"MFE program profile evaluation" master thread

[HimaR]

CMU and Baruch have good placement record. Chicago is an extremely high quality academic program, but I believe that the students are having placement problems.

You have almost perfect profile for Harvard / Stanford / Wharton MBA. International, female, 760 GMAT, 2 years finance work experience. The main problem is you have to explain why you did not take a job for past 10 months. I assume that you got married, quit your previous job and moved to USA.The long-term payoff from Top 10 MBA is infinitely greater than the payoff from MFE.

Thanks Connor and TraderJoe. I did quit my job because I got married and had to move here on an dependent visa. The same reason why I cannot look for a job. Well the post grad diploma in India is not very quantitatively oriented since there is no demand for such skills in the Indian job market. Though almost 80% of my credits were from finance courses, they were more of the CFA kind: Business Valuation, security analysis and portfolio mgmt, corporate finance, banking etc.

I did consider MBA, but felt it was more difficult to justify another one. Personally, I feel I am well versed with the finance courses that would be included in an MBA program and am definitely not keen to go through them again...I really don't feel there would be much value addition for the two years I will be investing

 

[TraderJoe]

Thanks Connor and TraderJoe. I did quit my job because I got married and had to move here on an dependent visa. The same reason why I cannot look for a job. Well the post grad diploma in India is not very quantitatively oriented since there is no demand for such skills in the Indian job market. Though almost 80% of my credits were from finance courses, they were more of the CFA kind: Business Valuation, security analysis and portfolio mgmt, corporate finance, banking etc.

I did consider MBA, but felt it was more difficult to justify another one. Personally, I feel I am well versed with the finance courses that would be included in an MBA program and am definitely not keen to go through them again...I really don't feel there would be much value addition for the two years I will be investing

UC-Berkeley MFE can place you into a front-office position which would be appropriate for your qualifications and experience. The other schools which I would recommend would be CMU, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, Columbia, and Baruch. You will have adequate Math background from Engineering courses. Your programming background will be very weak and this is 90% of quant work. Make sure that you switch from H-2B to F-1 visa. This way, you will get 29 months OPT. You can also learn the programming stuff (C++, databases, SQL) and get an IT job. They are very short of IT people and are willing to sponsor H1-B for IT people. It is very difficult to get H1-B sponsorship for Finance roles. The better your programming and IT experience, the much greater will be the chances of getting the H1-B sponsorship.
You may also want to consider Finance PhD. In USA universities, they have very high regard for IIT and IIM degrees. Your IIM degree and 760 GMAT may get you a position in a Top 20 Finance PhD program. Then, if you are able to survive for 5 years, everything will be easy, including the Green Card. PhD students don't have to pay tuition and they get a stipend of around $2,000 per month.

 

[HimaR]

Thanks TraderJoe...I am going through the quantnet master list for C++...also planning to apply to UC Berkeley for 2012-13...hopefully my husband should get a greencard by the time I graduated...that would make things really convenient for me

 

[kunalmalhotra]

Hi, I am interested in applying for MFE program for Fall 2011 and will appreciate your help in choosing the programs. My profile is as follows:

Bachelors in Commerce from University of Delhi, India (2002)
- Second Division
Masters in Commerce from Himachal Pradesh University, India (2004)
- Second Division
MBA (Finance) from University of Pittsburgh, PA (2006)
- Overall GPA - 3.51

Certificate course in Software programming (1999 - 2002) - including programming languages like C, C++, SQL, VBA, Oracle
- Also currently undergoing a refresher course from NIIT in C and C++
CFA - Level II candidate

Certificate course in Linear algebra and Calculus (2004) from India

Work experience: Around 5 years of work experience post MBA in Credit and Fixed Income space in US and in India; 2 years of work experience pre-MBA in consulting

GRE: 800Q, 480V, AWA (not yet available)

Post MFE, I would like to work in credit derivatives trading or portfolio management.


1. I am interested in applying to following schools: NYU, Baruch, Chicago, CMU, Boston, UCB, LSE (Any others?)

2. Also advice where to take online classes to meet all pre-requisites as my bachelors in non-engineering. Budget no bar, although preference is to keep it on lower end.

3. What are my chances?

Thanks.

 

[sunpyohong]

MFE in NYC.. Constructive Criticisms are OK!

I would like to gauge my chances on getting into a MFE/QF program in NYC. Let me know if you have any questions. Here's my profile:

Undergrad: SUNY Stony Brook: Medical Informatics/Biology GPA: 3.0/4.0 | Major 3.5/4.0
Graduate School: CUNY Baruch: MS Quantitative Methods and Modeling: GPA: 3.675/4.0 (So far, just finished 1st semester)
GRE: Q:790/V:510
FRM Level 1 Candidate
Asian-American US-Citizen

Work Experience: 2+
Originally started in Medical Field, but decided it wasn't for me. Instead I've decided to stick my head into finance. At my current position, I work as a Database Administrator. Mostly SQL work. Here's the big problem... I have no C++ education. I'm willing to learn, but the C++ classes at Baruch MS QMM is limited. I have SAS and R experience though. I'm being realistic, I'm sure the Baruch, NYU, Columbia MFE programs are out of my league, but was wondering how my chances would fare in these schools:

NYU-POLY MFE
Fordham MSQF
Columbia MSOR
Columbia Financial Economics
Stony Brook: Applied Mathematics Concentrations in QF

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Columbia Financial Economics is a brand new program which is not a traditional quant finance program. Why would you even want to go there?
NYU-Poly and Columbia MSOR both have a large class size. I don't know if Fordham has improved to a level where I am comfortable recommending.
Stony Brook is, well, in Stony Brook.

Looks to me like you desperately try to get into any program. Is it worth it? What is it going to help with what you want to do?

 

[Connor]

If you are so sure of getting an analyst job at Simmons then I would recommend doing that for a few years. At that point you can decide whether to do an MBA or MFE, but having that experience will help you down the road either way.

 

[sunpyohong]

Columbia Financial Economics is a brand new program which is not a traditional quant finance program. Why would you even want to go there?
NYU-Poly and Columbia MSOR both have a large class size. I don't know if Fordham has improved to a level where I am comfortable recommending.
Stony Brook is, well, in Stony Brook.

Looks to me like you desperately try to get into any program. Is it worth it? What is it going to help with what you want to do?

@Andy:

Though there is truth to some of what you're saying, it's true that not everyone can get into the top prestigious programs in NY. Though I'd like to be a part of that, I just can't see myself getting prepared enough in the next 2 years. I'm getting older and with starting a family soon, I can't afford to put off school to get prepared.

Getting into a program would help me get my feet wet. Rather than sitting in classes that I feel like are not helping, I'd rather get into a school where I can get the education needed. Not saying there's anything wrong with the Baruch QMM, I'd just like a more financially focused program.

It is worth it for me. Some people may disagree, but I believe it can help me a bunch. Anyhow please any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[kunalmalhotra]

Hi, I am interested in applying for MFE program for Fall 2011 and will appreciate your help in choosing the programs. My profile is as follows:

Bachelors in Commerce from University of Delhi, India (2002)
- Second Division
Masters in Commerce from Himachal Pradesh University, India (2004)
- Second Division
MBA (Finance) from University of Pittsburgh, PA (2006)
- Overall GPA - 3.51

Certificate course in Software programming (1999 - 2002) - including programming languages like C, C++, SQL, VBA, Oracle
- Also currently undergoing a refresher course from NIIT in C and C++
CFA - Level II candidate

Certificate course in Linear algebra and Calculus (2004) from India

Work experience: Around 5 years of work experience post MBA in Credit and Fixed Income space in US and in India; 2 years of work experience pre-MBA in consulting

GRE: 800Q, 480V, AWA (not yet available)

Post MFE, I would like to work in credit derivatives trading or portfolio management.


1. I am interested in applying to following schools: NYU, Baruch, Chicago, CMU, Boston, UCB, LSE (Any others?)

2. Also advice where to take online classes to meet all pre-requisites as my bachelors in non-engineering. Budget no bar, although preference is to keep it on lower end.

3. What are my chances?

Thanks.

Any views guys?

 

[Chun]

Can you guys recommend what schools I should apply to? My stats:
Degree in engineering
GPA: 3.1
Calc 2: A
Calc 3: B
Diffeq: A-
Linear Alg: A
Numerical Methods: A
C++ course: A
Analysis: C
Mathematical statistics: B
GRE: 790Q/670V/4.0
No financial courses or work experience.

My top choice is Baruch. Would that be reaching too high?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Respectfully Request a Profile Evaluation

I want to become a quant! Looking for recommendations as to where to apply. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

Undergrad: Top 25 US News, Top 25 BSBA
Majors: Finance, Accounting
Minor: Math
GPA: 3.51 (Cum Laude), 3.87 Last Two Years, 3.67 Finance Major
Grad: MS in Pure Math, US News Top 70
GPA: 3.97
GRE: 770Q/560V/5.5AW (Will retake; expecting 800Q w/ 600+ V)

Math Courses:
Calculus I & II (AP Credit)
Calculus III (B)
Linear Algebra (B)
Foundations of Math/Proof Theory (A)
Ordinary Differential Equations (A)
Mathematical Statistics I [Calc-Based Probability] (A)
Mathematical Statistics II [Calc-Based Inferential Stat] (A-)
Real Analysis I & II (A)
Abstract Algebra I & II (A)
Complex Analysis (A)
Scientific Computing (A-)
PhD General Topology (A)
PhD Algebraic Topology (A)
PhD Measure Theory (A)
PhD Functional Analysis (A)
PhD Methods of Applied Mathematics I & II [Partial & Ord. Differential Equations] (A)
PhD Differential Geometry I (A)
Master's Research in Minimal Surfaces (A)

Research Experience:
2 summers as a research intern with Office of Naval Research
Master's Project in Theory of Minimal Surfaces

Programming, Statistical, & Mathematical Software:
VBA
SQL (Access & Some Transact)
MatLab
Mathematica
Minitab
C++ (still a beginner)

Professional Experience:
-2 years as a database admin for a small credit card ISO
-currently a database developer/systems accountant for a federal financial consulting firm

 

[Joy Pathak]

I want to become a quant! Looking for recommendations as to where to apply. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

In what context? Companies or MFE programs?

 

[Stinsonian]

Sorry about the omission. It's for MFE programs. I'm particularly interested in the Princeton MFin and Stanford MFM. Any chance at those schools?

 

[Salman]

hi,

A brief intro:
Im a Student of 'Material Science Engineering' having a CGPA of 3.0/4 from a renowned university in Pakistan. Ive done internships in various organizations in Saudi Arabia all of which were 6-8 weeks long.

Im Planning on applying for Financial Engineering program in UK and Canada this year. Which schools should i target?


Salman

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Why UK and Canada? U Toronto comes to mind. I don't have good read on UK programs.

 

[Salman]

Thanks for your response.
What are the GPA requirements and does my CGPA allow me to apply in these universities.
well i dont know if it may sound absurd but am i applicable for Imperial college london?

As i havnt appeared for GRE and guess that most of the schools deadlines are almost over in US, i might not be able to apply on time.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

There is no GPA requirement. Anything over 3.0 has a fair chance.
Take a look at Financial Engineering Program Selector - Quant Network for different program's deadline.

 

[Salman]

thanks a lot Andy. I will definitely come back with more details and questions.
well there is one question for now, Does this combination of Materials Engineering, which is highly mathematics oriented but not computer programming that much although ive taken C++ courses, and Financial engineering helpful in the current market trends?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

There are always demands for people who can make things work i.e coding on their first day on the job. If you have top notch skills, you will be paid according.
I don't know where Materials Engineering fit in finance but hands on programming skills, database skills, stats knowledge, are in demand.

 

[Stinsonian]

Ha! I didn't think my profile would kill a thread for 11 days! That bad, huh? Anybody have any thoughts on where I'm competitive for MFE's?

I want to become a quant! Looking for recommendations as to where to apply. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

Undergrad: Top 25 US News, Top 25 BSBA
Majors: Finance, Accounting
Minor: Math
GPA: 3.51 (Cum Laude), 3.87 Last Two Years, 3.67 Finance Major
Grad: MS in Pure Math, US News Top 70
GPA: 3.97
GRE: 770Q/560V/5.5AW (Will retake; expecting 800Q w/ 600+ V)

Math Courses:
Calculus I & II (AP Credit)
Calculus III (B)
Linear Algebra (B)
Foundations of Math/Proof Theory (A)
Ordinary Differential Equations (A)
Mathematical Statistics I [Calc-Based Probability] (A)
Mathematical Statistics II [Calc-Based Inferential Stat] (A-)
Real Analysis I & II (A)
Abstract Algebra I & II (A)
Complex Analysis (A)
Scientific Computing (A-)
PhD General Topology (A)
PhD Algebraic Topology (A)
PhD Measure Theory (A)
PhD Functional Analysis (A)
PhD Methods of Applied Mathematics I & II [Partial & Ord. Differential Equations] (A)
PhD Differential Geometry I (A)
Master's Research in Minimal Surfaces (A)

Research Experience:
2 summers as a research intern with Office of Naval Research
Master's Project in Theory of Minimal Surfaces

Programming, Statistical, & Mathematical Software:
VBA
SQL (Access & Some Transact)
MatLab
Mathematica
Minitab
C++ (still a beginner)

Professional Experience:
-2 years as a database admin for a small credit card ISO
-currently a database developer/systems accountant for a federal financial consulting firm