30 year old Female Phd seeking advices

[wenxue]

My profile:
Age: 30
Gender: F
Degree: Ph.d in agricultural economics, school ranking around 60 in U.S. Dissertation is real option using PDE
Work experience: 2 years risk modeling in financial company (commercial lending industry) , not quant position
Skill set: 1) lot of statistics and econometrics training in graduate school. And my current daily job is mostly about statistical modeling (logistic model),
lot of SAS (expert), Data working.
2) CFA level 3 candidate
3) basic PDE, C++, Stochastic calculus
Visa status: H1B (5 years left), Green card application just started.

I will like to load a quant position with my Phd. But I am not confident with my math and c++ programming skills, even I have a solid statistical and finance/econ background. I am looking at the MFE program in top tier university such as UCB, CMU, NYC and part-time program in UC.

My question:
1) Based on my background, do I need to take a MFE program to get a quant position? My current position has nothing to do with derivatives and I consider MFE is a program that can help me to break in the IB and financial capital.
If I do, should I do the full-time programs like UCB, CMU , which are better in my opinion, Or choose the part-time program in UC?? The reason I choose UC as a part-time program is that it is the only program provides distant learning. All the others are only open to local candidates, and I am not near to any of these cities. By the way, I have to pay out of my own pocket for these programs if I do. I don't know whether it will be worthwhile under current market.

2) What other positions will be a good fit to my background besides quant?

3) my ultimate goal is to be a fund manager or trader, will MBA be a better program for me than MFE? Like most Chinese, we start with loading technical positions to break in the desired industry and switch to other roles later on. Right now, my thought is using technique skills from MFE program to break in IB or hedge fund since my current working experience will not do much help with that. Do you guys think it is a right thought?

4) In general, will a MBA will be better program than MFE for female, in terms of future career development?

I will appreciate if you guys can give some suggestions.

Thanks

 

[bigbadwolf]

Based on my background, do I need to take a MFE program to get a quant position?

Do some fieldwork: find out the profiles of the people who are getting hired for quant positions nowadays and see if you compare favorably. Ideally also find out, from among the large pool who are not getting hired, the profiles of the strongest. You have to have a better profile than them. Five years ago you would have had a chance. Today the odds are so stacked against you, I'd tell you to stay away from the field.