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The course is perfectly structured, I liked the idea of transitioning from python to machine learning at the end after the case study. It is very well organized and the instructor Avi Palley explains perfectly all the subjects. I will be coming back for other courses.

I'll be done with my coursework for the MSFE program after Summer 2025. I thought I would share my pros and cons about the program.

Pros:

- Smaller class size
One of the main reasons I leaned toward CGU is the low student-faculty ratio. In all the classes I took, I never had a class with more than 12–15 students. It feels great not to be crammed into a classroom with 30+ students and fighting for a time slot with a professor during office hours.

- Flexibility
What made me decide to attend CGU was its flexibility for part-time students in the MSFE program. I wanted to complete the program while retaining my full-time job. In addition, most classes are hybrid (on-campus and online) with Zoom-recorded lectures. If I remember correctly, CGU allows you to complete the program within four years. If you are working in your current field and want to transition to Quant Finance, this is the program for you.

- Professors genuinely care about you
CGU math professors are very helpful during office hours and provide valuable career advice in Quant Finance. They will spend as much time as you need if you sincerely show interest and want to learn. I especially enjoyed office hours conversations with Dr. Schellhorn (former Interest Rate Quant) and Dr. Peng (former quant at AIG). Outside of class, they helped me prepare for job interviews and readily gave me feedback on my side projects and independent research.

- Competitive coursework
CGU's MSFE is more focused on math, statistics, machine learning, derivatives, etc., compared to corporate finance courses, which I consider a positive. I think the courses provided me with the foundational knowledge and skills to learn advanced material and prepare for interviews in quantitative roles.

- Math Fellowship
Once you are admitted to the program, you automatically receive Math Fellowship status, which comes with generous tuition assistance every semester if your cumulative GPA is above a certain threshold. This is one of the main perks that led me to choose CGU.

- The City of Claremont and the Claremont Colleges are a dream to live in
I think the real estate around the Claremont Colleges and the Village is one of the best-kept secrets of Southern California. It is a stark contrast to the bustling and unkempt city of Los Angeles. With majestic mountains and picturesque greenery as your landscape, ornate historical buildings on campus, a quiet and artsy village to hang out in, and a sophisticated, old-money vibe, Claremont is unequivocally one of the most desirable suburban areas to live in the United States. I can attest to this because I have traveled to major cities across the US.

Cons:

- The MSFE Advisory Board is practically non-existent
On the CGU MSFE website, one of their marketing points is an obscure Advisory Board. It is supposed to consist of quant practitioners, mostly local to California, who advise and assist the program director and students regarding industry trends and job opportunities. I tried reaching out to all the board members via LinkedIn and email, but most of them were unresponsive.

- There is no MSFE cohort
Unlike other Financial Engineering programs such as those at UCLA and Berkeley, CGU's MSFE program does not operate on an annual cohort system. You are pretty much on your own schedule. When I started in Fall 2023, there were about five students (including myself) who began the program at the same time. Since I was attending part-time, some of my "cohort" finished the program ahead of me. For the most part, my classes included classmates from different majors and neighboring institutions such as Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Pomona College.

- Career services are lacking
The Career Center at CGU is more of a general career advisory entity. They only teach students basic approaches to finding jobs and preparing for interviews. The center has no expertise in the intricacies of navigating and landing jobs in quant finance, nor the connections for job placements in quant roles on Wall Street or elsewhere. In my experience, I only had two or three career sessions with various advisors, only to hear things I already knew about job hunting and interviewing.


Epilogue:

A bit about myself: In Fall 2023, I took the leap and began the MSFE program at CGU as a part-time student while working full-time. My goal was to break into quant finance (not sure yet whether buy-side or sell-side).

Before I started, I was well aware that CGU may not have the best MSFE ranking in California, let alone in the US. But the program fit my work schedule, the campus was a short commute, class sizes were small, and I loved the scenery of the Claremont Colleges and the Village.

I told myself I would have to put in extra work to compete against MSFE grads from other "better" schools for employment in quant-related roles. Since the Career Center was lacking, I relied on myself to learn when hiring season begins, the nuances of quant roles, how to look for internships and full-time opportunities, and to practice coding, brainteaser assessments, and interviewing. I even paid to attend out-of-state quant-related conferences in New York and Chicago to put myself out there.

It was incredibly difficult to juggle schoolwork, look for job opportunities, and prepare for interviews while working full-time, not to mention the emotional roller coaster of handling rejections from employers after putting in so much time and effort.

After going through that journey, you cannot imagine the immense gratitude, excitement, and pride I felt when I finally received an offer for a Financial Engineer role at a financial services institution. In the end, although I was not able to land an internship, I am happy that CGU gave me the foundational tools to secure a full-time quant role that aligns with my career interests.

I found this course when first applying to Baruch's MFE Program. I had some coding experience, but not with C++, which was specifically required for admission into the program. For students who do not meet this requirement, Baruch recommends this QuantNet course, stating that its certificate would meet the C++ requirement. This, and later learning that it is relatively well known / respected course, I decided to take it.
As I was taking the course, I was pleased with most explanations on the topics, including a general idea, perhaps a tangible analogy, and then some utility and examples. I was also happy to see the lots of sample code provided to us so that we may experiment and play with already working code. I also appreciated the suggestions throughout regarding other texts / resources for more information on whatever topic in question.
In general, it was a very informative course, with easy-to-follow lectures and interesting, albeit occasionally difficult, quizzes and homework assignments.

Qcf went up to top 8 this year on quantnet, which made it highly competitive for 2025 fall. Of course, you can't rely on the career service to get an amazing offer from a hedge fund, but it's good enough for most people in this hard time.

It is a good program even for those who do not like to work in pure finance! You can have the option to choose a double major with a CS(E) degree. Most of the cohort are very good at collaboration in lots of tech stuff.