Information about UIUC MSFE

[Honzus]

Hi,
I’ve been admitted to the MSFE program (I’m a International) and am trying to decide if it’s the right fit for my goal of breaking into quant roles at top hedge funds/trading firms. I would appreciate any honest insight/feedback.

I’ve heard a lot about CMU, NYU, etc., but not much about UIUC’s MSFE. How would you rate its rigour, particularly in the math/stats-heavy courses (I am particuarly interested in those)? Does it hold up against more "hyped" programs?

How well does the curriculum prepare students for real-world quant work?

Do hedge funds/trading firms actively recruit from the program? Are there alumni in top firms, or is networking mostly self-driven? Is UIUC a target school for such companies?

Are there structured internship opportunities through the program, or do students need to seek them independently?

Given the cost, do you feel the program’s outcomes (placements, network, skills) justify the investment?

I’m struggling to find detailed info beyond UIUC’s website. Thanks!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

I hope you have seen the program's data on QuantNet?
Unless a program publishes more detailed and up to date information about these topics, it will be up to you to use QuantNet and LinkedIn to reach out to current and recent students to find out more. We publish placement data for all the programs on our ranking.
The competition for any international student to break into a desirable quant position at a top, brand name firm. This is a very challenging job market so brace yourself and lower your expectation.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign - Master of Financial Engineering

5/5/13

Illinois MSFE is a full-time program

• Andy Nguyen
• US