Econometrics & OR at Erasmus University Rotterdam—Profiles for MFE Applications in the US.

[themagiceye]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently doing a double bachelor’s in Econometrics and Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and I’m looking into applying for Master’s programs in Financial Engineering (MFE), Quantitative Finance or Computational Finance in the US.

I wanted to know if there are any former students from EUR’s Econometrics and OR programs who applied to these programs and could share their experiences.

Specifically, I’m wondering about: successful applicants:

• What were your GPA, GRE scores, and any important extracurriculars or internships?
• For extracurriculars, how were things like the Erasmus Honours Program, Research Assistantships, or Teaching Assistant roles seen by admissions -- which activities seemed to matter the most in admissions decisions, and were there any that didn’t seem to make much difference?

Target programs:

• Which MFE programs did you apply to?
• Which ones did you get accepted into or got interviews for? How was the process, and which aspects of your CV did they seem to worry the most about?

Recommendation letters:

• Which professors did you ask for recommendation letters?
• How did they respond when you asked? Were they familiar with US MFE programs, and did they tailor the letters properly?

Preparation and value of EUR’s curriculum:

• How well did the EUR Econometrics/OR program prepare you for quant roles or grad school?

Challenges or tips for applicants:

• How was the job market with no visa to work at first -- before acquiring the H1B?
• Any advice on recommendation letters, SOPs, or the application process in general?

I’d also be interested to hear if anyone felt that moving to the US made a big difference in terms of their life overall and just your experience as a whole .

Would really appreciate any advice, examples, or personal stories!

Thanks so much in advance!