UT-Austin vs. Villanova MSF
Okay.. So I haven't officially gotten any word on whether I will be accepted to Nova yet... But I got my offer from Texas this morning. And because it is April I know I have to make a quick decision.
Which program should I choose? My goal is Growth Equity(not necessarily first job out of school.. Just opens the most doors towards that path).... Don't really care where.. The job is more important to me than the location. I know overall nationally the McCombs name probably does more, but I know in Philly/NYC that Nova places really well.
And as it will likely come up..
-Acct, Finance, and Management Major (2.64 GPA)
-Passed 2 parts of the CPA
-660 GMAT
-About 1.5 years of PubFin Experience.. LOTS of transaction Experience
-2 Sport Athlete and Fraternity President in College (Explained the GPA)
-One of my recommendations was from my finance professor and college advisor.. Who got her PhD from McCombs (idk if that helped)
I love McCombs, but from what I have been hearing my logic with that program hasn't translated into reality. I'd reach out to some current students and see what is up. I've heard that placements are soft, but that could just be a function of it being a 1st year program. I still think McCombs will be a great program long term though.
Ya I am just up in the air at this point... Anthony maybe I can talk to you on Saturday about it...
I have also heard placements were soft
Yeah, hit me up at the game. I'll be putting something together on Thurs/Friday for people who are in town earlier so we can talk without adcoms all around, etc. Good way to see Philly also.
Shoot me a PM if yo uwant.
Has your opinion on UT Austin changed so far?
Hey guys, I chose the UT MSF program over the Nova MSF program. And when you guys say the placements are soft, do you mean the quantity of placements or quality?
Its not that they were HORRIBLE from my understanding... But considering the McCombs brand and how strong the Undergrad and MBA recruiting is I think everyone expected better... Ant can probably shed more light... Let me see if I can dig up the email I have from them about placements
I always thought, and still do think, that the McCombs brand is enough to make things happen. Apparently initial reports are that it isn't turning out like this. The program started up quickly so maybe there is a learning curve. I just know right now placements aren't matching the perceived brand. I expect this to change, but I was surprised to hear it when I did.
So got the call from Villanova..
I just have to decide between Villanova and McCombs
I am accepted at Cincinnati but that was always a fail safe
Go 'Nova brah
A big factor for me is I am not deadset on NYC or Philly.. I would gladly take something in either city.. But I would rather work for some boutique/smaller MM PE fund in Milwakee over a MM IB in Philly.. Location isn't important so I plan on trying to find something pretty much ANYWHERE...
With that in mind would you still say Nova?
UT Austin's MSF's placements are horrible. When I called several months ago, the lady who I spoke with told me they placed one kid in Goldman Sachs. That is it. Everyone else got some form of consulting (not MBB or even tier 2) or F500. I would not pay for that.
As someone who just graduated from the UT MSF, I feel the need to comment. Not really sure who you may have talked to but none of the above is accurate. No one placed at Goldman and the majority of those that did go consulting went big four. A couple did valuation with PWC, KPMG. There was virtually no F500 placement except for a few students.
Nearly everyone from the states graduated with a job except for one or two students that held out for something specific (I believe everyone had at least one offer).
LOTS of international students were placed in the US and many went back placed. I know of one that is continuing his education at UT and one that was deciding between Columbia and an offer.
One student was placed with with a big four firm here in Austin and accepted into the 2+2 program at Harvard's MBA.
The placement was pretty damn good IMO considering the MSF had no alumni network to pull from and no employers in Texas even knew what it was. I know I spend half my interviews for IBs explaining what the program was.
At our graduation, I spoke to an MD from a bb IB that joined the board of our MSF. He is joining a larger group of management level advisers to our program.
The program WAS brand new and it did well. The believe over 1000 students applied for 2013 and they are taking 50. The selection is going to get tougher and the students are only going to get better.
I will say that you are probably going to stay in Texas going to the UT MSF, but having McCombs on your resume is a golden ticket here.
Are you sure you attended? I spoke with Katie Stephens. I would be pretty surprised that she would not know where her students placed.
Sorry - didn't read the profile too closely, you're in Pub. Fin? Just lateral? I mean it's obviously not that easy, but I think it might be a better use of your time to try and lateral for a yr than just go to an MSF.
Haha not trying to lateral... Honestly WORST case scenario I try getting in as an Associate at a regional Pub Fin group..
KKS.. I kind of remember hearing similar. What did you decide to do?
I decided on Villanova. I got in there, Vanderbilt, WUSTL, and LBS. I was rejected at MIT post-interview and at LSE without an interview.
This is leaning heavily towards Nova... Which is cool as Nova was originally going to be the only school I applied to.
If the placements had been any stronger at Texas I feel it would be a lot more difficult.
The placements were good as far as F500 go. Maybe they changed since I last called. I would try to connect with some current students. Remember, adcoms want to sell you on their program, so it is a good thing to ask current students, who have no vested interest in it.
I did a linkedin search and I am not trying to upgrade to send people messages...
Nova also has an advantage because I could intern/work part time at my current firm from the Philly office assuming I can't find another internship for during the program
There's a nice gap from July 17th to August 22nd (beginning of fall semester) so an internship at that point might be ideal for that.
I mean I plan on trying to work the entire time through the program... Preferably something more IB/PE related but I can work for my company part time if nothing else
ya... I saw that today... That will be ROUGH... Haha
I still need to figure out what I am going to decide
Hmm... disappointing. Anthony can you send me the info you have?
About half the class is intl, wonder how much that impacted the weak placement.
Yeah I would like to see this info as well
So a whole bunch of votes Nova.... No votes Texas..
The placement really does disappoint me. I would attribute it to the international factor. I just got an email saying most of the US students have received multiple offers
Pretty disappointing if true..
Wait, what info? As for Villanova, focus on getting a good GPA during the summer semester. Means a lot more than a short term internship. Get one of those in the fall when things are more manageable.
Come to the event on Saturday and then decide. UT Austin is a good program, probably being hurt from the fact that it is a new program and just getting its legs. I am not voting for or against it since I still think highly of the program regardless of this years placements. Villanova benefits from the fact that it is 7-8 years old at this point.
Ya... that is the big + in the Villanova column right now
I wrote an article that should get posted on Business Because relatively soon. Should help all of you trying to make an MSF decision.
Lets see how Saturday goes and then decide after that
Villanova it is... Super pumped about it
I feel like Texas should release some info / comment on this. The only reason I was considering UT is because I thought they were on the same level as nova/vander
I mean for national name brand I feel Texas (McCombs) may be above Vandy/Nova because the Undergrad program is top 10 and the MBA is top 20.. Something that swayed me away was that its going into the 2nd year of its program so I would still be one of the first ones out of the gate compared to Nova where they are already 7-8 years into the program. In a couple years UT will probably be one of the better/best programs in the country once they have everything established and have an alumni network.
It also hurts that almost 50% of the class is international students
Where you there this Saturday? I met one kid from California, but he goes by a different username here. Oh well, see you in June.
Yes indeed I was...
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