CMU MSCF CMU NYC and Pitt campus
- Thread starter Joe Yu
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My understanding is that the NYC campus mostly has lectures piped in remotely.
NYC is a pretty obvious choice if you're already working in NYC and want to go to CMU part-time.
Otherwise, Pittsburgh isn't a bad deal for a full-time student. There's the lower cost of living and the fact that more of your professors will be on-campus. Most of the banks and the big hedge funds will make the trip to Pittsburgh, but if they don't, it's a 6 hour drive to NYC if you need to do on-site interviews.
NYC is a pretty obvious choice if you're already working in NYC and want to go to CMU part-time.
Otherwise, Pittsburgh isn't a bad deal for a full-time student. There's the lower cost of living and the fact that more of your professors will be on-campus. Most of the banks and the big hedge funds will make the trip to Pittsburgh, but if they don't, it's a 6 hour drive to NYC if you need to do on-site interviews.
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The use of "NYC campus" is a bit misleading. It's not a campus in the true sense of what people would call one. Pittsburg CMU is a real campus.
The CMU NYC branch is a rented location at 55 Board Street, the same building that Cornell, Poly set up their satellite office. So basically, you go there, sit in classroom and watch live video sent remotely from the Pittsburg campus. The lecturers will take turn teaching at each location.
There are reasons why some people prefer one location over the other, but it should be clear that you understand what you pay and what you get. Don't picture leafy beautiful Gothic buildings when you arrive in NYC. Expect nondescript buildings, elevator banks, bland classrooms.
The CMU NYC branch is a rented location at 55 Board Street, the same building that Cornell, Poly set up their satellite office. So basically, you go there, sit in classroom and watch live video sent remotely from the Pittsburg campus. The lecturers will take turn teaching at each location.
There are reasons why some people prefer one location over the other, but it should be clear that you understand what you pay and what you get. Don't picture leafy beautiful Gothic buildings when you arrive in NYC. Expect nondescript buildings, elevator banks, bland classrooms.
So would the student support be the same in both NYC and Pitt? The courses are gonna be very challenging and it's important that I can meet with Prof or Teaching Assistant when I have questions. Also, would NYC students get the same support in terms of job hunting? I assume that the physical office of CMU career service office would also be located in Pitt, making it easier for students to seek help in regards to job hunting. However, NYC will offer me the lifestyle of a big city that I have always wanted. Any input is appreciated!
"Big city living" is nice if you have the $20K/month it takes to pay the rent on an UWS penthouse with a park view like you see in the movies. In reality, city life is difficult if you are trying to live on less than $100K/year net-of-tax.
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I can think of 100 better ways to spend 100K for a degree than to sit in a room where people read news, check email on their computer, watch a lecture on a big screen.
You will spend many years ahead working in NYC so go to Pittsburg, enjoy a real college campus.
The networking aspect of choosing the NYC campus over the Pitt is overplayed. You will have access to much of the support system but keep in mind this is a remote branch so the accessibility isn't exactly the same.
I've been living in NYC for a long time so I can give you my take on the "big city lifestyle" you are fond of. It's not like what you see in "Friends". You will spend days and nights studying for your courses with the exception of occasional nights out.
You will spend many years ahead working in NYC so go to Pittsburg, enjoy a real college campus.
The networking aspect of choosing the NYC campus over the Pitt is overplayed. You will have access to much of the support system but keep in mind this is a remote branch so the accessibility isn't exactly the same.
I've been living in NYC for a long time so I can give you my take on the "big city lifestyle" you are fond of. It's not like what you see in "Friends". You will spend days and nights studying for your courses with the exception of occasional nights out.
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I am planning to apply to CMU too and have a possibility of choosing NYC due to personal reasons. I was wondering how the placement is for full time students in NYC compared to Pittsburgh.
This is a really interesting topic I would like to refloat
Any input from a CMU MSCF NYC campus student?
At first, I thought it could be an advantage the NYC emplacement. I saw it as if there could be a better chance to get it touch with Wall Street professionals.
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Pittsburgh is a great city. Bank of NY Mellon absolutely loves CMU. IMO, if you are going to go to a school you should always go to their main campus. Being in NYC might have advantages, but being in Pittsburgh will give you exposure to your fellow students and a lot of the info sessions/recruiting that happens on campus.
I was just at the CMU MSCF February 2011 Open House in New York and asked the same question, what are the advantages/disadvantages of each campus? The Executive Director of the MSCF Program, Richard Bryant, summarized it nicely:
- If you already have some relevant working experience, have been working in the industry for a while, and have contacts, then it might be better to leave NYC and get back to academia for a while by going to the Pittsburgh campus.
- If you don't have any relevant working experience, are coming from outside the industry, and therefore don't have any contacts, then it might be better to come to the NYC campus to be close to employers and facilitate building contacts.
roni
Cornell FE
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Does it mean that the CMU NY Campus students don't get any help with finding jobs/internships ?
As far as I know, all the resources that are available for students in Pittsburgh are also available for students in NYC.
What else do you need ? I'm assuming its no problem getting in contact with the faculty members or getting help with the material taught.
Hi Roni,
Sorry I think there is a misunderstanding as to what I wrote, no this is not the case at all of course they would never do this you pay the same tuition at both campuses
and you get exactly the same service. The director of the CMU MSCF career office was also at the open house and it was clearly stated that at both campuses you get the same amazing career and internship support. What I wrote paraphrasing Mr. Bryant's response to my question was that on a *personal* level if you have no experience in the industry you might prefer to live in NYC to be closer to and expose yourself more to the industry and to potential networking events, that's all.
Someone from CMU please chime in if you feel anything I wrote is in any way inaccurate, I just was trying to be helpful to others here and explain exactly what I heared at the open house
Sorry I think there is a misunderstanding as to what I wrote, no this is not the case at all of course they would never do this you pay the same tuition at both campuses
and you get exactly the same service. The director of the CMU MSCF career office was also at the open house and it was clearly stated that at both campuses you get the same amazing career and internship support. What I wrote paraphrasing Mr. Bryant's response to my question was that on a *personal* level if you have no experience in the industry you might prefer to live in NYC to be closer to and expose yourself more to the industry and to potential networking events, that's all.Someone from CMU please chime in if you feel anything I wrote is in any way inaccurate, I just was trying to be helpful to others here and explain exactly what I heared at the open house
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Sondi Pripstein, Associate Director of the Career Opportunities Center is the person at CMU NYC location who works FT on internship/placement for the students there. I met her during our visit to the program couple months ago. She works with students on mock interviews, resume, career advice, networking, workshop, etc.
Hi Andy, thank you yes that is her name I talked to her too just last week at the open house and she is very nice and helpful answering all of my questions.
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I studied in Pittsburgh before moving to NYC. Pittsburgh is a great, big city with a small town feel (and very low cost of living!)- a very comfortable place to live for however long you happen to find yourself there.
Unlike New York, you wont find culture shoved down your throat but everything you could possibly want can be found - you just need to know where to look (and possibly a car).
Location-wise, it is close enough to New York for recruiting purposes (many of the big firms make a point of passing through and its near enough to make it down to the city for an interview/super day) you also have the benefit of being close enough to Chicago to be included in their recruiting.
That's what I know from my credential source. And it only applies to Chinese community. Not sure about other students
