program and has incredible placement, but also is smaller (23-25 kids) and has less international students than USC. If you want to work in NY/Boston, I would also take a look at Boston College and Villanova.
3.2 cGPA, 3.7+ in Economics major from Canadian undergrad, decent extracurriculars, 332 on GRE (roughly 760 GMAT using converter). Applying to: UVA MS Commerce, Vandy MSF, Claremont McKenna MSF
You'll be competitive at all the schools. Most likely in at cmc, vandy. UvA I think you have a good shot at. That gre is great. The gpa might cause them some concern, but not too much.
USC really focuses on test scores. Not the best idea IMO since placements aren't always a function of a high GMAT. I think Claremont is still the best msf program on the west coast.
UK undergrad, applying to LSE and Imperial MSF - both look to be really competitive! Haven't looked at the US ones as they seem to be much more expensive.
Hey, anyone knows a MiF program that starts in spring ? EU or US ?
I have trouble finding one notably in Europe Thanks
3.4 cGPA 3.2 Econ 3.5 Business/RE at semi-target. 700 expected GMAT (50 Q, 50 V). 2015 grad with market research experience at small firms (ie little experience) but good involvement in extracurriculars.
Texas, SMU, Vandy, UT Dallas (up and coming, fallback if I don't have any solid offers in the early spring). Also kind of looking at TAMU and USC MSRE programs too.
Looking for schools that place well for Institutional RE and HF. VC connections good too. Really looking to get a better grad GPA to land M7 for MBA down the line.
What other schools should I apply to? Any in NE or SoCal? Other advice?
Taking a small course load in spring so would it be worthwhile to start on CFA Level I?
I'd drop UTD. You'll have SMU which is a solid Dallas safety play. I think you'd be good at UTA though. Might want to add Texas A&M if you really want another safety pick.
Correction on GMAT 50Q 40V
Looking to do LevFin or Rx IBD. Profile: - 4.00 GPA Math major from a very non-target graduating May 2015 - 780 GMAT, 35 ACT - Actuarial Consulting Internship summer before senior year
Which schools would be best given my post-grad goals? I am open to moving anywhere. Thanks in advance!
With your stats, you'd be competitive anywhere. I would give MIT top priority, especially with your quant background. Claremont McKenna as well if you want to be on the West Coast, especially given the schools ties with HL, one of the best in restructuring.
Other than that, take a look at the usual top suspects such as Vandy, WUSTL, Nova, UTA, BC - remember at these schools, you're looking at more regional placement. But with your stats, I'd be aiming straight for MIT.
MIT 100%. If that fails you'd get a full ride at most places. I'd pick CMC based on historic placements. They are generous when it comes to scholarship money.
I am an international student from SE Asia. 3.6 gpa at non- target school. GMAT-680 Internship at small VC firm Internship at a well known consulting firm
I am very interested in the WUSTL-Singapore MSF program especially because I am from SE Asia. Does anyone have any reviews or information on this program?
Other schools are: UTA, SMU, Vandy, Rochester, Nova, LSE
Thanks in advance.
If you want to return to SE Asia after the masters program, I'd highly recommend UK programs such as LBS MFin and Cambridge MFin. I think you have a fair shot at both though I think retaking the GMAT for a 700+ would be a huge benefit. Cambridge requires 3.7 for some of its business school programs, but the MFin takes 3.6 and above. You could try shooting for Oxford's MFE as well. My advice is to send in as many applications as you can manage since the only thing you're losing is money and time, but you'd want to end up in the best program possible anyways.
The "other schools" you listed are decent. LSE's MSc Finance is very strongly regarded in Singapore, according to my friend from there. You're allowed to apply to two programs at LSE to maximize your chances since the acceptance rates are ridiculously low there (~2%). Nova places strong on the east-coast. Vandy is a tier1 program in the US following Princeton, MIT, and maybe CMC. UTA is decent and I haven't heard too much about Rochester and SMU. Make sure you check out ANT's website.
This is actually my first post on WSO and I'm an applicant for this cycle, but I've done a lot of research and visited some of these programs and spoke with admissions, so I can definitely answer some questions. I also received an offer from Oxford earlier this week, so I can answer questions about the program as well.
My profile: 330/340 GRE = 740 GMAT 3.7+ GPA dual BSc engineering degree from top US engineering school Pursuing career transition
Thanks for the advice . Yes, I have been looking into Cambridge Mfin program. LBS program seems for people with some work experience although.
For LSE: I'd advise to retake your GMAT to get 700+ to compensate for your GPA (Most people on that program have 3.8 to 4.0) and you'll have a very good shot. Always state your undergrad program though. If you get a 3.6 in mathematics or aerospace engineering schools obviously look at that in a different way than when you'd have the same GPA in business or whatever.
If you're international and think you'll go back to your home country for work make sure you do a program with international reputation, even if they means doing a "lesser" program placement wise in the US.
Wow, what asshole threw MS at ANT? He's only trying to help people. Someone really needs to get a life. (This will attract MS too, but at least it can't be used on someone trying to help.)
I'm a U.S. citizen that'll be graduating from a small non-target with a 3.9 weighted GPA in math and computer science.
Here are some things that I've done: 1) Two REUs, one in Bayesian statistics and the other in numerical PDEs 2) A few research projects during the school year in numerical and statistical methods 3) Won a few scholarships, outstanding junior, etc. 4) Won honorable mention in a really small college math olympiad, and in the Mathematical Contest in Modelling 5) Been a TA for 4 semesters 6) Worked part-time as a web developer 7) I've taken a few grad classes and done well (Finite Element Methods, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, probably a class in applied optimization next semester) 8) I recently got a 168V 165Q (unofficial, no percentiles/writing score yet) on the general GRE.
I'll be 18 and graduating next semester, which is basically all I have going for me. I'm guessing that my utter lack of high-profile publications, job experience, and prestige/network will be a huge negative.
For now, my plan is to apply my stats/math skills in an interesting way to financial data, and start studying for the CFA level 1 exam. I hope this will remedy the above problem, but I'm not sure.
For MFin programs, Princeton and MIT are at the top of my list. I'm also applying for MFE and statistics programs, but I realize that this isn't necessarily the place to discuss those. My goal is to acquire a quant-y background, preferably without taking the time to do a PhD, with the hope that this will put me in a good position to be a quant analyst or trader.
@"IlliniProgrammer", do you have any advice? (I'd be interested to hear anyone else's opinion as well)