UIUC MF or UCLA MFE

Hello everyone,

First, thank you for being yourselves. I've been a longtime observer, and I've finally decided to sign up and ask for your input, which I greatly appreciate!

Here's my current situation, for which I would love your opinion. I'm a German in my mid-twenties, living in Germany and working full-time in consulting for about three years. I hold an undergraduate degree in Finance (GPA 2.7) and an MBA (GPA 4.0). It has always been my goal to study and live in the U.S., which is why I applied to and have now been accepted into two programs: UCLA's Master of Financial Engineering (Anderson) and UIUC's Master of Finance (Gies).

My goal is to work in investment banking in the USA, ideally in NYC. Considering that the costs of both programs are comparable, which program would you recommend I choose? Alternatively, would it be advisable to transfer to a “stronger” business school after the first semester?

From my research, UCLA appears to have a better ranking, but I have found complaints about Anderson’s recruitment being predominantly limited to the California area, including internship placements. On the other hand, sources indicate that Gies is a top-ranked business school with a strong recruitment program. However, the average salary there is lower, which makes me question the strength of its placement.

I am truly looking forward to your insights and wish everyone a blessed week.

Cheers!