Is an MFE still worth it if I could land an FO quant job at BB after undergrad?

Currently interning at a BB (not top tier) and rotated on both trading & quant research desks. 

I have always wanted to pursue an MFE degree and I am pretty sure with my current experiences and academics I could get in a top tier program (say CMU, Princeton, Baruch, Berkeley).

My question is what would be a better option: take the return offer if I get it and consider a jump to buy side in a few years? Or pursue an MFE degree and have 30-40% chance directly to a quant fund/market maker firm (according to placement reports from the four programs mentioned) ?

What are some pros and cons of each options?

Thanks

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

You should know that you aren't constrained to the following options:

1) accept your return offer and end up FO quant at BB

2) drop some serious $$$ on an MFE and have a shot at the prominent quant prop shops

There's also:

3) Accept your return offer (I assume it'll be given to you pretty early) and then go as hard as possible for fulltime recruiting and potentially land one of the roles you plan to get an MFE for. Every single one of the prominent quant shops, bar Jane Street, is happy to take new grad traders without interning. If you get an offer, just renege the BB. You won't be going back.

 

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