My chances at top MSF programs (realistically-be harsh please)

hi guys,

You all seem so knowledgeable with regards to MSF programs so I figured I would ask for your advice.

My stats:
GPA: 3.6 California State University Northridge
GMAT: 680
Mexican National(speak French)

Graduated Dec 2012 did a few internships simultaneously for 6 months at a Microfinance Org & Start-up Artisan Collective & Local Tech/Entrepreneurship Magazine

Now currently in India on a Social Entrepreneurship fellowship with a tech education NGO for 6 months.

Looking to apply to the following MSF's 2014 batch:

U.S:
Claremont McKenna(might drop GMAT is to low)
Vanderbilt
WUSTL
Virginia
Boston College
Rochester

Intl:
Warwick
IE Spain
Esade Spain
Boconni
EDHEC
Cass
Said

Trying to narrow my list down to 6 schools(app costs are prohibitive). What are my chances at these schools, which ones would you apply to given my profile?

 

I would add Villanova... I am in the program now and there are 3 of us from Cali. Especially since you are open to moving east. I may be blind but if you have a business undergrad you are disqualified from Virginia (if you already screened yourself through that then I apologize.. A lot of people don't realize that fact)

 

Undergrad was a BA in Economics. What are my chances at Villanova you think? 50%? My whole goal is to narrow down the number of programs I will apply to so I'm just trying to find best fit according my profile.

Something else that might be helpful in terms of evaluating are career interests: I'm looking to pursue venture philanthropy / impact investing longer term career wise but also interested in technology start-ups. Post graduation I am interested in IB, PE, VC, Consulting & AssetM really open to anything I have an opportunity to learn from.

 

Is there any "system" behind your school choices? I can only speak for the European schools, but why f.e. Said (which is a MSc in Financial Economics btw) but no LSE, why Cass but no Imperial?

And more importantly, what are your plans after your Finance Master? Do you want to work in Europe, the US or Asia? In Markets, IBD, Risk Mgmt, Consulting, F500?

 
above_and_beyond:

Is there any "system" behind your school choices? I can only speak for the European schools, but why f.e. Said (which is a MSc in Financial Economics btw) but no LSE, why Cass but no Imperial?

And more importantly, what are your plans after your Finance Master? Do you want to work in Europe, the US or Asia? In Markets, IBD, Risk Mgmt, Consulting, F500?

this

 
Best Response

You would be in at Nova, BC, Rochester. Most likely at Vandy. Competitive at WUSTL. Virginia would depend on your major as business students are excluded from their MS Commerce program. Supposing you are an econ student you would be competitive with UVA.

Claremont as you mentioned likes a higher GMAT. Being a minority, having international exposure and being bilingual (tri?) will probably make you competitive.

Your international schools are random it seams. Apply to LSE and maybe one more UK school. Then do maybe one continental Europe school. I'd lean towards the INSEAD MSF they have, but whatever you want.

What are you trying to do for a career and where are you trying to work? Seems to me that you have an interest in being international so why not just focus on LSE and INSEAD?

 
<span class=keyword_link><a href=/company/trilantic-north-america>TNA</a></span>:

You would be in at Nova, BC, Rochester. Most likely at Vandy. Competitive at WUSTL. Virginia would depend on your major as business students are excluded from their MS Commerce program. Supposing you are an econ student you would be competitive with UVA.

Claremont as you mentioned likes a higher GMAT. Being a minority, having international exposure and being bilingual (tri?) will probably make you competitive.

Your international schools are random it seams. Apply to LSE and maybe one more UK school. Then do maybe one continental Europe school. I'd lean towards the INSEAD MSF they have, but whatever you want.

What are you trying to do for a career and where are you trying to work? Seems to me that you have an interest in being international so why not just focus on LSE and INSEAD?

Thanks, this is very helpful. I would love to go to LSE or INSEAD but I didn't think I would be very competitive there. My undergrad institution is not very well known and I feel that plays against me at top schools like those. From their website it seems they only take GMAT 700^ and top 10 undergrad uni's applicants but perhaps that is not the case, do you know anyone from a similar level undergrad that got into these programs?

 
kinghongkong:

Why don't make up your mind how quant heavy you want your program to be and which companies recruit where to narrow down your choices?

Thanks, I will do a more rigorous analysis on that front in the coming weeks. Still not sure how quant heavy I want the course to be, probably not incredibly quant heavy but not too lacking on the quant side so somewhere in the middle would be perfect. Are there any schools that are traditionally heavy on the Quant or lacking too much on the Quant that I can begin discarding in your opinion?

 
above_and_beyond:

Is there any "system" behind your school choices? I can only speak for the European schools, but why f.e. Said (which is a MSc in Financial Economics btw) but no LSE, why Cass but no Imperial?

And more importantly, what are your plans after your Finance Master? Do you want to work in Europe, the US or Asia? In Markets, IBD, Risk Mgmt, Consulting, F500?

Geographically, post graduation I am very flexible, my preference would be to go somewhere I haven't been before. Perhaps China/SE Asia/Africa or land a job that permits me to travel but not opposed to something else.

Immediately post graduation career wise I would prefer to get into PE/VC but would also be satisfied with IBD/Consulting/Markets. Long term I am interested in Venture Philanthropy/Impact Investing/Tech Startups/Starting my own Business.

The methodology behind the list I posted was a balance between a few reaches a few safeties and a bulk of schools I thought I was likely to be competitive at. Simply looking to narrow down the list but I am more than open to adding another school I might have overlooked if people think it is a good fit for me. For example, I would love to attend LSE but felt it might be too much of a reach given my undergraduate institution is not on par with most of their incoming class's alma matter... But perhaps Upedigree is not as big a factor as I perceive it to be?

Am I underselling my chances at top programs? Or am I being realistic with my targets schools thus far?

 

The reason why I am asking for some kind of system behind your school choices is because Said's program is a MSc in Financial Economics, which is ridiculously competitive to get into (avg. GMAT 740 or so), whereas LSE's MSc Finance is a little bit lower in terms of avg. GMAT.

However, I think you won't have a realistic chance at one of those two programs. But the MSc in Accounting & Finance at LSE may be more realistic, if the program appeals to you as well. You could also add Imperial's MSc Finance to that list, one of my friends from undergrad has been accepted to the program with a lower GMAT score and a comparable profile. It's pretty quanty though.

I think your chances at Bocconi are not that bad either, but it's more suitable for applicants who want to work in London or Europe. I don't think the school name carries much weight in Asia, but I might be wrong here.

 
vike27:
kinghongkong:

Why don't make up your mind how quant heavy you want your program to be and which companies recruit where to narrow down your choices?

Thanks, I will do a more rigorous analysis on that front in the coming weeks. Still not sure how quant heavy I want the course to be, probably not incredibly quant heavy but not too lacking on the quant side so somewhere in the middle would be perfect. Are there any schools that are traditionally heavy on the Quant or lacking too much on the Quant that I can begin discarding in your opinion?

Glad that I could help.

However, I am not aware of which schools are more quant heavy and which aren't. I think you will just have to work through their websites or contact the schools directly.

 

Voluptatem omnis laboriosam quibusdam tenetur exercitationem dicta. Omnis aut temporibus exercitationem corporis. Architecto sint in harum dolor placeat. Quisquam et sed deserunt. Eos recusandae velit dolorem occaecati ut magni. Voluptatem ducimus magnam natus eaque molestiae nesciunt itaque. Quia sunt recusandae magni aperiam necessitatibus tempore natus non. Molestiae et incidunt excepturi et qui.

Quod alias maxime est ab earum placeat quae. Laboriosam velit vitae alias qui animi quia. Labore id totam et impedit eaque alias quaerat. Et officia est sint rerum fuga cum beatae cupiditate.

Consequuntur nesciunt totam minus in sed ut esse. Quis iste vel ea fugiat. Veritatis aspernatur quas officiis magnam tenetur blanditiis suscipit.

Iusto in sint labore occaecati reprehenderit. Omnis error corrupti consequatur maxime similique ex. Aut voluptatibus odio voluptatem quia molestiae ipsam a. Qui sit quia consequatur est ipsa quis. Accusantium quis ex sequi dignissimos.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”