MSF

So I figured out about half way through my undergrad degree that I want to end up with a career in Finance. I'm a 3rd year undergrad, non-target but decent private school, formerly a Math major, now a Finance/Math student, 3.7~ GPA, I have quite a few electives in computer science, statistics, and upper division math courses. Decent extracurricular involvement in some finance/entrepreneurship clubs. I transferred schools so it'll take me one extra semester to graduate, which is good in a way since I have two summers to intern now. I'm fortunate thanks to personal connections I'll be able to

05 May 2021

Since there is not a ranking of US MSFs I elected to make one. I'd like to thank ANT/TNA for his great list on MSFHQ.com it is an invaluable resource for anyone considering an MSF. This is a work in progress and I welcome any feedback. This is just my opinion and I welcome suggestion or corrections and will be more than willing to edit this. Tier 1 MIT Tier 1A Claremont McKenna, Vanderbilt, WUSTL, Virginia Tier 1B Boston College, Florida, Southern Methodist, Texas, Tulane, Villanova Tier 2 Baruch, Boston University, George Washington, Houston, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue, Syracuse

04 Nov 2012

Ok guys, building on my post last year, I wanted to start something for this years applicants. Anyone applying this year, with a 2015 start and 2016 graduation, feel free to post your profile, ask questions or just add some comments. Looking to help and give advice to anyone applying in this cycle. Let the mayhem begin!

28 Sep 2014

Hey everyone. Figured I would create a Class of 2014 thread for everyone thinking about applying for next years MSF programs. Good place to ask questions, compare profiles and meet others who are applying.

02 Sep 2012

Booyah! Georgetown just announced that they are starting an online MSF. I would imagine this is the first step towards offering an on campus version. This is great news for anyone looking for a remote education and will compete nicely with the Indiana program. I have a couple emails out to people and will try and learn more, but I wanted to let everyone know as this is pretty exciting news. http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/georgetown-universitys-mcdonoug…

23 Jun 2013

Just wanted to give all your MSF'ers a heads up that the West Coast has another program starting up. Hopefully USC will roll their program out and then you will have 3 great programs to choose from. http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/02/20/4634732/two-new-masters-degrees-… I posted it on my website also.

21 Feb 2013

I have heard a little bit about this program and the website looks good as far as courses go. However, I did not have any luck finding placement info or alumni base. Does anyone know anything about the Presence of Ohio State in the North East or where graduates place in terms of IB,PE,S&T..etc?

25 Jan 2011

Whenever I read about the MSF on WSO I often see people commenting on it that have no idea what they are talking about. So I wanted to write this blog post to clear up some myths. My MSF experience is at the Villanova/Washington University/Vanderbilt/UT-Austin level. The MSF is an excellent degree. The career focused degree will help you learn a great deal about the different types of financial careers available. You will learn a great deal about Finance, and you will take high level classes (many above MBA level) which will prepare you for your career. The biggest problem with the MSF is that

09 Nov 2012

Hello every one * i'm a 25 years old Iranian * MBA IN FINANCE from sharif university (best MBA program in middle east / best university in my country / 130-140 in world ) * GPA 3.93 out of 4 (highest in the history of program ) * 780 in GMAT * 4 year of work experience ( 2 years in ACCOUNTING department of a private holding / 2 years in ER, buy side of the biggest broker in my country) [Islamic banking] * CPA chart holder and level 3 CFA (and some other certifications like exam 70 and 63 equivalent of my own country) * i can speak fluent Persian , English , Japanese, Arabic and some chinese i

06 Oct 2015

I didn't have my shit together in high school and early college. Definitely a late bloomer. 4th year Accounting student from small non-target (literally 1 MM IB alumni) with a 3.5 GPA, 3.8 Major, (large upward trend) consulting club president, BAP, and experience in sales, marketing manager, starting a business, and big 4 this summer. I want to get into IB. I don't care if its a boutique at first, but my goal is hopefully a MM. I've been on the CPA track with an upcoming big 4 internship and a 5th year at the same school to get my credits for CPA, adding a finance double major. Is it worth

17 Feb 2021

I am getting mixed signals about applying there and would love to speak with people that either went there for their Masters in Finance or anyone that even considered it. I've looked at other sites as well but too much information in this case can only be beneficial I feel. I know Europe passed some sort of a reform regarding deferred bonuses and prop trading(?), similar to what was passed in USA, but more stringent and Swizterland is already very PE- and HF-friendly with regards to no capital gains tax and low income tax.

24 Aug 2010

• Senior Accounting student at non-target small state school, pursuing 5th year initially for CPA. 3.4 cum, 3.7 major GPA. - President/Founder of consulting club. Experience as a valuation analyst for a professor's small firm. - Landed internship at big 4 risk advisory this upcoming summer - Most interested in deal advisory currently. Want to pursue IB or MBB in the future but will most likely need to wait for MBA. Trying to decide what my best next step is. Either a MACC and CPA to stay in risk, audit, or hopefully deal advisory right away. Or do a MSF for Deal advisory and maybe even a

13 Nov 2020

Application season is coming up, so I figured I would provide some unofficial info via Q&A on the program to those interested. Anything goes from admissions (chances, essays, interviews) to curriculum to class profile to quality of instruction to industry connections to job placement to anything else. The program plans to expand significantly for next year so more spots will be available than in the past (up to 50% more). (I am not an official representative of the program - visit http://mitsloan.mit.edu/academic/mfin/ for official info. Some good data here as well: http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba

02 Jul 2012

Hey guys, just wanted to give everyone a heads up. Just spoke with the program and they are going to be rolling out a flex option for students. There will still be the remote option for those working around the country, but there will also now be an on campus option for those local or wanting to go to school in person. Of course, for those doing the online option but close to campus you can truly blend the program how you want it. I am going to learn more about it in the coming week, but with application season heating up/winding down I thought it would be welcomed news to get this out to all

22 May 2015

As I approach the end of my undergrad at a private non-target studying Finance/Math, I'm heavily considering an MSF to get the name brand, use the network, and break into the industry. I've been fortunate to land a finance internship at a F500 US company in an international headquarters this summer, and want to use this as well as my GPA as leverage to get into a high end program. I know Vanderbilt has excellent placement stats, and Georgetown/USC/Villanova all are respectable programs as well. Is there a clear tier list available? I scouted the forums and searched on MSFHQ and still haven't

13 May 2021

I applied successfully this cycle and I wanted to share what I learned about the process. The first thing is timing, the cycle is a marathon not a sprint. Assuming you're a rising senior, you want to start looking at schools and the GMAT in the spring, you should be asking for letters of recommendations from professors and employers. Summer should be interning and taking the GMAT if you didn't in the spring. Fall should be when you start your actual applications and submitting them ideally in Round 1. The first step is selecting the schools you will be applying to. You need to assess yourself honestly. It's not an easy process to do. You need to look at your GPA/Work Experience/GMAT and see where you are competitive. You need to figure out where you want to be geographically as this will influence where you will apply. If you are a splitter i.e. good GPA/bad GMAT or vice versa you will need to apply more broadly. Ideally you should apply to somewhere between 3 and 7 schools. Apply to a mix of reach, target and safety schools.

16 Mar 2013

Hi everyone, I've been looking into applying to some MSF programs for a 2022 entry. Currently I'm an analyst at a Impact Investing VC fund (mid sized but well known among the community) with few internships in corp fin and corp banking all totalling up to about 2 years of work experience. I graduated from Queens uni in Canada with a low GPA (2.9) and passed CFA level 1 and 2 in consecutive years. I'm aiming to take the Gmat soon and hoping for 700+ but we'll see. The reason why I want to do a MSF program is due to two reasons. One being a potential career move to a more lucrative side of

18 Apr 2021

Hey all, Having a bit of of a hard time figuring out what my path should be out of undergrad. Graduating from a non-target (but growing presence) large public school on the east coast in May. 3.8 GPA, decent internships and extracurriculars (pm if you'd like specifics), but no full-time banking offer. The window definitely seems to be closing in terms of getting a job for right after undergrad, so I'm considering getting my MSF to learn more, boost my resume, and as a recruiting "reset" of sorts. COVID has led a good amount of high-tier schools (MIT being the standout) to go test-optional. I

06 Nov 2020

Since someone started an MBA thread, I figure that I might as well start one for MSF/MFE/MiMs. I was wondering where people have heard back from. I'm in at Duke MMS, Wake MA and the Ohio State SMF.

22 Dec 2012

Hey folks, I know from others in the industry that it can happen but if you wouldn't mind I was wondering if anyone who has completed the MSF and has found it tough/impossible to get a job in fnance afterwards could tell me about their experiences? I'm applying to some MSF programs for September and just want to know what i am letting myself in for, as I know it's a tough jobs market right now.

23 Mar 2012

Okay.. So I haven't officially gotten any word on whether I will be accepted to Nova yet... But I got my offer from Texas this morning. And because it is April I know I have to make a quick decision. Which program should I choose? My goal is Growth Equity(not necessarily first job out of school.. Just opens the most doors towards that path).... Don't really care where.. The job is more important to me than the location. I know overall nationally the McCombs name probably does more, but I know in Philly/NYC that Nova places really well. And as it will likely come up.. -Acct, Finance, and Management Major (2.64 GPA) -Passed 2 parts of the CPA -660 GMAT -About 1.5 years of PubFin Experience.. LOTS of transaction Experience

03 Apr 2013

I've been thinking about the two masters recently and they seem more attainable than Columbia's MSFE. I contacted graduates from both programs, Vanderbilt's alumni and staff are insanely nice, they replied within hours, though they couldn't give me a decisive answer about how problematic my GPA would be. I plan on applying very soon for both programs and would like to hear your opinions: GPA: 3.3 (from a poorly ranked institution) GMAT: 720 (Q46V42) Internships: only one internship at commercial bank. Investment banks aren't really vibrant in my country (Georgia) My main concern is of course

06 Oct 2020

Hello fellow monkeys. As a prospective MSc Finance student, I would like to hear opinions of current MSc Finance students and graduates about what they would do differently if they had the chance to start their program again. I am asking this question mainly because I have heard that, in many programs, it is quite difficult to balance academics with applications for internships/FT positions and interview preparation, since most MSc Finance programs are 1-year-long and are quite fast-paced (especially for someone without a background in business/finance). Personally, I have been admitted to one

12 Apr 2014

Hi guys, first time poster, I'm going to try and keep this short, not make it my life story. In a nutshell, I am a non target graduate with limited options. Went to a partying state school (think top 10 as far as chics go) and did just that, partied for 3 and a half yrs. prior to that I attended a local uni for 2 yrs (screwed up there so I transferred). Graduated last December double majoring in finance and economics (3.2 at state school, 2.98 overall since I messed up badly at local uni). I learned about IB pretty late (last semester of senior yr) and since I graduated the job search has been

28 Mar 2014

Looking for feedback on MSF programs in the DC area. Hopkins and Maryland seem to be pretty equal, American seems to be a step above. Anyone have any thoughts about quality of programs and career placement after?

08 Feb 2014

I'm finishing up apps and narrowing my target list. 3.1 GPA, 680 (41,41) GMAT, URM, Bio Major, 1 summer of research, 1 MM SA position. Should I add any more or delete any on the list. My current schools are: Wake Forest MA (In with 5K) UVA (Submitted) Duke (Submitted) UIUC (Submitted) UT-Austin (Essay Finished) Ohio State (In Progress) SMU (Contemplating Starting) Villanova (In Progress)

07 Nov 2012

I've been following this site for awhile now, but this is my very first post! I'm a prospective MSF student, and I've applied to several schools in the US, but I'm not feeling stellar about my chances of acceptance, so I'm trying to decide if I should also apply to some programs in the UK. I think that Oxbridge and LBS are way out of my league, so I'm currently considering LSE, Imperial, and Warwick. However, their sites have very little information on class profiles, so it's difficult to tell if I stand an actual chance of admittance. Here's my profile: GMAT: 710 (Q45 72%, V41 92%, AWA 5) Exp: 2 years as field examiner/regulator of smaller-sized community banks UG: 3.63 GPA in Managerial Economics from a non-target, state university

26 Feb 2011

The M.B.A. degree used to be a sure thing, but today it may be becoming obsolete. T-Rex with a busted ankle, hobbling towards the Cenozoic. How quickly the world can change... Not too long ago, with a Top 5-10 M.B.A. in tow, you could write your own ticket. Guys and gals going through the M.B.A. pipeline in the late 90's/early 00's had six-figure offers in the multiples by the end of their first-year summer. I'm including the undergrad physical recreation majors and latin poetry majors with little tangible work experience.

28 Aug 2010

I have 3 years of work experience developing real-time risk systems for commodities trading in Houston at a BB. BS in Computer Science and BA in Economics from UT Austin. Want to eventually become an energy trader in Houston. 3.95 GPA, 750 GMAT. I think an MSF program would give me time to do some independent study and network network network. Which program do you think would place the best in Houston for most likely a role as an energy trading analyst: UT Austin MSF, Tulane Master of Management in Energy, MIT MSF, or other (MBA or different school)? All these programs are relatively new, and UT's program is brand new. Top choices for employment after graduation would include Shell, BP, Vitol, Koch S&T, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, before BB.

22 Feb 2012

Graduating from a non-target in the US this summer or next fall, finance major, no relevant experience, got interested in the industry only recently and after asking some WSO users for advice thought I'd apply to MsF programs as a plan B if I don't land any internship this summer. I'm not a US citizen and would want to work in Canada after graduation because I'm interested in the natural resources sector (interested in gas & oil market, family has ties to solar energy and mining) as well as the immigration process is much easier (family has business relations and friends in Canada too, none in the US).

24 Nov 2013

Which MSF program would you recommend for someone who went to a non-target undergrad who wants to break into either Asset Management or equity research? I would prefer to live on the West Coast in the long run, but I am geographically flexible for at least the first 10 years of my career. The biggest factor for me in school choice is the best job placement in my field of interest.

13 Apr 2011

Developing the Next Leaders in Finance Georgetown University's Master of Science in Finance (MSF) online program transforms today's best financial professionals into rising industry leaders. Created by the distinguished faculty of the McDonough School of Business, this world-class curriculum and revolutionary online learning platform delivers the essential skills to take finance careers to the next level. This online program gives working professionals the opportunity to deepen their business and technical finance skills, as well as experience a Georgetown University education from all over

01 Apr 2014

Is anyone in Atlanta who has completed the Georgia State Masters in Finance at night? TNA has a good write up of the program on msfhq.com. It would be nice to hear from someone who has done it to talk about the program and whether the tuition is worth it from an ROI standpoint. The 37k price tag looks high considering a supposed 13 percent increase in pay or about 70k in compensation in Finance upon completion. Any individual insight would be great.

28 Sep 2015

Hello. An International from Netherlands here. I am currently looking at various programs that will help me get a job in US after graduating(kinda like a gateway to a US industries). I have about 6 months of experience and no, I am not a native English speaker but I can do well and speak fluently(i still have my accent). There are several programs like MSF/MMS/MiM or the MFE. I probably won't get into MFE program because of little exp. But I can wait and work for 2 years more and also get CQF & FRM for MFE prep(which has rigorous curriculum including C++). MFE kinda guarantees a job as long as it's from a reputable school(I have 780 GMAT with 50q). I'm sure I will be able to get into MFE if I choose to.

28 Mar 2014

@TNA or anybody else, please help! I got accepted into Villanova and USC, and I am waiting for the answer from Boston College for my MSF. I am an international student and I want to work anywhere in the us, preferably in PE, but not necessarily. I am really in doubt on where to go... I feel that BC and USC have the stronger name, with Nova slightly behind. My first option right now is BC because besides a good name it is located in a great place. However, regarding placement for international students, I don't know how to rank them, could you guys help?

18 Mar 2014

Hello all, I have recieved admit from frankfurt school of finance and management and bocconi university.i am unabe to decide between these two universities.i am an international student with no work ex and henceforth it will be difficult for me to find a job,so i want to join a univ which has a very good reputation regionally among the employers. Thank You

18 Mar 2014

I've got admitted to the MSF program in both schools. Yet I'm not sure which school to go to. I'm a Chinese student and I'm thinking about getting into a commercial bank after graduation. As here in China none of them is famous, I'm considering which school has a better reputation in Europe. Yes I know the situation in Europe may be not so good but I'll try anyway... I also got admission to University of Maryland in USA. I guess I just do not like the school so much. Its MSF program recruites about 90% percent Chinese students, so what's the difference between going abroad and staying here in China.(I can even build a better network here. Haha~) And it costs a lot more...So I think I'd better give it up. What do you guys think?

07 Mar 2011

I am comparing the two MSF programs of Vanderbilt and Boston College. Both are my top priority. Currently I have received the AD from Vandy, and still waiting for BC. So I really want to get more insight view of the two programs, especially the placement of international student. I have been heard that the career service of Owen is pretty good. Could anyone please kindly shed some light on this point? My big concern of the Vanderbilt MSF program is its 9-month (a little bit short), plus the location of Nashville may not be very convenient to find internship.

06 Feb 2011

Hi guys, How is it going? I have a question about the MSF programs and schools and my shots at them, and I hope to receive some insights and opinions here :)

08 Dec 2010

Thanks for the comments.

29 Jun 2010

Ok, as most people know I just finished my MSF and am a huge fan of the degree. Just as everyone else who has applied to grad school I looked at a lot of programs and schools. My time on this board as well as having friends in other programs has given me a decent knowledge base on the subject. Considering that I get a lot of messages on the subject and know a little bit about it I decided to make a blog about it. Goal of my little blog is simply to provide a comprehensive MSF resource. Not looking to make cash or sell anything, just trying to have a 1 stop shop for MSF information.

18 Jul 2010

I would like to get the perspective of any European WSO'ers out there about the general reputation of some of these Dutch Universities for Master of finance/type degrees. Also anyone else with knowledge of these universities, please throw in your two cents. Rotterdam School of Management University of Amsterdam HES Amsterdam School of Business I am an American but have lived in the Netherlands for a few months and would love to live there for a few years.Also any clue on Visa difficulties?

28 Mar 2011

WARNING - LONG POST I am a 2009 grad from an extreme non-target who just got accepted into MIT's MFin program. This seems like a dream-come-true, and it is, and I really want to go, and probably will. My concern is that financially, it doesn't necessarily seem to make sense, so I am hoping WSO can provide some external opinions. Background - Bad undergrad school, 3.8 GPA in finance/math, 780 GMAT, solid FT internship experience in BO, decent ECs, currently working in corp strat at F100 financial sector company in Boston (a year in right now).

25 Feb 2011

Hello everyone, I am 26 years old and from Armenia and I am interested in applying to US universities to study Master of Science in Finance or MBA with concentration in Finance. I have Bachelors degree in Social Work (with low GPA) and I studied MA in Economics in Georgia (country). I had several years of work experience not related to my field (statistician, Shop Administrator, Data Entry Specialist) also I had internship at Ministry of Finance and currently I am working as an accountant in international company (I passed accounting trainings before). My MA program was in English and we had

12 Mar 2021

Hi Everyone, I am trying to decide a MS Finance program at one of the following schools to attend in this Fall. I think these schools are decent but not preeminent; however, could anyone please tell me which school might be a better choice in terms of its educational quality and general reputation in the area of finance? The Ohio State University The University of Maryland Johns Hopkins University Case Western Reserve University Purdue University Thank you so much!

01 Apr 2012

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions for pursuing a MSF to mask a 3.2 from Tulane (3.5 Major GPA) and get out from the financial services industry. My ultimate is to break into IB, whether directly into BB or a second-tier firm. I understand my chances are very low at the moment, having very little applicable experience and academic metrics that pale vs. some other candidates, but I believe that an MSF can really help my chances. Can anyone shed some light on this? I'm wondering if an MSF or MCF is a good idea, and if so, what schools do I have a reasonable shot at getting into? I'd like to stay in the states, but I certainly would welcome a chance at LSE or SSE- though I'm not sure how well those schools recruit in the US. My top choices include Vandy's, Carnegie Mellon, Wash U, and Berkley. Any comments about my chances? I also have not taken the GMAT yet, but lets assume that I score along a similar % as I did on the SAT. 1440 SAT, 720 GMAT. Resume: http://www.razume.com/documents/14822 ETA: I actually was accepted into Tulane's MSF directly after graduation, but declined because I wanted to have the experience at another university.

09 May 2010

http://msfhq.com/2010/12/mit-masters-in-finance-p… Very impressive if you ask me. Lot of consulting also. Good mix! I will discuss more when I get home.

22 Dec 2010

which of these programs, should I get in, is better for a DOMESTIC student's job prospects in IB, ER, PE/HF (long run)? I wanna work in NYC ultimately. Both look really good: both are CFA partner institutes. I do like UIUC's location, but Tulane looks good too. Also, which has more domestic students? An issue with UIUC is that they don't tell you what percentage of students are domestic vs. international, Tulane does. Its that I do wanna network with more of my fellow MSFs. Also, which has better FO recruiting? Which school has a better rep on The Street?

27 Feb 2014

I graduated in 2011 with a 3.2 gpa....non-target but still a major university....interviewing everywhere but can't get a job...i used to what IB, now I think I want Equity Research or Management Consulting.....assuming research is my goal however, what programs should I look into? I'm confident I would score a 700 or so on the GMAT.....also, how if i start prepping now, when is the earliest I should aim to take the GMAT?

21 Mar 2012

I have been auditing financial services (hf) clients at a big 4 firm (1 yr). I absolutely hate it. I want to rebrand myself and raise my gpa so that I can hopefully get a job at a boutique or MM Ibank. My ug gpa is a 3.0. I have passed all of my CPA exams and the first level of the CFA exam (I took this because I was planning on moving into my firms valuation group and they like cfas). I plan on sitting level 2 in June. I am taking the GMAT in two months (I will most likely score in the 700-750 range). What msf programs can I realistically get into? Looking at duke, BC, USC, Villanova, bandy, cmc Side note: I want to live in California (SF) after my program

23 Aug 2014