UF or FSU for undergrad?
I am trying to decide between FSU and UF for undergrad and am still unsure what area of finance i want to go into. Is one of the two generally much better than the other and should i be pursuing a msf or mba after undergrad. Any opinions are appreciated.
UF is actually great for IB recruiting if you can get into their MSF combined-degree program
The MSF program is for Juniors and Seniors that fucked up during recruiting and need to add another year of school to re-recruit for internships.
OP, do your MBA 5 to 7 years after you graduate. Not right after. If you are considering MSF, do it at MIT, UVA, etc.
The UF MSF program isn’t an extension year program. You have to be admitted to it during the fall of your sophomore year and take the coursework during your junior and senior years. It’s extremely competitive. Freshman have to be involved in a pre-cursor training program from day one of their fall semester to basically even have a chance at being admitted. The program has a lot of alumni connections as well. Lots of kids go to Evercore and other BBs every year for banking. If you’re a top tier candidate compared to the rest of your class, you can easily be one of those. The others end up at banks that are strong in the South or pursue consulting.
OP, if you go to UF, the MSF program is the way to go. Take a look at the website and see the student profiles. The lady who runs the program is top tier, and she, more or less, guarantees that 30 kids will get placed every year.
As mentioned before, you do not need the MSF program from UF to work in IB. MSF programs outside of MIT are for students that need to re-recruit. Fun fact, UF only accepts students who did undergrad at UF to their MSF program. Why? Because those accepted fucked up during undergrad, cannot extend their grad date, and need to re-start themselves for FT recruiting.
If you are serious about your MSF, do not do it at UF. Do it at Vandy, MIT, UofMichigan. https://tfetimes.com/best-finance-program-rankings/ here is a list of good programs. If you fuck up in IB for undergrad go straight into a better MSF program somewhere else.
Thats not true. The MSF program at UF starts your Junior year and typically ends Senior years. Like mentioned before, MSF prospects start their freshman year in order to get a shot at the program. There’s no rerecruiting.
When I say re-recruit I mean those in the MSF program are no longer competing for Undergrad spots. MSF program students are competing for FT spots unless they already did a summer undergrad gig and their firms give them the OK to do an MSF. There is no reason to do an MSF if you already had an undergrad experience and secured the FT offer. Why? Because unless you are doing an MSF outside of a very few quant heavy schools, there is no need to do so because you do not need to re-recruit.
Based off https://warrington.ufl.edu/master-of-science-in-finance/careers/student… several students did the MSF program after already securing a FT role so the quality of the MSF program and placement is skewed. However, some students did secure FT roles by doing the MSF program but that just means they were not good at their undergrad summer internships and had to rely on the MSF to re-recruit.
Purely based off the most recent MSF class, I only see one Top BB and one Top EB. Everything else is either mediocre or in regional offices of smaller banks. This does not mean to say that the MSF program is bad, but it just reinforces my opinion that if you already have a role as an undergrad, the MSF program is worthless because it does not result in an FT offer because you already have one, and the placement of the rest of the program is not worth doing an MSF there as opposed to Vandy, MIT, etc.
UF students probably use the MSF program as a selling point in interviews by saying "Yeah I am completing an MSF as n undergrad in 4 years" to boost their chances at getting roles in IB.
Dude, you are entirely off. Going to expose myself a bit, but I know 75% of the people on that page on a personal level in real life. They applied to the MSF program during their sophomore fall, recruited in their sophomore spring for their junior summer internship and obtained all those offers through MSF connections, and are returning full-time after completing their junior summer internships. They didn't do any full time recruitment after gaining acceptance to the program. Also, all the banks that recruit on campus at UF prioritize MSF students; they constantly host presentations and networking events just for those students and aren't accessible to non-MSF students. 9/10 kids going into IB out of UF will have been in this program.
This is exactly what I said. The MSF program is useless for students who did their undergrad SA and converted to FT. unless you are in the minority (not the 75% you mentioned) and need to re-recruit for FT, there is no point in doing the MSF
The other 25% went through the exact same process as the 75% I know personally. I was just saying I know 75% personally to make the point that I know lots of people in the program. MSF is, more or less, a base-line requirement for UF students recruiting for IB because the banks expect it. And still, the program provides lots of exclusive resources like CapIQ accounts and a Bloomberg Lab just for MSF students. Also, the grad classes are basically an intense training course to entering careers in financial services so that kids hit the ground running when they come into their internships and full time. They have an MD from a legit investment bank come in to teach a course just on how to model and do the things you do as an actual analyst. It's a cool program overall even without the recruiting aspects.
The only kids who are re-recruiting at UF and extending their graduation dates are the ones in the MIB or MISOM programs. MSF does NOT extend your graduation date.
Also, if you aren't diversity at UF, or you don't have connections, you are, more or less, screwed for IB recruiting unless you're in the MSF program. While it's not impossible to get something outside of the MSF program as a white guy, your life will be significantly more difficult.
Do you know anything about the program? It’s not another year, is the same price as undergrad, and is incredibly useful for getting into banking roles. Goddamnit don’t comment if you don’t know what it is.
Youre joking right
FSU, doesn't even come close to UF's undergrad business school. Look at the university stats and look were UF places vs. FSU in terms of investment banking.
Currently go to FSU and have friends at UF. Very few people break into NYC IB from either school. The only ones that do are geniuses or are diversity. There are few alumni but both schools are target schools for Bank of America, Raymond James, Wells Fargo, Suntrust, and other Southern banks in Charlotte that take a good amount of students per year. Surprisingly, there is a lot of consulting recruiting coming from the Big Four at FSU and other non MBB firms mostly for government work.
The few people who break in are the best of the best or diversity candidates. Currently at FSU there are 3 organizations that have atrack record of placing students into IB but for every 100 members only 1 breaks into the field. This is not because students are stupid, but because IB is very competitive. Regardless of school, you will have to spend your first 2 years preparing for recruitment because both schools are non targets. That is a fact. Breaking in comes down to what you do as an individual and how you allocate your time recruiting, preparing, and making sure ou are the best possible candidate.
As an FSU student, I do not regret choosing FSU over UF. I love the university, professors, life, friends, etc. Sure I have a biased view and someone from UF can say the same thing about their school, but I do not think there is an objective way to say "yeah this school is better". Before anyone from UF gets mad/intimidated, UF has better programs, but FSU also has better programs. This is also a fact.
If you are choosing between schools choose based on financial aid, friends, quality of classes, vibes of campus, and courses (you can google course outlines) not on the amount of students who went into IB because either school does not make breaking in easier. As long as you set yourself up for succes school choice does not matter.
BTW, FIU places more students than UF and FSU combined. This is in part due to everyone being diversity and the Phoenixian fund.
Also, the head of IB of Credit Suisse is an FSU alum so a lot of recruiting takes place.
I know some really bright kids at UF and think that you’d benefit from being around higher academic talent. One school is better than the other, that’s how the rest of the world sees it.
Agree with user. Regardless of these two schools, you need to set yourself up for success and surround yourself with individuals in clubs, alumni, etc.
I would strongly suggest going to UF and trying to get into MSF. If not, you can network and get to the same place (a person on this forum actually told me didn’t get into MSF but still landed a role). That’s just what I would do though. UF is basically the school where smart Florida students who want to save money end up. I’d assume it’s got the best relationship with any Miami or Tampa offices, as well as some NYC, Atlanta, Chicago, etc. offices. I’m not sure if FSU could claim any of that.
All rankings from US News & World Report: University of Florida Gainesville, FL #34 in National Universities
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL #57 in National Universities
I was wondering why Analyst 1 in IB - Ind was badmouthing UF and the MSF program (inaccurately, as it turns out). It is a highly competitive 4-year program. Period. Then I read that he chose FSU over UF, which explains part of it. No offense to FSU, it's a good school, but it is not considered on a level with UF. Check the local FL papers (Sun-Sentinel), the vast majority of Vals and Sals, if they don't go to Ivies or equivalent, end up at UF.
University of Florida #22 in Business Programs
Florida State University #50 in Business Programs
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