"MFE program profile evaluation" master thread

[dineshg]

which is the topmost engineering college in India?

I graduated from IIT Bombay and my total work experience with Lehman / Nomura has been about 2.5 years now..

Will doing well in GRE Quant section really help, as far as I know that is pretty easy and even scoring 800 gets you to 95 percentile. Does anyone think that taking Math GRE to compensate for not-so-good Math grades will help ?

Cheers !

 

[Joy Pathak]

I graduated from IIT Bombay and my total work experience with Lehman / Nomura has been about 2.5 years now..

Will doing well in GRE Quant section really help, as far as I know that is pretty easy and even scoring 800 gets you to 95 percentile. Does anyone think that taking Math GRE to compensate for not-so-good Math grades will help ?

Cheers !

Yes. It will help.


.-.-.-.-.--

 

[wadswort]

Junior undergrad stats

Hey fellas, first time poster long time reader. Just wondering how I'd rank among MFE applicants/What schools would be a good fit.
I attend Carleton College.

Majors: Mathematics/Economics

Math GPA: 3.65 (We have an A,A-,B+ type grading scale)

From what I've read, the important math classes for a MFE program and my grade in those classes are listed below:
A in Diff equations, A- in Linear Algebra, A- in Multivariable, A in real analysis, A in differential geometry, A in Statistics for Economics

Concerns: I have not taken a calculus based course in probability. Will this hurt my chances? Is it necessary to take this?

Economics GPA: 3.7
Important classes: Econometrics: A

Overall concerns: Computer science is one area where I'm lacking. To remedy this, I'm taking a semester long course in C++ next year (senior year) to prepare for the rigors of computational finance classes. Do you think this will be enough CS experience to show my interest in a career as a quant?

I have not yet taken the GRE/GRE Math test. I plan to do so at the end of this summer after many nights of studying.

I'm completeing a economic distinction project on volatility and fractal geometry.

Relevant classes for my senior year: Partial differential equations, Software design, probability theory?

Anyway, I'd like to know what you guys think about my chances at top schools (specifically uchicago?)

Thanks you everyone!

 

[cfish]

Hey all I was just wondering if I realistically had a chance at gaining acceptance to any top MFE programs(Columbia, Cornell, CMU) .

Major: Mechanical Engineering
School: Pennsylvania State University
GPA: 3.45
GRE: 1400 (800 Q 600 V)

I have a taken all the required classes but did poorly on Linear Algebra due to sleeping through a quiz and not being allowed to make it up. Here are my grades in those classes

Calc 1 A-
Calc 2 A
Calc 3 B+
ODE B+
Linear Algebra C
C++ A-

I am graduating this May and the only work experience I have is doing research for the last two years at my university in engineering.

Also is there anything that I can do to increase my chances of getting into one of these programs?

 

[Dibbs]

@cfish, i don't think so. Work on those math classes.

 

[achilles]

hi
i am an aspirant for 2011 fall mfe programs . I will be taking my gre general test in August this year.
My profile is as follows:
B.Tech from a reputed college in India ( Information Technology ) : 73.5 % aggregate till now
(wud be graduating in May this year )
No Finance related work ex till now
Maths Courses : normal engineering related applied mathematics including calculus , partial differentiation etc. (but grades on lower side )
Computer Courses: enough since I am majoring in this field
Certification in Financial markets beginner's module : NSE (95% marks )
Summer Internship from IIM Calcutta
B.Tech final yr project on Stock Market Analysis

I am hoping for a high Quant score (around 790-800) and working on my verbal section
My Query is whether it is advisable to take GRE Maths subject test given my poor scores in Engineering Maths subjects ( didn't study well before the xams )
Also it is administered only in October and November and I wish to apply for R1 so will it be of any use in the application ? I guess most R1 applications are complete till Oct .

Also, do you think the profile is gud enuf for tier 1 mfe programs (NYU, Stanford ...etc ) ? If not, what additions cud i make to improve it ?

Thanks

 

[kbharadwaj]

Hey achilles, I would say that your profile does seem ok. Also which college are you from? IIT? NIT?

Anyway, do well on your GRE general test and take your GRE Math subject test too so that you could offset your poor math grades. Also, you seem to have an year before you start your MFE program.. so my best advice is that you complete your GRE and toefl tests and then work or intern at some place (preferably finance) or take up CFA Level I so that you could fine tune your finance knowledge such that it is not all greek and latin when you start your program.

Also, GRE Subject test would prepare you for the Math prerequisite courses and you already have an IT background so that balances your programming component too. One last piece of advice is that apply as early as possible, preferably right after you are done with your GRE subject test.

Best,
Bharadwaj

 

[achilles]

Hey achilles, I would say that your profile does seem ok. Also which college are you from? IIT? NIT?

Anyway, do well on your GRE general test and take your GRE Math subject test too so that you could offset your poor math grades. Also, you seem to have an year before you start your MFE program.. so my best advice is that you complete your GRE and toefl tests and then work or intern at some place (preferably finance) or take up CFA Level I so that you could fine tune your finance knowledge such that it is not all greek and latin when you start your program.

Also, GRE Subject test would prepare you for the Math prerequisite courses and you already have an IT background so that balances your programming component too. One last piece of advice is that apply as early as possible, preferably right after you are done with your GRE subject test.

Best,
Bharadwaj

hi kbharadwaj

thanks for evaluating and replying to my post
actually am neither from iit nor nit , am from bharati vidyapeeth , delhi .... not much reputed but still at par with gud colleges
also am currently placed in tcs but as you advised , will look for finance related internship or work ex
i am willing to take gre maths subject test but the dilemma i am facing is that since it is administered in oct , the result wud be later than october , and i wish to apply for R1 , so wud it count in the application ?? i will be done with my R1 applications till oct which is the application deadline for most US colleges . If I wait for gre subject test's result , I would be late for most of the applications.

 

[yaserimran]

Hi All,

I am an Engineering garduate currently working in wipro. I am also a MFE aspirant. I am good at mathematics and programming but i have no idea about finance. I am planning to do a MFE in UC Berkleey after 2 years from now. Can anyone give nay valuable suggestion.

 

[ankit]

Evaluate my Profile for 2011 Session

Hi

GRE
Quant:800/800
English :630/800

UnderGrad :
Few courses in PDEs,Calculas, Probabilty and Stochastic (below average grading ),Microecnomics,Econometrics, Data structures in computers etc.
IIT Delhi Civil Engg. (7.7/10)

Work ex:
1.5 years as a Catastrophe Risk Modeler
Currently working (past 3 months) in a Prop. Trading in the Technology Team (getting hands on experience on the dotnet environment, C#) .

Level 2 candidate for the upcoming CFA (AIMR) exam in June.

What are the chances of making it to the top 5 and the next 5 for the profile.

Also, suggestions would be welcome to further strenghten my candidacy, considering I have a little time under my belt.

Thanks

 

[Joy Pathak]

Hi

GRE
Quant:800/800
English :630/800

You got 800/800 on your second exam?! I have never seen a 800 on verbal...EVER!

 

[CGiuliano]

Stochastic Process (read some of Durrett)

I'm currently taking Stochastic Process with Durrett! He is actually a really funny guy.

 

[nasos]

You got 800/800 on your second exam?! I have never seen a 800 on verbal...EVER!

I think he meant 800 out of 800 on the quant......and 630 out of 800 on the verbal

 

[Joy Pathak]

I think he meant 800 out of 800 on the quant......and 630 out of 800 on the verbal

Ok. That makes more sense. I thought he took it twice.

 

[achilles]

anybody for my query ?? plz someone reply :sos:

 

[ramnik]

i am willing to take gre maths subject test but the dilemma i am facing is that since it is administered in oct , the result wud be later than october , and i wish to apply for R1 , so wud it count in the application ?? i will be done with my R1 applications till oct which is the application deadline for most US colleges . If I wait for gre subject test's result , I would be late for most of the applications.

I do know that some (most?) schools (NYU, Baruch, CMU, Chicago, ETH, MIT, Oxbridge, EPFL (\ldots)) have their deadlines in Jan-Feb, by which time your GRE Subject scores would be computed. You should receive your scores from ETS by December first week latest (A few days after the Princeton deadline). And really your applications are reviewed after all your scores are received (And they are humane enough to allow delays by ETS). So you might seriously want to prepare and appear for GRE Subject in Mathematics.

 

[ankit]

anyone with some inputs!!!!:sos:

 

[achilles]

I do know that some (most?) schools (NYU, Baruch, CMU, Chicago, ETH, MIT, Oxbridge, EPFL (\ldots)) have their deadlines in Jan-Feb, by which time your GRE Subject scores would be computed. You should receive your scores from ETS by December first week latest (A few days after the Princeton deadline). And really your applications are reviewed after all your scores are received (And they are humane enough to allow delays by ETS). So you might seriously want to prepare and appear for GRE Subject in Mathematics.

thanx ....that was really helpful
So, wud the colleges (the few left ) with early deadlines too consider the application after the gre subject scores arrive ?

 

[robinson]

Hi guys, I just recently decided to go for grad school, and realized I missed most of the deadlines in the US for MFE. So I guess I will apply for admission in 2011 Anyways here's my profile:

B S Eng in Electrical Engineering Honors
B Sc in Mathematics
I did a dual degree in U Mich Ann Arbor. Overall GPA is fair, 3.38. My math major GPA better at 3.6~3.7.
(From what i know UMich's EECS programs are one of the best in US... and we curve to a B/B- average... i found it quite tough to get A's in EECS)

GRE: Q:800, V: 510 , W:3
Will be taking GRE Math Sub... expect to do quite well

CFA level 2 candidate June 10
Cleared FRM

Should be able to get good recs, 2 from math prof and one from my manager

1.5 years of working experience, with the first half year working in an small software developing company, and later in a prop derivative trading company specializing in Options market making based in amsterdam in risk analysis. I would say my job experience is quite relevant since for my second job i had to work really closely with trading and IT, only I focus on risk side.

Anyways people on this forum seems very quailfied and i am sure there are many more smart people out there. Feeling kind of shaky with my profile ha

Comments appreciated on my chances of getting into good programs.

 

[ankit]

hello everyone!!!

please evaluate my profile...no responses yet...it isnt tht bad :|