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It's a matter of your interests and appetite for risk. In general, having a more quantitative job will make it easier to get future quantitative jobs (if that's what you're interested in). Either way though you won't have relevant work experience for a QF job. And I'd think taking a pay cut...

Are you specifically interested in quant finance or just a more quantitative job? Because there are more jobs using data science, statistics, and applied math outside of quant finance. It's important to have a clear idea of what you're interested in doing and why. I recommend exploring this...

Any opportunities at Accenture for a more quantitative role? Would Accenture pay for you to upskill? This delays your potential entrance into QF but would strengthen your profile.

Check with your university about how they handle course retakes. Some places will allow you to retake a course for GPA calculations (failed course may remain on your transcript but not be used to calculate your GPA). Alternatively, calculate how many courses with an A you'd need to improve your GPA.

https://www.quantnet.com/threads/master-reading-list-for-quants-mfe-financial-engineering-students.535/

People aren't going to give you money without you having a track record of making money. Depending on what role you want in a hedge fund there are multiple paths you could take, PhD in economics being one of them. My advice is to get an internship then graduate and get a job as an analyst...

I would say option #1 with the Math major because it's far easier to teach yourself some programming then it is math (also easier to demonstrate programming knowledge). Plus if you'll have a few programming classes and C++ certificate you should be good. Ideally you want to demonstrate...

Somewhat depends on what your program covers but I would recommend taking extra courses in math and computer science and even a few finance and/or economics if you can. And try to do 1 or 2 internships in finance if you can (investment banking, asset management, hedge fund, etc)

Now isn't the best time to get into finance. Seems like everyday I read an article about another bank cutting jobs.... Graduate, get a job, and then think about where you want your life to go. You may love being an actuary. And you can always go and get an MFE later.

Maximizing income in your career is great and all but don't forget to think about the kind of lifestyle you want. How are the hours where you work now? What's the work environment like? Relaxed? Stressful? Consider these things. 2. You are almost too old for these programs and would have a...

I agree with Andy_B that a lack of math is a major hurdle; this is evidenced by the mention of taking math in almost every education thread here. Focus on learning 1 or 2 programming languages really well. C++ is probably what you should learn and if you know that then picking up another...

I've heard of a few MS degrees that are for business analytics and I see the trend continuing even though its basically just statistics and computer science. But I think at the end of the day, studying the foundations of computer science and statistics/math prepares you for this trend and any...

I think you going back to school full time for approximately 2 years (based on needing to start at Calc I and getting a degree in comp sci) when you already have student debt is a bad idea in the current environment. If your heart is set on this then get a good job that is finance related that...

1) Impossible to tell. 2) At the end of the day reputation doesn't matter, what matters is what you do with your education. You can have all the PhDs in the world but if you can't make money.... My present concern with Oxford would be their connection with the Man Group which isn't doing so well...

Depends on how much time you have. If time is an issue then take higher level math courses and get As. Under limited time, it would be better to get more exposure in math than to keep retaking classes. If time isn't an issue then retake them, get As and have a higher GPA. If you get an A in...

Assuming you are taking 5 classes: Computer Algorithms, Game Theory, Stochastic Models, Probability Theory II, and Math Theory of Stat. Relevant work experience that interests you trumps grad school in my opinion. Going to grad school later will always be an option.

I would skip the business management degree with a concentration in finance. If you want, take a few finance classes or get a minor in it but focus on CS and Math.

https://www.quantnet.com/forum/threads/master-reading-list-for-quants-mfe-financial-engineering-students.535/

Agree, definitely go with CS and Math. But why the Econ? It's an interesting subject but CS/Math with a higher GPA would probably be better than triple majoring. You could consider minoring in Econ. If you go econ, I would recommend taking an econometrics class.

You could get by with taking some extra math classes or getting a math minor. Search this forum, tons of posts about what math classes to take. And DanM makes an excellent point.

Taking a few CS courses would be helpful if you have no exposure but a few courses aren't really going to be enough. I would recommend focusing on self-learning and then actually doing various projects. What's more impressive: I took an intro to C++ course or I built XYZ using C++?

I think doing the MMSS program with a double major in CS would give you many future job opportunities. For financial engineering specifically, the MMSS seems light in the math department but I like the econ components. Whatever route you decide on, focus on pushing yourself, getting good grades...

IS is usually more geared towards eventual IT work, so the programming and theory requirement will be less intensive. Though IS will probably include a database course, which you can easily include as part of your CS studies.

I would say CS. SE curriculum usually involves more courses on the process and management of developing software, which I think would be less useful for a quant career. Though the exact course difference will depend on your university.

If you can get a job in a group that does what you are interested in (assuming that the job is relevant for your chosen career path) then I would recommend that. I still read about layoffs at banks in the news, so right now being able to get an offer and get some experience is important. Once...

Consider double majoring/minoring in statistics. Useful for finance plus data analytics is super hot right now and not going away any time soon.

First from my limited experience, PhDs are viewed differently in the UK than in the US. While getting my masters in the UK, I had a few professors with PhDs and industry experience (one was even a fund manager by day and professor by night). I think the main question you should be asking...

US vs Europe for PhD depends on what you are looking for. In the US a PhD will entail about 2 years of course work plus 2-4 years of research (total is 4-6 years depending on what your PhD is in and how productive you are). European PhDs usually skip the course work and have you solely focus...

1) Have you tried applying to any jobs that interest you? 2) Not sure CQF would help you much in IB. I think an MBA or CFA would be more helpful....

A fact that I believe holds for any degree (undergrad to PhD) in any field (finance, CS, etc) is that just having the degree is not enough because it doesn't set you apart. Look for ways to stand out from the crowd, be it through networking, work experience, extracurricular...

Many to most PhD programs are fully funded with tuition waiver and a living stipend. For FE, I would recommend looking at universities' math, statistics, and applied math departments and look at the kinds of research their faculty is doing; this is where I have seen FE research being done in the...

I think adcoms are generally conservative and your idea would be like shooting yourself in the foot. If you really want to try it then do it on one application and follow a more traditional approach on the others. My advice is to forget your low GPA and focus on the strengths you mentioned...

(1) Try to network and do your best to get an internship in Singapore; best you can do is try. Any possibility of getting a finance-related internship in Vietnam, Hong Kong, etc? (2) Learn C++ and Matlab. VBA is less useful in computational finance but is used in less intensive applications...

Don't waste time/space trying to explain away bad grades, instead focus on your strengths.

Regarding the profiles you looked at: When did they get into IB? Because right now things aren't so good and its a rough spot to get into. What school did they go to? I double majored in finance and accounting and the only worthwhile accounting class for analysts beyond the intro in my opinion...

In my opinion your choice of majors doesn't align with your career goals. You don't need math or accounting major for 1,2, or 3 and I think you would be better off doing a double major in finance and economics (math minor wouldn't hurt). Becoming an accountant is the safe option but you don't...

Only if the firm is or wants to use social media sentiment tracking. I think its too specific because it narrows down your target firms and while social media may be hot now, it won't necessarily always be.

Depends on your background, situation and the program you want to apply to but in general concerned would be a good feeling to have. If your program is not on this list then you may find it more difficult to get a job in a major financial center.

An addition I'd like to see, that FT does with its rankings, is have a column with the previous ranking (so in this case column 1 is 2011 ranking and column 2 is 2009 ranking) to allow easy tracking of changes in ranking.

Consider looking at the Tracker on this site and asking admitted candidates of programs that interest you. First advice is to study subjects that interest you. Secondly, double majoring in computer science and math is commonly advised. But I think as more programs crop up and potential...

Agree.

For algorithmic trading skip the finance degree (read a few books to teach yourself finance) and get a dual major in applied math and computer science. Depending on what you want to get your PhD in, doing the MSCF may not help you because it is a professional degree and not a research degree...

I don't believe that the heavy development roles in quant finance requires a MFE, they are looking for people with the right knowledge and experience.

When Milliseconds Make Millions: Why Wall Street Programmers Earn the Big Bucks http://adtmag.com/articles/2011/07/29/why-hft-programmers-earn-top-salaries.aspx

If you decide to do a double major, you don't have to start both right away but sooner is better than later, otherwise course prerequisites can hurt you later. Whatever you decide once you are at your university, take some time at the beginning to plan out or at least get a general idea of what...

Most universities allow you to double degree/major in finance and math. I don't know if a distinction is made between math and applied math at the bachelor level, I've only seen the difference at the graduate level.

Coursework is only a part of your overall application, so yes university matters but how much depends on the rest of your application. As you pointed out, the differences are in cost and flexibility (plus I feel that there is a general idea that CCs are easier). You say that the CC is...

It could be a test to see how you react.

If she wants to study maths at the doctoral level after the masters, why not get a masters in maths? Why the switch to finance/economics?

couldn't you just as easily force schools not to inflate, which would normalize things?

Books, movies, and games is the reality but football and beer of the UK-variety sounds better ;)

It's a vicious cycle. Employers start filtering candidates by masters degree, which forces students to get a masters which creates the opportunity for employers to filter.... But I don't think that a PhD will ever become the new masters so I'm curious to see what happens next.

CC, online, or non-degree seeking at a local 4-year university. I don't think I would call it unfavorable. Taking classes at CC is better than not taking them, but probably not as good as taking them from a local university (from a perception standpoint, not necessarily from a learning standpoint).

Seems like a very personal question, at the heart being what do you want to do with your life/career?

Something to consider with your background and being in SF is private equity/venture capital. You could go back to school, but I would think you could get a job without another degree. Pass CFA level 1 and apply to a few jobs that interest you, if you don't get an offer then consider school.

No, don't retake it. As adt said, spend your time elsewhere and make sure your essays are well written.

You may not need to get CFA. It is a nice certification to have and is well respected but is more targeted towards non-quant investment analysts (that may eventually move up to portfolio management). You have the right ideas about distinguishing yourself academically and getting good...

I assume Jim that this is you asking the same question at the grad cafe? http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/23008-applying-for-phd-just-to-get-masters-for-free/

I don't know of any CS masters programs in the US that are funded, but Canada has a few. What I've seen for CS is that a masters is usually considered a terminal degree (some schools will offer thesis or non-thesis option for masters), and the program says that if your goal is a PhD to apply...

Would this work? I think so. Is it unethical? I think so. Are you a sociopath? I think so. If your argument is that a university that doesn't properly prepare its students is exploiting those students, then welcome to the American education system. I don't see why the department would care if...

To me it looks like too many Masters of Finance type courses and light on the math/programming. If a person had strong programming and computational skills, would they even need this masters to get a job??

Depends on what your career objectives are and what your undergrad is. For example, it looks pretty weak on the programming or computational side of things.

If you see your future in programming then major in computer science with a double major or minor in math/stats. You will be able to go into finance and numerous other jobs.

I'll vote for Statistics with a minor in computer science. And I agree with alain, it will be much easier to teach yourself finance than programming. Double major is also an option depending on your motivation and work ethic. A question to help you decide is: If you were to get a non-finance...

Thanks Andy for finding the links I was too lazy to.... :D If you're motivated and interested enough to get a PhD in applied math I think that is a better plan (though not for everyone) because it gives you some of the tools for quant finance (and some applied math departments I've seen do...

With strong letters of recommendation I think you have a strong profile. Consider picking up a few of the finance programming in C++ books (check your uni library). Look at the QuantNet rankings and research the programs to see which schools/programs/cities interest you; I think you should apply...

I'm sure there are still banks and investment firms that you can do an internship or work at to get some experience. You may also consider the possibility of doing a masters program either in Europe or the US (after a few years of work experience would be my recommendation). We can't predict...

This has been answered before, but I'll sum up what I remember. Alot of the ads for quant positions requiring a PhD are from recruiters not the actual firms. Getting a PhD is a long a process and a major life decision; don't do it for the money or the hope of later getting a quant job. To get a...

If you're interested in CS then concentrate on CS and take some extra math/stats.

Depends on your university (so would need to know your university) but a degree in math/statistics with some finance and computer science classes would be best (double degree, multiple minors, other combinations). Based on your info, don't think of MFE right after your BSc as the only entrance...

Excel VBA, R, SQL, and Python

You probably can't learn enough computer science or math. But you have no finance or economics courses, consider getting a minor. To really focus your studies more would require you to focus your interests.

I've read it and enjoyed it, but don't remember it being super mathematical/technical. I would recommend it.

I don't think it's worth your time to study and take the GRE Math test. Work on your programming and get an internship.

I would think so.

Depends on what kind of career in finance you want, but any single degree did not make the guys that become billionaires. When choosing what degree to get you need to take into account what interests you because if you hate something, you probably won't excel at it. If you wanted to you could...

1) What is your plan of action after finishing the math degree? I think it would be stupid to go back to school for 1+ years and not get a degree at the end of it. Your first degree should hopefully be able to count towards the basics of your second degree. 2) Yes do a minor in CS. 3) Diff Eq...

Depends on what jobs you are interested in. CFA is mainly for investment analysis, so if that's what you want to do then yes.

The curriculum looks pretty good, but the questions you should be asking are regarding jobs. Program started in 2009 from what I can tell, so they probably don't have any results for the class yet. But you should send them an email asking about what they do to help get their students jobs...

PDE

I don't think the lack of internships during your undergrad will hurt you because the time between your undergrad and finishing the PhD will be so long. Important thing for you will be to get some research experience during your undergrad and have professors that will write great letters of...

Your major may not matter for MFE admissions because the ad board will actually look at what courses you have taken, but for a job application your major could matter. If you don't want to double major then I would recommend majoring in Computer Science (assuming you enjoy it to some degree)...

I too recommend Rothfuss. Currently reading: The Race for a New Game Machine by Shippy and Phipps Hackers by Steven Levy The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Cornell's AEM looks like a great program and will probably lead to a good job and great career. (Personally looking at it, I think I would have a really hard time deciding what to take as so many of the classes sound interesting/useful!) The finance specialization would probably get you a...

Easy answer: CS Right now there is huge demand for software developers (especially for mobile apps) and unless we enter into another dark ages, I don't see the demand for technology and software going down any time soon. And with a degree in CS you could do development in finance. CS does...

Industrial engineering (IE) is not a bad major to have for MFE, it just is not the best major to have. It seems late to be changing majors, but if you did decide to go the route of changing majors you would probably be better off adding on another major instead of dropping IE completely. There...

I would recommend reading as many finance related books as possible (on general finance, programming, interviews, etc) so that you are able to come across as someone that has an idea about the finance side of things. I would recommend being able to explain being a biostatistician as a strength...

Your profile looks fairly strong to me. I agree with Andy in that you should try applying for some jobs.

1-2 finance internships: I think ideally 1 in investment banking and 1 in investment management/hedge fund. 1 math/programming/research: Something where you will get some good coding experience. This could be at a software company or being a summer research assistant for a professor. I think...

Those are the topics you need to know for the basic MFE stuff; think of it as a bare minimum. Berkeley isn't saying that those are the prerequisites to be accepted into the program, but the most necessary to be success in the program. Those courses are the background you need to be able to...

Psychology of Investing - I've read this one and it is a pretty good intro book. No math, it is short and to the point and easy to read.

http://www.quantnet.com/forum/threads/good-undergrad-for-financial-eng.1032/#post-54949

Get a job at a hedge fund.

A research project at Imperial (though not directly related to finance, it sounds applicable skill-wise) sounds more impressive to me than taking a few courses at UCLA, but that's just my opinion. It sounds like you have already made up your mind. Good luck!

What does the UCLA summer session involve? All else being equal, think of it this way: you are on the admissions board and just read your post from an applicant. Would you accept the candidate that ran out of steam and took the easier option or the candidate that pushed themselves? Carlo makes...

Since you are well on your way to getting into a math PhD program (and probably at a top school), my advice would be to go that route. It gives you plenty of time to get a finance internship and self-study to determine if finance is really for you. And having a PhD in math won't hurt you in...

Well from the Baruch website: These questions are pretty straightforward. My advice would be to show in your essays that you have done your research and thought about your answers. For example, for your career path don't just say that you want to start a hedge fund; try to show that you have...

GPA is low. GRE score? For relevant courses you don't list very many. Either you have not taken much math or you are not "selling" the classes you have taken; basically I mean you need to find a relevance or connection between quantitative finance and the math/physic classes you have taken. I...

Those are all great! Thanks Andy

Depending on what you want to do in finance, an MBA may be a better option. You should get a job and work for a few years before deciding.

My first question is how do you know that you want to do algo trading? Algo trading is very programming/math intensive, and it sounds like you have no computer science background and only basic math classes. You really need all 5 of the classes you listed plus more. Unless you have some unique...

It sounds like you are interested in quantitative finance but not necessarily 100% decided. Do some research on finance careers, read some of the books on our master reading list, because if you are more interested in the quantitative aspect and not so much the finance part, there are other...

a) Maybe a real or numerical analysis class. b) Take programming classes. c) No, may even help you from a diversity standpoint. d) Research experience is important for PhD admissions not MFE. e) Internship, assuming it is relevant/related to what you ultimately want to do. For example, interning...

Just to clarify, it was my understanding that, in general, undergraduate degree in mathematics requirements did not cover everything for the GRE Math unless you specifically selected courses and/or took extra courses. Meaning that you could get an undergraduate degree in mathematics and not...

Have you tried to get a job with just your PhD? I would think with a math PhD you wouldn't need a MFE, and could just teach yourself the basics.... But if you want to do another masters, go with LSE. The MSFE will be more quantitative but will cover things that you should already know or should...

Yes a high GRE Math subject score should help you, especially if you don't have a strong math background. But you would have to do fairly well on it, 70-80%+

Andy is right. If you want to work in NYC right after completing your masters then go to Columbia. LSE is a great university and recognized in the US, but you would probably need to work in London first (if your goal was ultimately to be in NYC).

I wouldn't tell the other universities to hurry up or that you have admission with Michigan. Just ask what the current status is and when a decision will be made. You could also try asking Michigan for an extension on your decision.

Advanced Probability Theory I sounds intense!! Good luck! I like #1!

Don't know where you are going your PhD, but many programs allow you to take a few courses outside your department that are relevant for your research, thus allowing you to take at least a few courses from each program. What do you hope to do afterwards? Unless I wanted to specifically be a...

First you have to realize that those job postings are probably from recruiters and not the actual firm. It's probably easier for a recruiter to sell a PhD to a firm because of the mystique around having a PhD. PhD programs' goal is to train researchers. For finance that generally is limited to...

Good read, thanks Andy!

Have you visited the campuses? Sounds like you should be able to at least visit Maryland. Try just browsing the websites of the universities and departments you are interested in. You would be surprised the kind of "feel" you can get for a university by what they say on their website and how...

UH isn't well known outside of Texas and generally does poorly in rankings. But their placement in Houston is pretty good and they have recently become a tier 1 research university so it is moving up. UH would be a good safety school depending on your profile. Other Texas universities to...

I wouldn't say it's impossible but it may be harder, especially for top programs. Two key components of a PhD application are research experience and letters of recommendation (that are about how great a researcher you are/will be). If you worked for someone with a PhD that could write you a...

I second Maryland, it is a solid university and you will be able to afford double/triple majoring in cs/math/finance. And the money you save could then be applied to grad school if you so choose. Even more important than what school you go to, is how well you do. This goes beyond good grades or...

Haven't upgraded yet but will, I've been using the beta and RC for awhile now.

If you can get a job right out of undergrad doing what you want to do (or something closely related) then do that. You can always go back for grad school, and in a few years of work you will have a better idea of what you want to focus in (and will be more marketable as a job applicant with work...

I agree with Paul's logic but I don't know if I could turn down Oxford.... Going to defer to our more experienced UK members here.

I remember when I think started in CS, OOP was made to sound like the end-all of programming. And now I think it's being realized that it is just another tool.

I don't see FE ever dying away, but most of us can't predict the future; in a few years a new field could be the next hot field to work in. I think having math and cs solidly prepares you for that.

Where do you want to get a job? For UK/Europe, go to Oxford. For Chicago, go to Chicago. For NY, go to Columbia or Cornell. *These are rough estimates, not set in stone*

1. I think the prospects will definitely improve in the future as the economy improves, hopefully. But it really becomes a problem of supply and demand. Because of the increased interest in quant finance and the increasing number of MFE programs, there will be more people with the MFE...

If all you want is to be able to program at a high level, then a few CS courses is enough. But to go beyond throwing something together that just works, I think you need a deeper understanding. Option #2 has more CS, preparing him for a MFE but also giving him the background to get a general...

I completely agree with Tsotne's points on tuition and phd option, and adt's point. I think the MSc in machine learning is the way to go if it interests you. MFE programs are popping up everywhere and more and more people are applying to these programs. With the MSFE, you would be one of many...

I would suggest applying to Cass and LSE. Problem I see with Edinburgh's program is that it is jointly done with Heriot-Watt University, which I don't think is very well known.... If you are considering a PhD (assuming in finance) then it is critical that you do academic research during your...

I vote for option #2. Economics is definitely useful in finance/business but less so in quant finance (for example, I've seen a few PE guys with economics backgrounds). Having the extra computer science classes will give you a greater understanding and open up more options for you.

For me this article highlights the diverse skill sets to start a hedge fund at the individual or group level. It isn't enough to be a quant god if you (or a partner) can't handle getting investors, working with brokers, managing an office, the legal side, etc. From a career planning standpoint...

This brings up a recurring topic on these forums of what is the value of a MFE if you already have an undergrad degree in financial math/financial engineering? If memory serves me right, the general consensus is that a MFE doesn't add much value and that FM/FE undergrad degrees aren't very...

I agree with your goals you could probably go either way (MSF or MFE) and still do well. But I think a more important question is based on your current background what would be "easier" (or a better fit) for you to get into, a good MSF or MFE? While there is some overlap in the kinds of students...

First, what are you interested in doing? An MBA might be a better option. If you can get the job you want out of undergrad then do that, you may not even need a graduate degree.

Again as adt pointed out it depends on your money situation. Personally, I think credit is a suckers game and am risk averse (to a fault sometimes) so I would take the scholarship and go to Warwick in this case. I would have a different experience and possibly lose out on some opportunities...

Much faster for me too.

I second adt's response. Warwick is a great school but Imperial has better branding and the advantage of being in London where most of the jobs are.

I would work for a few years in your current job and then you can revisit the decision to either try to move into your desired role there or do a MFE/MBA somewhere. In the meantime, start preparing for both through self-study, taking the GRE, etc. MBA + CFA. Depends on what you want to do. If...

I think this will end up hurting the UK over the long run. Many of the foreign students I met during my masters wanted to live/work in Europe or the US, and getting a graduate degree was a step towards that. But with no post-study work visas and the slow improvement of universities in places...

Great article!

Algo trading is heavy in programming, and if that is what you really want to do then you would be better off with getting a degree in computer science. I would recommend doing the mathematics or statistics degree and as you mentioned, a second degree in economics. Do a few internships during...

A finance internship is going to help on your admissions but I think will also be very useful when looking for a job. It will help you get a feel for the general industry and narrow your interests; plus it should help beef up your personal statement. I agree with Andy, option #2. Need to get...

I think you would be better off trying to work 2-3 years in a programming role and then going to a "top" MFE program.

WSW was a good show. Anyone read Tim's book, An American Hedge Fund? Curious if it's worth the read.

I don't think you would do MFE and then an MBA unless you wanted to change jobs/industry (such as getting out of quant finance). I imagine promotion would be based on work experience, but it would depend on your organization. As a quant you could start your own fund and be in a management role...

@Dominic - Is it possible to be an AT without a PhD? Or is it possible to get a job as an AT without a PhD?

Are you still in school? I've never heard of an algo internship....but having a relevant internship is always helpful. For some firms, an internship is an extended interview where they can evaluate you and determine if you fit into the culture. If you have already graduated, you may want to...

Florida State isn't a bad school over all, but unless Wall Street moved to Florida while I slept, I wonder about your job prospects after graduating. With no relevant finance work experience and I presume no network, I think you are better off putting yourself geographically closer to NYC.

I'm not sure you could get into an MFE program that would be worth your time/money in terms of future job prospects. You're GRE is good, but GRE Math isn't high enough to send and your GPA is low. Two options readily come to mind if you are set on doing an MFE: (1) use your poker skills to...

Good to know as I was considering Dartmouth. I'll have to add Everest and that gold medal to my to-do list.....

You should be able to get a job with a PhD in statistics...

I think it is somewhat similar with MBA programs. Top tier MBA graduates have less trouble getting a job compared to lower tier programs, and it seems like everyone offers an MBA program as a cash cow.

I wouldn't think of it in terms of how much is left but in how much time and money you have already put into. If you quit before finishing then all the time/money you've put into it so far is wasted. If you aren't even getting interviews then that leads me to think that your resume isn't very...

Also consider jobs not on Wall Street, other banks, risk management, etc

http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/hackers-find-new-way-cheat-wall-street-everyones-peril-699

Plus get a minor if you can. I also like the Physics + Computer Science idea and find the Physics + Economics interesting.

For getting a job, why does it matter if China has well-known mathematicians?

1. Applied Math + Computer Science

Just do both the MS in CS and FE! It'll be easy :D Get a 800Q on the GRE and I think you will get in.

If you had more relevant work experience then I think there would be an argument for not putting the restaurant experience. Putting it on your resume shows that you are a hard worker. I think order on your resume should be first academic stuff where you can focus on grades, classes taken and...

Research experience isn't as important for MFE compared to PhD, relevant work experience would be more valuable. You have a chance at getting into a FE program, what tier program is debatable. Key things you will need to get into a top program (in my opinion): 1) Top GRE scores. 800Q is a...

You assume "all the jobs" I referred to were quant positions. I believe at the time I was looking at investment management/analyst roles. And as the poster did not say he was only interested in quant positions, I assumed a broader finance context. (Though as I did not reread this entire thread...

With this you can be successful in anything! ;) MFin or MFE? I think a MFin is more relevant unless as pointed out you want to work with more quant products. Depending on your profile, a top MBA + CFA would be a good bet.

All the jobs I looked into applying for last year in China and HK required the applicant to be fluent in Mandarin and English.

I have an iPad but also want an Android tablet. Also hoping to get a LED tv this year.

You're grades are only a part of your total application. Without more details we cannot give you an accurate answer. My advice is to become a good test taker as you will need to do well on the GRE.

I second this. Only get a math phd if you really love math. If you want to end up in the US then #3 makes the most sense but since you aren't considering it, #1. Internships will be important to show an interest and give you some practical experience.

Admissions at top finance PhD programs is extremely competitive (2-4% admission rate at some). It really comes down to being lucky in some cases. I think you have a chance and should definitely go for. If your recommenders are turning out generic LORs then applying to 18+ schools is possible...

I believe when you send your GRE scores it lists all your scores and only the latest score is considered (can someone confirm?) Either way you will want to retake the GRE.

Well yes but coming from a reputable school helps. Hypothetical situation: PhD grad from top school X publishes 2 papers before graduating, while PhD grad from middle ranked school Y publishes 2 papers before graduating. Which will have an easier time getting a job? Probably the grad from top...

Basically true but you can't bomb the other sections. Quant score is the most important but you need to do reasonably well on the other parts.

Either could be enough for a quant position but you would want to do a few internships. Both would help for MFE admissions. Don't do a PhD just to get a quant job. The BS/MS combination is really nice, but the math doesn't require much cs and the joint cs/math doesn't look like it requires...

Agreed, you should try to get a job before doing a MFE. If you can, try to do a finance-related internship.

I'm not an expert but generally hear that PDE is the way to go. Having some exposure to finance is a plus, which is why you will read on these forums suggestions of passing CFA level 1 or self-studying finance. It is much harder to learn math/programming than finance, and these programs assume...

First two, but you may be better off taking more math or programming courses depending on what you have already taken.

If you are so sure of getting an analyst job at Simmons then I would recommend doing that for a few years. At that point you can decide whether to do an MBA or MFE, but having that experience will help you down the road either way.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

I'm sure you can get into a finance PhD program somewhere. Usual advice is to apply to a few top dream schools, a few programs that you feel qualified for and then a few lower as safety schools that you feel overqualified for. Look to apply to 6-8 programs. You will need great LORs. Hopefully...

The vast majority of business PhD programs in the US are fully funded including tuition and a stipend. This is not always the case in Europe I've found. The GRE does require more vocabulary than the GMAT, but I believe there is a new GRE starting in 2011 that is less vocabulary intensive. Which...

You may be able to get a job with what you are currently pursing. A finance internship, great letters of recommendation and some self-study in finance will help you. A few years of work experience using your degree in high performance computing or something related would help your application...

I have never seen any statistics from universities regarding GRE Math scores but the rule of thumb is over 75% is good enough to report.

Your grades are good enough, but you will need to take the GRE and do very well to get into top MFE or PhD programs. A MFE is basically the US equivalent to what you are currently studying so I don't see much value-added by doing a MFE. Letters of recommendation will also be important. The...

I don't think we need a separate sub-forum for MIT, but a sub-forum under education for Non-MFE degrees (MFin, MBA, PhD, etc) would be good.

I think for PhD, reputation-wise they are all about the same. You should read this article regarding PhDs: http://www.quantnet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8206 For PhD stuff, you should look at the professors you will be interacting with and therefore who will be writing your letters of...

Interesting article. I look forward to PhD reforms in the distant future. :D

Missed deadline for Berkeley. I believe most of the top US PhD program deadlines are in December with a few in January, so you would be hard pressed to get everything together in time (LORs, statement of purpose, etc). I believe US program deadlines are usually much earlier then European...

I have the MSc Finance and Investment from Edinburgh so. They actually just changed the program structure for this year. My class had to do 10 modules (classes) but now I believe it is only 8, and some of the best professors I had left so I'm not sure who replaced them. Edinburgh is a great city...

I was looking at MBA programs the other day and remember seeing that they had a dual MBA/Masters of Engineering Management, but don't remember where. Might of been UPenn or NYU. I have no experience with this but I would assume that job experience would be important. Probably at least 2-4 years...

Consider: Princeton, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, MIT, CMU, UPenn, Maryland,... No limit on how many schools you can apply for, just make sure you spend the time on each application.

If you love math then you should definitely major in it. Stay away from undergrad FE concentrations. Majoring in math and then double majoring or minoring in computer science or physics would prepare you for quantitative finance as well as many other areas. For MFE admissions what is important...

I think LSE looks pretty good, but for US/Canada I would probably lean towards Columbia.

The profile you posted is strong, but I have seen a number of strong profiles from India lately. The key will be to differentiate yourself through LORs and personal essay. Just from reading your profile, things you may want to consider addressing in your essay (also could come up in an...

Whether to go MBA or MFE depends on your career goals and interests. If you want both then I think you are better off doing them at the same time in a dual MBA/MFE program. You're low GPA will matter less since you have a decent number of years experience, and you can offset it somewhat with a...

Many jobs prefer a PhD but that doesn't mean that you can't get them with your MFE. A PhD is a big time commitment so you need to want to get the PhD for reasons other than money because it can be a grueling number of years. This topic has come up before as Joy pointed out so try searching these...

I found languages and the visa issue to be 2 major barriers for myself (as I'm already white). For languages, I think French and German are the big ones and then anything beyond that is even better. It's hard for Americans to compete in languages because if we learn another language it's...

MIT will be a tough one due to your low GRE quant score and history major (this is based on MIT's class profile), but not impossible. I think you have a much better chance at Duke. You should probably apply to at least 4-5 programs so go ahead and apply to MIT and Duke plus the others. Good...

One thing to do is look at the qualifications of people currently in positions that you are interested in or ads for such positions. This isn't perfect but will give you an idea of the qualifications you will need to work towards. I'm no expert on algo trading but I do question whether a MFE is...

Will be interesting to see how this works out, but I agree that depending on details it could make the UK a less appealing destination for potential students. I think this is probably an overreaction to the current economic climate.

Agreed. But do you want to do a PhD?

We had a debate before about the value of brand name universities... My advice is to go to the "best" university that you can get into and afford. That may mean Harvard or it may mean the top public state school. What's more important than the university you go to are the classes you take and...

Going to a CC doesn't matter, it's your time at a 4-year university that is important. What major combination you should do depends on your strengths and interests. If you hate your programming classes then don't double major in computer science. I like your plan of taking as much math as you...

I agree with you Ken, you aren't being difficult. I think you made the right decision.

I second Joy, for fixed income stuff go with the applied math.