Columbia MFE Columbia MFE Admission Discussion

[serana]

I just heard back today and I was accepted.

 

[WSBquant]

I just heard back today and I was accepted.

Congrats. What time was it? And was it by email?

 

[Grumpybear]

So will all decisions be out by tomorrow given tomorrow is the last business day of March? I still have not heard anything...

 

[strattb]

So will all decisions be out by tomorrow given tomorrow is the last business day of March? I still have not heard anything...

Nope, at least I called admissions some time ago and they said they will be sending decisions until April as well.

 

[srj]

The tracker still doesn't have as many entries for Columbia as I would have expected. I wonder how many acceptances have been rolled out yet.
Have they put anyone on waitlist yet or anyone whose application has been moved to "be reviewed by the faculty" but yet hasn't received any decision?
Mine hasn't even moved to be reviewed by the faculty, I don't what to make of this...

 

[drakaron]

Could you please put your entries as well @srj.

 

[dudepc]

Any news?

 

[quantchoices]

Is the GRE an important component? Do we need to score full marks? Thought this became optional…

 

[redoctober]

Is the GRE an important component? Do we need to score full marks? Thought this became optional…

If you feel your application could use some boosting the GRE could help supplement, however only submit a good one. If you feel like its already strong, don’t bother wasting your time taking it.

I don't think its published for MFE but GRE for admitted candidates in Columbia MAFN is usually a perfect quant score so probably the same for here.

 

[quantchoices]

So it’s technically not optional lol…

 

[tomisc]

So it’s technically not optional lol…

It definitely depends on your profile. I didn’t submit GRE and was accepted to MAFN. That said I majored in math and had As in all relevant classes.

 

[quantchoices]

I see.. but I’m not really keen on MAFN, was hoping to get into the MFE

 

[quantchoices]

Maybe do they take in more grads with FTE for mfe? Or grads with internship experience..

 

[redoctober]

Maybe do they take in more grads with FTE for mfe? Or grads with internship experience..

From my understanding, some experience (including internships) is almost a quasi-requirement for most programs. I'm sure there are exceptions for exceptional candidates but I think at least one semi-relevant internship is probably a minimum requirement.

From their FAQs:
Is work experience required?

While not required, we do recommend that prospective students have some professional experience, either in the form of a full time position or an internship.

 

[quantchoices]

From my understanding, some experience (including internships) is almost a quasi-requirement for most programs. I'm sure there are exceptions for exceptional candidates but I think at least one semi-relevant internship is probably a minimum requirement.

From their FAQs:
Is work experience required?

While not required, we do recommend that prospective students have some professional experience, either in the form of a full time position or an internship.

Thanks! What do you think about internships vs GRE vs research? Is there an order in which the committee prefers

 

[redoctober]

Thanks! What do you think about internships vs GRE vs research? Is there an order in which the committee prefers

Not specific to this program but from what I know from info sessions and chats with admissions officers is that internships and research are all subjective. They usually like to say they take a holistic approach.

A published math paper in a major journal is probably worth more than one year of experience at a no-name wealth management firm and 8 weeks at an HFT is probably worth more than a year long business thesis.

GRE is pretty safe to say that its not a leading component anywhere, probably used more as a filter or tiebreaker.

 

[quantchoices]

Not specific to this program but from what I know from info sessions and chats with admissions officers is that internships and research are all subjective. They usually like to say they take a holistic approach.

A published math paper in a major journal is probably worth more than one year of experience at a no-name wealth management firm and 8 weeks at an HFT is probably worth more than a year long business thesis.

GRE is pretty safe to say that its not a leading component anywhere, probably used more as a filter or tiebreaker.

That’s true… hope we get to hear something this week

 

[ShivC]

Nope, at least I called admissions some time ago and they said they will be sending decisions until April as well.

Until April end, right? @strattb

 

[strattb]

Until April end, right? @strattb

Yup

 

[threesixtyquickscope]

I just got accepted!!

I noticed the status disappeared from my portal this afternoon and got an email saying there was a status update a few hours later.. good luck to everyone still waiting to hear back!