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Columbia MFE Columbia MFE: should I go for it ?

Blackscholes

Joined
4/9/12
Messages
2
Points
11
Hi everyone,

I am an international student, I was admitted to Columbia's MFE and I am so confused right now.

I thought I was doing the right choice since the MSFE is my only option in the states.
But I have been reading this forum for a while and I have read so many negative posts about Columbia that I really don't know what to do right now.

I plan to work in quantitative risk management and I cannot find an answer to this question : if I work hard, will I be able to find a decent job in NYC ?

Thank you very much for your help and consideration.
 
Columbia is an Ivy League school and usually ranked in the top 10 for the world. I don't think you can go wrong at a school like that.
 
Columbia is in no doubt a high rank school with a strong alumnus network. but its graduates can fail to land on an entry level job and return to their country for placement. The same applies to NYU, Baruch and other top-notched programs. A small size of class does not really add to the probability you can find a job on the street or make the process a bit easier. The competitors come from all financial engineering programs from top schools like CMU, Cornell... ,quantitative phds from top schools...
also a number of fe grads went to risk mgmt, business analyst or other it positions; placement rate is not everything. ppl should know what their career goals really are and how a program can help you act upon them. if op is at the threshold of conversion to finance or choosing mfe offers from top schools, Columbia is still the ideal place worth going for. if op has other offers like a finance phd with full scholarship or a job offer from a top IB, then it's a different story.
 
IMHO, The degree is one of the best ones out there. I agree that even if you do not land a job the degree itself will help you even outside the states. you should create a poll if you can to take in more opinions
 
toucheternalck said:
I am also in the same boat as Blackscholes here, so what's your final opinion? columbia not worth it?
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I really don't have an opinion because I didn't attend that program and I'm not familiar with anybody who attended that program. I just wanted to make sure you do some research with students and alumni of those programs to get first hand opinion.

Ranks, school name and subjective opinions from people who hear things without backing it up are not going to help you in making a decision. Try to look for facts all the time.
 
Thank you very much for your answers.

Actually, I have already contacted a few students from the program and they told me that if I worked hard, finding a decent job shouldn't be a problem. So I think I will try to make the american dream come true. And in my opinion, Columbia's MFE remains a top program after all.

I just wanted to ask you one last question: do you think I can become a consultant (in a management consulting firm such as McKinsey, BCG etc. for instance) if I cannot find the right job in the financial industry after the program?

Thank you for your help.
 
Blackscholes said:
I just wanted to ask you one last question: do you think I can become a consultant (in a management consulting firm such as McKinsey, BCG etc. for instance) if I cannot find the right job in the financial industry after the program?
Click to expand...

We don't have a magic 8 ball that has all the answers. I can say this though, if you want to work for management consulting, you should go for a MBA, not MFE. It sounds like you just want a high paying job instead of focusing on why you want to be a quant.
 
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