WUSTL vs. Vanderbilt MSF
Does anyone have any thoughts as to which program is better? They have similar admission statistics (Vanderbilt higher GPA, WUSTL higher GMAT) and similar placement stats. They have similar costs and place in similar areas. I have been admitted to both and need to make my decision in the next few weeks. Thanks for any input.
I personally think they are about equal. Vanderbilt might have a slightly more southern/east coast placement, but the schools are roughly equal. Have you visited both? St. Louis is a different city than Nashville. WUSTL used to be the more quant-ish MSF program, but they have split tracks now so if you are going for a traditional MSF they are no longer much different.
I'd talk to some alumni and check out the campus area. This will come down to feel and comfort, IMO. I've met smart people from both.
WUSTL is better for sure.
deleted
I keep hearing WUSTL is better based on the higher UG ranking and MBA rankings. Also, everyone agrees that WUSTL has the better brand name everywhere except for the south.
I am visiting Vandy in 2 weeks but prob will not make it to WUSTL. I have to make a decision in the next month and it may be hard to get to WUSTL bc of my current job.
I'm from STL so i am biased, but i have found STL to very much be your typical Midwestern city, while Nashville is much more Southern.
WUSTL is probably the 2nd Best MSF in the US right now....1st prob being Princeton altho they only have like 15 students.....by the numbers avg gmat Corp Track is 695 and avg gmat Quant Track is 734....aggregated and weighted the overall blended avg gmat is 720 which approx equal to Harvard Bus MBA Avg GMAT.....Vandy is okay but there avg gmat is like 670 for MSF and over 50% do an MBA/MSF at Vandy...whereas at WUSTL it's less than 5%.....Its a no brainer....WUSTL's MSF is much much better than Vandy...only downside is being in STL if you dont like midwest...but they supposedly place on the east and west coasts primarily so u prob wouldnt be in the midwest for long
Not sure if the above is a troll post, but do you have any updated placements. I don't give a shit about the average GMAT of my cohort if they're aren't placements to back it up and WUSTL/Vanderbilt's haven't been updated in a while. Do you have a new employment report?
numbers are all public on there website its the most recent class's stats...u r wrong gmat's matter they indicate cohort intelligence...they matter esp when the delta btwn one school is so much higher than the other....wrt to placements according to the public wustl website 95% upon grad and 100% 90 days post grad....with placements last year at PIMCO, Credit Suisse, E&Y, Citadel, the list goes on forever...Vandy MSF appears to be created for MBA's at Vandy who want an edge and like finance....WUSTL MSF's dont matriculate to WUSTL MBA aside for a few exceptions as its under 5% LY ...so i suppose its what u want prob better to do vandy if u want MBA/MSF but def better to go to WUSTL is u know want just MSF....
Do you have placements for Vandy?
1) GMAT scores do not indicate anything. Many MSF programs will simply accept a bunch of Indian or Chinese students to juice the GMAT average. Being able to network, having a prior internship, not requiring sponsorship and knowing what you want to do right from the get go are way more important than GMAT scores.
2) Vandy and WUSTL are comparable. Placements for both are relatively equal and anyone trying to say one program is measurably better than the other one is biased or just doesn't know all the facts.
So choose the school you like better as both have different and distinctive experiences. Placements tend to be similar, but geographically different. St. Louis probably offers better internship opportunities during the program, while Vanderbilt probably has a nicer campus/off campus environment.
Amen.
Vanderbilt MSF vs WUSTL MSF (Originally Posted: 01/25/2014)
Any thoughts as to which is better?
I'm trying to decide between the two. Thanks for any input.
Don't know much about the MSF program but I have a few friends in undergrad at Vandy. The campus is gorgeous and they have a really collegial, fun sort of culture at that school - work hard and party hard. Can't speak on behalf of WUSTL though. Nashville is a great city with a lively music scene, St. Louis would seem like a bore.
I personally think they are pretty comparable programs. Maybe a slight, and I mean slight, placement edge to WUSTL. You need to ask yourself where you want to place and which location you like better. Also, if money is an issue keep in mind that WUSTL doesn't provide scholarships to MSF students.
If I wanted to place in the Northeast or West Coast, which would be better? I can't seem to find geographic placement stats for Vanderbilt.
Neither are going to be particularly ideal for West Coast placements. I am sure both have FO finance alumni on the West Coast though. Both will be equally strong for NYC placements. Go visit the campus of both schools and see which you like better. That is probably the easiest and best way to decide.
My goal is to go into IB, by the way.
Looking at page 4 of this: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Folincareers.wustl.edu%2FSiteCollectionDocuments%2FPDFs%2FWCC%2FWCC_EmploymentReport2013.pdf
It says 0% of the Class of 2013 placed in the Northeast. Do you know whats up with that?
It is a more Midwestern program. I know WUSTL MSF's who are in NYC though. It is a T30 or so MBA program and a great university. Do some networking. Vandy is going to place down south primarily. You'll see some NYC placements though. If you are dead set on NYC/West Coast you are going to have to put in some leg work.
I am a current MSF at Vandy and can give you input on our current year placements (given the regions you are interested in).
NYC Placements - Quite a few IB opportunities here. We do have a big alumni base with quite a few MSFs and MBAs at banks on the street.
West Coast (I have a tech. background so was really interested in being in the valley) - A few classmates of mine will be working in ER in San Francisco and a few with the Big 4 in San Jose. We have a pretty strong MBA alumni base out on the west coast (but mostly doing operations or product management at large tech. firms).
IB opportunities on the west coast are going to be few.
Voluptas quisquam enim natus et. Quaerat ex autem sint ut perferendis. Sunt provident non asperiores occaecati repudiandae. Illo consectetur perferendis et omnis quis. Voluptatem laborum itaque et qui at rerum.
Qui eos iusto dicta aut labore consequatur quod. Accusantium sequi qui velit non et omnis.
Voluptatum rerum repellat quam quia dicta provident. Nihil aut illo corporis quia distinctio rerum ea. Voluptas animi quia tempore dolores laudantium non molestiae itaque. Iste dolorem hic repellat ut eos vero dolores. Ex quos sit temporibus vel sequi aut ut.
Voluptate est id molestias mollitia nisi consectetur. Qui voluptate amet sapiente et aut doloribus. Velit consequatur et ullam quia voluptatum in. Commodi a quia repudiandae. Sequi voluptates suscipit non eos eligendi sit.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Doloremque consequuntur non dolor aperiam repudiandae voluptates. Qui amet nihil nesciunt. Corporis ratione numquam praesentium debitis quis quaerat.
Et nobis minima et veniam non quia. Officiis facilis dolorum exercitationem fugit voluptate dolor sunt. Qui rerum assumenda odit amet repellat quia. Vel accusamus fugiat natus rerum eius optio. Est alias sunt temporibus ipsum voluptatem omnis. Expedita inventore voluptatem tempore expedita. Quis qui voluptas et assumenda et.
Optio et et quisquam odit. Reprehenderit veniam et sunt voluptas quae. Accusamus quos totam quisquam eaque incidunt consequatur saepe. Enim quod saepe quia nesciunt vero dolores ut.
Nobis recusandae molestiae eaque. Natus voluptate vel odit illo impedit earum.