Financial Mathematics vs MFE: Distinguishing between the two?

[BlackMamba]

How would you more seasoned Quantnet'ers distinguish between the two?

 

[TheComplexUnit]

Financial maths is the most rigorous of the two (and ultimately the most suitable route towards becoming a real quant). From personal experience a large chunk of MFE grads are - at best - mathematically pedestrian. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a Berkeley MFE grad who couldn't give me the definition of an expectation...

 

[BlackMamba]

Haha, thanks. Would you say then that fin math is somewhere in between a grad program that is purely mathematics/stats and an MFE?

 

[bigbadwolf]

Financial maths is the most rigorous of the two (and ultimately the most suitable route towards becoming a real quant). From personal experience a large chunk of MFE grads are - at best - mathematically pedestrian. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a Berkeley MFE grad who couldn't give me the definition of an expectation...

So are people holding master's degrees in financial mathematics, as a general rule. There isn't enough time to do things rigorously and completely. So corners get cut.

 

[Jakelaker]

Financial maths is the most rigorous of the two (and ultimately the most suitable route towards becoming a real quant). From personal experience a large chunk of MFE grads are - at best - mathematically pedestrian. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a Berkeley MFE grad who couldn't give me the definition of an expectation...

Does this mean he/she is a shallow learner? That is, completed his program primarily by regurgitating algorithms?

 

[pingu]

Financial maths is the most rigorous of the two (and ultimately the most suitable route towards becoming a real quant). From personal experience a large chunk of MFE grads are - at best - mathematically pedestrian. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a Berkeley MFE grad who couldn't give me the definition of an expectation...

This is all hogwash. From my experience is the reverse, so you don't really know.

 

[Ken Abbott]

Recruiters and hiring managers are likely to see them as equivalent.