Msf Guidance

Hi guys,

I'm coming out of a big 4 target/otherwise semi/non target school. Majored in business administration(no finance major) with an emphasis in finance(took corp fin, derivatives, investments courses). FT recruiting didn't go well due to lack of opportunity, so I'm planning on applying to msf programs to hopefully jump into ER/Investment Management down the road.

My stats are:
3.4 overall/3.5 Major GPA
720 GMAT (I'll put up Q/V breakdown asap)
Passed Level 1 of CFA®this past June

I've got about a year of experience in commercial real estate investments, however it doesn't have much to do with finance.

I also plan to continue pursuing the CFA®charter. What are my realistic options here? I was hoping for CMC, but I honestly don't know what to expect. Would love some feedback.

15 Comments
 

Hey man, current WUSTL MSF here, feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I think that you'll have a lot of great options.

 

I'm a senior at a tier-two school, BBA-marketing. 3.0 overall GPA and 3.4 major GPA. It'll increase; I still have 2 more semesters to go. I have sales experience. Interned at a major NPO. Taking the GRE and GMAT soon. Aiming for a 700-720. I want to switch my career focus to finance. I know many MSF programs encourage non finance backgrounds to apply. Can you guys recommend what schools I should look into?

 

Awesome. Appreciate the help.

I'm also looking at:

MIT WUSTL USC Vanderbilt

Just trying to get an idea of where I should be aiming. West coast is where I would ideally want to be, so CMC and USC would be great. What do you think about my chances at these schools?

 

@MokeAnalyst: Not sure if you were asking me to PM you or BananaHoarder, but either way I will PM you- I'm looking for all the advice I can before I start applying to MSF programs!

 

Hi guys,I would like to pursue a masters in financial engineering or computational finance.What can I do to increase my chances to get into top programs in the US(i'm a US citizen as well)

-Currently in my last year of my 3 year finance-banking undergrad program my speculative GPA might be around 3.6-3.7 if not more. -No internships -No work experience -Planning on doing some volunteer work.

 
Best Response

Quis et sapiente quos omnis et unde. Minus tempora ea incidunt delectus. Cupiditate et deserunt eius ut voluptatem. Voluptas minima et et consequuntur.

Quis autem iure ut eum. Itaque amet mollitia aut quod fugit. Quae similique fugiat laboriosam nihil. Eum id hic esse ipsa sunt ab voluptatem. Libero ut et dolore expedita voluptas nisi. Tempora assumenda maiores mollitia omnis sit corporis.

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%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 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

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...”