Applying for MFE programs

WZhang · 3/20/21

So here is an update following 9 months after graduations after I was on the brink of misery with no work in site but there was the light at the end of the tunnel. I managed to successfully become a C++ software engineer (I want to do a big shoutout with @DanielDuffy for the C++ courses) at interactive brokers(and I am about 3 months into work) . Within 1-2 years work down the line, I want to apply to financial engineering programs. However , my gpa is still low at 3.16 but my GRE is at 336/340. I did my bachelors in mathematics and computer science. I was thinking of taking the math courses at Baruch pre-financial engineering program to be a good refresher for any financial engineering programs Is this a good idea or should I take courses that are for credit. I am a bit of a crossroad because I dont know what to do. The reason why I cant apply right now is because I am paying off my student loan debt and my parents are not financial supporting me anymore.

jeffsnguyen · 3/21/21

My personal experience is that Baruch's seminars will be more rigorous and applicable than most courses that you'd take for credit at an extension school. They are not easy. They also use a lot of FE applications (derivative pricing).

WZhang · 3/21/21

jeffsnguyen said:
My personal experience is that Baruch's seminars will be more rigorous and applicable than most courses that you'd take for credit at an extension school. They are not easy. They also use a lot of FE applications (derivative pricing).

Did you apply for financial engineering programs with these courses? How do you let the universities know that you taken these courses because I thought the courses arent put on transcript.

WorkofArt · 3/21/21

danishdanish said:
Did you apply for financial engineering programs with these courses? How do you let the universities know that you taken these courses because I thought the courses arent put on transcript.

There's an additional section to upload certificates of online courses, certifications,etc.

WZhang · 3/22/21

WorkofArt said:
There's an additional section to upload certificates of online courses, certifications,etc.

Do all them have this option?

WorkofArt · 3/22/21

danishdanish said:
Do all them have this option

Yes

WZhang · 5/29/21

WorkofArt said:
Yes

wait I just checked through baruch, they dont have a section for certifications

WorkofArt · 5/30/21

danishdanish said:
wait I just checked through baruch, they dont have a section for certifications

I didn't apply to Baruch, sorry, probably missed this.
In a case where this option does not exist, I think it'd be best to add the certifications in your resume with the link as proof.

MichaelLewis · 5/30/21

danishdanish said:
I am a bit of a crossroad because I dont know what to do. The reason why I cant apply right now is because I am paying off my student loan debt and my parents are not financial supporting me anymore.

Keep in mind that it’s a lot easier to be broke when you’re young. The older you get, the more obligations you have and the harder it gets to stop making money and go back to school full time. In a few years when you pay down undergraduate loans, you still need to pay rent/food/etc. How do you go back to school then? In my case the MFE always became a fantasy because I needed to make money. I hope you don’t get caught in the same situation. If I could go back in time I would do it right after undergrad because I was broke then anyways.

WZhang · 5/30/21

WorkofArt said:
I didn't apply to Baruch, sorry, probably missed this.
In a case where this option does not exist, I think it'd be best to add the certifications in your resume with the link as proof.

I also dont see this option in CMU, Princeton,or columbia. They dont have certification options at all.

WZhang · 5/30/21

MichaelLewis said:
Keep in mind that it’s a lot easier to be broke when you’re young. The older you get, the more obligations you have and the harder it gets to stop making money and go back to school full time. In a few years when you pay down undergraduate loans, you still need to pay rent/food/etc. How do you go back to school then? In my case the MFE always became a fantasy because I needed to make money. I hope you don’t get caught in the same situation. If I could go back in time I would do it right after undergrad because I was broke then anyways.

well I dont owe a tremendous amount of a debt, and I am nearly about to pay it off in couple months. Actually maybe 2 months

WorkofArt · 5/30/21

danishdanish said:
I also dont see this option in CMU, Princeton,or columbia. They dont have certification options at all.

CMU does. You've got to add them in the additional certificate section. I think this is in the same page as the courses done/prerequisites page.
Columbia does too,but they just ask you what certifications you've completed without having to upload them.
You can just add them in your resume if the particular section is missing.

WZhang · 5/30/21

WorkofArt said:
CMU does. You've got to add them in the additional certificate section. I think this is in the same page as the courses done/prerequisites page.
Columbia does too,but they just ask you what certifications you've completed without having to upload them.
You can just add them in your resume if the particular section is missing.

Do you also know if NYU has this option as well? Or the section is missing?

WorkofArt · 5/30/21

danishdanish said:
Do you also know if NYU has this option as well? Or the section is missing?

Yup,it's the additional information section. It lets you upload documents that are not captured in the application. I think it's a good place to upload certificates. In case you don't find a section exclusively for certificates,there's usually a section like this to upload supplemental material

WZhang · 5/30/21

WorkofArt said:
Yup,it's the additional information section. It lets you upload documents that are not captured in the application. I think it's a good place to upload certificates. In case you don't find a section exclusively for certificates,there's usually a section like this to upload supplemental material

Im debating wether or not if these certification courses add value as opposed to real courses

WorkofArt · 5/31/21

danishdanish said:
Im debating wether or not if these certification courses add value as opposed to real courses

Your Baruch pre MFE program and QN C++ courses will definitely add value. Even MIT and Harvard EdX courses could add substantial value. MOOCs on Coursera are not a substitute for actual college courses though.
Basically, anything official by an organisation/school would be beneficial to your application. And even if the program doesn't perceive it that way, I think it still shows motivation in pursuing your goals.
The best option, however, would be to go back to school and take (and ace) the classes that are missing from your prerequisite list.

MichaelLewis · 5/31/21

WorkofArt said:
Your Baruch pre MFE program and QN C++ courses will definitely add value. Even MIT and Harvard EdX courses could add substantial value. MOOCs on Coursera are not a substitute for actual college courses though.
Basically, anything official by an organisation/school would be beneficial to your application. And even if the program doesn't perceive it that way, I think it still shows motivation in pursuing your goals.
The best option, however, would be to go back to school and take (and ace) the classes that are missing from your prerequisite list.

Agreed. A good example of this is Berkeley MFE. They actually list the specific courses and institutions that they will accept as suitable.

Applying for MFE programs

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