Chicago MSFM Chicago MSFM Prep Course

[jackcoke]

Has anyone on this network taken this prep course in the past and willing to share their review of it?I've found very few reviews, if any. Most are one liner comments in this or other forums.

http://www-finmath.uchicago.edu/admissions/prep_course.shtml

I'm looking to take this as it can be taken online, and is spread out over nine months (2h lecture per week with assignments). It covers linear algebra/calculus and seems to me like a good pace to fully internalize all the concepts that one may have forgotten from undergrad math courses.

Downside is that it costs $2,500 per quarter ($7,500 total) and no transcript is provided (you can request for a written letter of attendance though). I think if you are planning to apply for the Chicago program the transcript won't matter as much, since the assignments are graded and the department will have a good idea of your progress in the prep course.

I know the lectures webcasts used to be available for free online (unintentional), but it seems to have been taken down. The Chicago MSFM also recently had their website face-lifted.

 

[jackcoke]

Well.. I've signed up and will be taking the prep course remotely, starting 27 Sep.

So I'll guess I'll do the first comprehensive review on this course (provided it turns out to be good and I go through with the course).

 

[RogueGoose]

Ive contacted the UofC on this very topic. One reason that made me not go forward with the program 1) The professor will not supply the very much needed Letter of Reccommendation. A letter of Rec from a Math professor is almost required to get into the MSFM. Therefore, for my personal situation, I decided to take undergraduate math courses (Calc 1-3, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations) at Northwestern University (to 1) get the required math background and 2) secure a letter of rec). Note that a letter of rec from a math professor from a community college will not hold much "weight" compared to one from a university (verified by the UofC)

UCLA and Berkeley offer similar quant-fi Math preps as well.

 

[syoh]

hi jackcoke, i believe you're referring to the 'review period' video lectures (early sept, before classes actually start) - they're still there:-
http://finmath.uchicago.edu/admissions/lecture_videos.shtml

The review period notes though... are gone.

I'm going with UCLA math & stats prep which starts in oct

 

[jackcoke]

Hello RogueGoose, syoh,

The actual prep course notes/lectures were available online for a period (not anymore). I managed to view a couple of videos/notes before they were taken down. The notes are very comprehensive (written by Prof. Niels). The prep course last year alternates between Calculus (Prof. Arunas) and Linear Algebra/Economics (Prof. Niels) each week. Prof. Arunas also publishes a weekly rolling newsletter with further notes and discussion, and also uploads his annotated powerpoint slides as supplements to the standard notes.

I think the main difference between this prep course and others is the length and amount of material covered. Berkeley's and UCLA's are ~30+ hours each, UoC's is probably around ~60-70 hours total (an estimate, can't remember how many lectures I saw on the prep course page before it was taken down), and more time spent on working assignments as homework is due almost every week for 3 quarters.

If you're applying to UoC, I would think that they'd have more confidence in the rigor of their own program than if you applied with programs from other schools.

The cost is a BIG issue though, and I'm still weighing the cost/benefit. Still, I'd most likely go through with it since I'm applying to UoC and I honestly feel I can get more out of this program than Berkeley's or UCLA's.

 

[Namitha]

Sorry to deviate from the topic, but are letter of recommendations provided at UCB if you do a a pre-program course from there?

 

[jackcoke]

Sorry to deviate from the topic, but are letter of recommendations provided at UCB if you do a a pre-program course from there?

Hello Namitha..

I doubt so unless you attend the physical classes and have extensive discussions/consultations with them. Why will they attest to someone they've barely only known for 3 months (unless you leave a deep impression of course)?

 

[Namitha]

Haha agreed. I was planning on attending it in person. But someone mentioned earlier on this thread that you will NOT get a letter of reco from attending the course at UoC; so was wondering if you get it at other programs.

Thanks anyway!

 

[darth]

You can get it at Baruch . Its written on their pre-mfe site :

"Upon request, the instructors will provide letters of recommendations detailing the performance of the student in each seminar."

But they are selective in their pre-mfe program as well , so until you are accepted in the pre-mfe program you can never be sure.

 

[BBB]

Well.. I've signed up and will be taking the prep course remotely, starting 27 Sep.

So I'll guess I'll do the first comprehensive review on this course (provided it turns out to be good and I go through with the course).

How has the prep course been going so far?