Preparation for Master in Finance

what undergrad major?

use the think... line btw :D

just study the CFA curriculum!

Agreed. I looked at MSF curriculum, then decided to self-learn cfa coursework instead.

CFA level one is pretty much all you need to get prepared. Are you doing the corp finance track or the quant track?

I agree with ANT

In general I would recommend getting your statistics (econometrics etc) up to speed. Further, getting your feet wet with Black Scholes and Option pricing can save you quite some time later on.

If I was to do my MSF again that is how i would prepare...

there is no need to learn basic concepts in advance, just get the "math" bit out of the way

You'll forget it all by the time class rolls around. Enjoy yourself, read different books on a variety of topics, and explore your interest and work on yourself. That way when you get in school you can hit the ground running

I was looking to go to WUSTL's MSF program (decided to go to Vandy instead) and I actually talked with Nikki, the adcom at WUSTL, and their academic advisor for the program about how to prepare. Their advice for non-math/engineering majors was to self study calculus classes. A few of the current students in the Corporate Finance and Investments track struggled big time with the qaunt calsses (I kept hearing Stochastic calculus) just because they were not prepared and it comes up so fast there is really no time to prepare during the semester.

Also, get a summer internship if possible and try to network over the summer because the job search starts as soon as you get to campus.

Nikki is great and I think you will love Vanderbilt. I forget the name, but there is a learning website with 1,000's of self teaching videos on math. Stats, Calc and probability are extremely important in an MSF program. I would study them.

Read up on accounting and valuation. That is usually stuff people are rusty in and can be tricky. If you can find some older CFA L1 books or PDF's those should help. Most MSF programs utilize L1 & L2 as a general course outline for the program.

Get acclimated with Nashville. Maybe start looking for some internship opportunities. Also, make sure you spend time contacting alumni before you get there. Class work is important, but networking is something that pays dividends. I encourage everyone I speak to to begin networking before classes start. One year will fly by and you need to be prepared for recruiting.

Find out what math parts the curriculum entails. I wish I had realized how much econometrics (especially applied using various softwares) my program entailed before I started.

I agree that the MSF is a good time to find your own interests and make you realize where you want to be in finance but especially because that is the case you should get all the "basics" out of the way.

I could have spend more time on our fund team or actually reading into the areas I do enjoy if I hadnt spend nights and nights in the library teaching myself ecoometrics and all those stupid software applications.

If it is a pure CF focused master: chill out before.

Thanks for all the advice!

blastoise: My undergrad major was in Intl. Relations. Economics Minor. ANT: I am doing the Corporate Finance track.

My younger brother is an undergrad and he's taking calculus this summer so I was planning on sitting in on his classes until I move to St. Louis. I already took Calculus but it was a few years ago so I think that could be a good way to brush up.

it's just a 1 year program... time is short, so enjoy yourself now...

cfa is kinda irrelevant to quant... but still, studying it is not gona hurt...

TraderDaily: I am doing the corpfin track at Vandy, but I don’t think the program is separated into two separate paths like WUSTL’s program. At Vandy, you can create a curriculum based on what you want to learn. The entire second semester (3rd and 4th mods as they call them) are self-picked electives. At WUSTL, once you pick a track you do not have as much flexibility in your curriculum (only 1 elective per 3rd and 4th terms). This is one of the reasons I picked Vandy because I am relatively inexperienced in finance and want the freedom to choose what I study as I learn what I like.

BicepBrah: Other than flexibility, I thought WUSTL’s program was too qaunt focused for me. I was a business undergrad with little math experience. Vandy also gave me a little more scholarship money so that made the decision easier. Feel free to message me if you want to chat more. I was in your situation and researched both programs extensively, talked with current students and also visited each campus.

When it comes to MSF programs, are you applying for S.A positions or full-time? I would assume F.T positions would be very limited since most banks hire from their S.A class.

Before I did my MSF I wish I had known Excel and VBA. Get a basic understanding of finance like the IPO process etc. and maybe the different securities that are out there. Basically study the CFA level one and excel. Make sure you know your job prospects, if you don't have any finance internships or something close you'll be explaining to every recruiter what an MSF is and that you'll only be in school for a year so summer internships are a problem, at least thats what I'm dealing with...

What school did you go to?

I went to Syracuse University. I did Environmental Biology for undergrad so it took me a while to catch up, but the CFA definitely helped. I haven't gotten anything yet, still looking. It seems networking is the only way to get ahead these days so pick a school that helps with that.

Ant could you provide some insight into the recruiting process for Mfin program? Mfin students wouldn't qualify for S.A position since you will be graduating in a year and most banks hire mainly from S.A class. So the opportunities would be very small to break into Ibanking with a Mfin program?