Chances for top MSF programs-Good GMAT from Non-target

I'm a rising senior at Fordham and I wish I can get a career in or other quantitative roles. Could anyone tell me my chances to get in top MSF programs? I'm considering the Master of Financial Economics program at Columbia, in quantitative finance at Fordham, MSF at MIT. For some personal reason I don't really want to leave New York, but I'm open to top schools in Northeast.

Background:
- Female
- Foreigner from China and came to the US 3 years ago. Almost no accent in English (lots of American friends said that)
- GPA: 3.56 out of 4
- Finance major, specialization in alternative investments. I know my undergraduate curriculum is not very quantitative, but I'm planning to take more advanced math class next semester and self-study VBA and other programming language this summer.
- GMAT: 740 (50Q 88%, 39V 89%)
- Speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, and a little German

EC:
- English teacher volunteer in Nepal
- Newsletter writer for alternative investments club at school
- Chief of magazine at high school; financially self-sufficient magazine and I successfully found ad sponsor and turned the magazine into profit.
- Drummer of a band (We had two shows last year in bars in Williamsburg)

Internship experience: (no full-time experience)
- Research intern at a boutique RE investment firm
- Broker intern at a stock brokerage
- Market research intern at a global commercial real estate firm

8 Comments
 
  1. That's a great GMAT, how long did you study for it?
  2. I don't think your accent matters much, grad schools don't do interviews (usually), and they won't discriminate based on this.
  3. I don't think the VBA will help you that much
  4. As long as you have linear, multi variable, you should be OK

I would look into MSFs heavily, as you would be a good candidate with your finance background I think you have a good shot and CmK, WUSTL- apply to MIT as a reach

.
 

Q50 + V39 should be 720, how did you get 740?

Envision, create and believe in your own universe, and the universe will form around you. -- Tony Hsieh
 

You got a great chance with all the MSFs, so apply to all of them, MIT included.

Just work on your essays, then you are all good. Typical questions are, why do you want to obtain a MSF? What are your career goals?

And prepare for interviews, WUSTL and Vandy both required interviews, don't know about MIT, didn't apply. The interviews are pretty simple, mainly behavior based, but preparation doesn't hurt anyone.

 

Did you take your GMAT in the U.S. or in China? You have a shot at MIT MSF depending on how well you interview. Your gmat score, though strong, is not uncommon among the Chinese applicants at schools such as CMC, MIT and WUSTL. Your GPA is good but not great. It's going to come down to how good your English actually is.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 

I took the GMAT in the US. I know my GPA could be better. But our school has difficult core class such as theology, philosophy and art history in freshman year, when my English was not as good as now. Do I have any chance for the MS in financial economics program at Columbia? For some reason, I really wish I can stay in NYC. Even if I relocate, it would be somewhere close to NYC, such as Boston, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Many thanks for the advice!

 
Best Response
roromingDo I have any chance for the MS in financial economics program at Columbia? For some reason, I really wish I can stay in NYC. Even if I relocate, it would be somewhere close to NYC, such as Boston, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Many thanks for the advice!

To be honest I'm not too sure. A lot of my friends that are enrolled in WUSTL's Quant MSF program applied to and were rejected from many top MFE programs. They came from solid undergrads (Berkeley, UVA, etc) and had great GMAT/GRE scores. I think those programs are extremely competitive. Either way, you do have a strong profile; definitely worth the app. Good luck.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 

Rerum reiciendis qui quia enim blanditiis magni. Nulla qui explicabo possimus accusantium ut eligendi. Consectetur quam itaque autem et nihil incidunt. Et ullam mollitia perferendis voluptates rem nihil.

Accusantium voluptas ea praesentium repellendus quam in. Ut natus molestiae eaque odio et. Quam illum tempora aut quam enim eum. Sapiente et veritatis dolorum ratione numquam. Occaecati delectus amet in sequi. Qui voluptatem corporis et quam. Dignissimos sequi ratione sed ex possimus ut.

Eum alias omnis quae labore. Natus officia velit quis dolor aut. Harum voluptas dignissimos numquam rem commodi sit. Temporibus aut aut debitis nemo. Officia consequatur nulla nemo qui natus.

Molestias sunt rem perspiciatis adipisci voluptas aperiam qui. Harum voluptatem perspiciatis optio ex amet. Animi vel ut sed eaque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (77) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (71) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
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...”