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COMPARE Columbia MAFN and MSFE

Wilson Chou

Joined
7/27/09
Messages
5
Points
11
Hi Guys,

I am new to this forum and I do have some questions regarding to MFE programs in the US. I am planning to apply next year as I am a final year student studying at the LSE.

I heard that Columbia has two relatively similar subjects MAFN and MSFE, is it possible to apply to both of them? if yes, does that have an adverse effect on my application?

Wilson
 
Columbia has more than two "similar" programs if you count the MSOR program. Since the MFE and MFAN are in different departments, you can apply to both. In the past, people have applied and got accepted into both program.
I'm unsure of whether you can apply to MFE and MSOR at the same time since they are under the same dept but in the past, once you didn't get into the MFE program they will conveniently recommended you to their MSOR program (not vice versa).
 
Thank you Andy,

I have the thought of applying to both of them because I want to increase my chances to get into schools in NYC. I am afraid the ADcomm would interpret it as me being indecisive about my career path and consequently give them an excuse to reject me.
 
Apply to both. They are not the same admissions committees since they are in different departments located in different buildings on campus. They will not be aware that your application is in the other department as long as you don't tell them.

Like Andy said, you could be admitted to MSOR or MSEMS through your application to MSFE. MSOR is worth your time and money, MSEMS probably is not (just in case this happens to you).
 
Out of curiosity, why would you say MSEMS is probably less worthy than the other programs. Obviously, we're not comparing apples to apples here, and that different career aspirations may lead to applying to different programs.. but I'd be interested if you can give a little bit of color on the quality of MSEMS program (perhaps versus comparable programs like MS&E @ Stanford or Management Science at Duke).

Disclaimer: the author of this post knows 3-4 people who are going to MSEMS @ Columbia next year. They are all engineers with aspirations of switching into general finance or business, not necessarily something as superspecialized as financial engineering.
 
You know what, I'll retract my statement. The MSEMS is just a bit less flexible, but I'm sure the playing field is level in terms of job placement. For whatever reason, there's a notion that EMS is a lesser degree than OR and FE within the Columbia IEOR community, but it's mostly shared among the undergrads in IEOR, who are generally morons. It could be because at the undergrad level EMS is less prestigious, but that I don't know.
 
Hi, FinanceGuy,

Regarding your post about "Apply to both, as long as they dont know you are doing that", I just found out on the Columbia's app form, there is this question asking whether I am also applying to any other department... Do you mean I shouldnt tell them that I am doing that?
 
Hmm.. I don't want to give you bad information. In this case, it's probably best if you called one or both of the departments anonymously and asked them yourself. If you can, get in touch with Mikhail Smirnov and/or Emanuel Derman - they'd have the highest authority in each department, respectively. Let us know what they say, but I'm sure they wouldn't care if you applied to both programs.
 
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