Competitiveness To MSF Program With No Work Experience

Hey everyone, I'm Sean and I am new to this forum. I would love some input on my potential competitiveness applying to MSF programs as I feel my background is not typical for MSF programs.
Undergrad: University of Florida
Major: Food and Resource Economics
Minor: Business Admin.
GRE: V: 155 Q: 164
I also have some extra math classes I took for fun: Calc. 1, 2, and 3, and will take Differential Equations next semester (my last semester).
I am just curious how much you think my non-finance degree will hurt me, as well as having NO RELATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE OR INTERNSHIPS. I have held a part time job through college as well as been a teaching assistant for an economics class as well as a futures market trading class. I would just like some opinions on where I may be competitive. Thanks in advance!

 
Best Response

So, your GRE looks to convert to about a 650 GMAT. You have a really good GPA and I think your degree concentration should be fine for an MSF. Being a TA is really good as well. I'd encourage you to look at UVA's MS Commerce as they only look at non-finance graduates and I think your background will fit really well.

IMO, you'd be competitive at Villanova. Vanderbilt and WUSTL are worth applying to. Duke MMS would like you. I mean any number of programs would like your profile.

Couple things.

1) Internship - I'd work on trying to get something unpaid as it will help you when it comes time to recruit.

2) GRE score - You'll get into some programs with that GRE, but if it was a little higher, you'd have much better odds. Not a necessity, but food for though.

 

I appreciate your advice. So as far as grad school, my lack of internship shouldn't be too terrible. If I keep these GRE scores are there any other schools you'd recommend? I have done a ton of research but it can be overwhelming when trying to actually narrow down schools, especially when I am not in the industry and don't fully understand the reputations. From what I understand Vandy, WUSTL, UT Austin, and Boston College seem to be a reach for me but worth looking at and considering. Are there any slightly lower level schools like maybe Ohio State, Texas A&M, or Arizona State that I could have a little higher confidence of getting into that are still worth the cost? Again, I appreciate any input!

 

What makes you confident that internship gap can't hurt you? 3.84 is just a number after all, and would it be a bad idea to take it as a grain of salt, unless you'll do a PhD?

Also this may sound offensive, aside from regional strengths, what makes say, Villanova any better than Florida? Would a Harvard grad bother to step down tiers and take a master's just because it's a graduate degree

 

Do adcoms convert an applicant's GRE to GMAT? They don't look at your GRE purely from GRE perspective alone? For instance, your 90+ percentile GRE score won't matter to them at all if it translates to

 

I have thought about that, and I think it may depend on the school. Some schools say they take both but prefer GMAT, so they might convert. But some schools post actual average scores for both, so I'm not sure. Would you recommend I consider taking the GMAT as well?

 

Have you considered going to UF's MSF program? It has better placements than almost all MSF programs with the exception of MIT. Very strong ties in the south.

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
 

I wish I could, but they not only just take their own undergrads but you also have to be accepted into the master's program by your Sophomore year. I wasn't exactly planning on getting my master's at that point so I missed my chance.

 

I'm in a similar situation. I have a 10 week finance related internship beginning in mid January and I'll be submitting my complete application to MSF programs in February. Would the MSF admissions office value the internship much while reviewing my application?

Also, I'm a domestic student from the U.S., but I'll probably submit my application on the international deadline just by coincidence. Do you think this will effect me much if I have an average gmat score (670ish)? I would assume they would receive a bunch of international (asian) applications with higher (700+) GMATs at that exact time. Maybe overthinking... Note: taking GMAT in January so I have to wait until February to apply.

 
ja21:

I'm in a similar situation. I have a 10 week finance related internship beginning in mid January and I'll be submitting my complete application to MSF programs in February. Would the MSF admissions office value the internship much while reviewing my application?

Also, I'm a domestic student from the U.S., but I'll probably submit my application on the international deadline just by coincidence. Do you think this will effect me much if I have an average gmat score (670ish)? I would assume they would receive a bunch of international (asian) applications with higher (700+) GMATs at that exact time. Maybe overthinking... Note: taking GMAT in January so I have to wait until February to apply.

preMSF internship has a nice pathway to convert with a 1 year MSF tail-on. now it's not to say you should do MSF just to convert the full-time offer, as you have tons of opportunity costs there. You'd find value to Think whats a best trade off for yourself

 

You have to look in each Master's website, some are clearly post-experience and some are clearly pre-experience. In the later, it will not really matter for applications, they do not add or subtract from your profile, in the former, well you just cannot get into them without experience. Do keep in mind that despite experience not being a request to get into the program, job prospectus after do depend heavily in your previous experience.

For what I can see in ESADE's website, their Master's is pre-experience, so you should apply as early as possible.

 

Put it this way, from an admissions officer's standpoint I'd rather pick the student with excellent academic credentials & a (relevant) internship over a student with just the former, on the notion that the student would have a little bit extra to bring to the classroom.

If you finish this July you should try your best to find a suitable internship right thereafter. You could take July and August to prepare for the GMAT and have a first go at it. Find an internship for September - December and if need be retake GMAT late December/early January. This was my approach and worked pretty well for me.

 

There is no harm in applying but do clearly justify your choice of 4+1. CS coursework is not easy, make sure you are comfortable with that.

Most people enter as analysts post-bachelors if no prior internship experience. If you do get a summer internship in IB and secure a full-time offer, you would be entering as an associate. Vanderbilt has a solid network in NYC, so that will help.

 

Hmm... Not too sure about consulting recruiting from Master's programs outside of MBA's, but if you can swing a 700+ GMAT you have a shot at MIT, even though they prefer some work experience. Villanova is also a great option directly out of undergrad, but not sure if there is consulting recruiting from there. Vanderbilt as well. Good luck with everything.

 

As regards MSc Finance programs in Europe, the top programs are in LSE, Oxford (Financial Economics), Imperial & Warwick in the UK and HEC Paris, Bocconi, SSE and Saint Gallen in continental Europe. There might be some other good programs also, but I think the aforementioned are the most well known/respected that give you the best chances to enter into your desired career (Investment Banking, Sales & Trading etc).

 

Thanks for your answers. What do you think about this list? http://rankings.ft. com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-pre-experience-2013 I can't post links so I had to insert a space

 

Any ranking is always artificial but dismissing it because one school is missing?... LSE is a great school, I think everyone gets that but with that exception, all schools that are regularly mentioned here show up in the top 20. Obviously regional preferences come into play but as a triangulation point, why not?

@admaiora, your question comes up every 1-2 weeks on here, maybe search around a bit to get some more views. The schools mentioned so far probably represent the best ones but "tell me the best schools" without stating any objectives will also yield you only generic answers.

 

Top programs for MSc Finance: LSE, Oxbridge (Oxbridge financial economics) and Bocconi. If you go to Bocconi at the moment, you should know that your alma mater has one of the top msc programs in finance in Europe. Idk what your grades look like you should have a very good shot at getting a merit scholarship and doing the program for very little money (granted you keep your GPA up). I personally find the ESCP msc management program interesting as well.

Edit: forgot to add HEC and SSE.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 

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