MIT MFin or others -Profile evaluation

[Soopergirl]

Hi

I am a 2011 Computer Science Graduate(B.Tech) from India from a top 20 school here.

I worked in a small family business of mine after passing out for 10 months. I handled all aspects of this business for this duration.

Then I joined as an analyst in one of the biggest pure play decision sciences firm in the world and have been working for the past 2 years here. I have worked on reporting, dashboarding, business intelligence and statistical analysis for :

-One of the biggest Pharma companies of the US
-the largest health insurance provider in the US
-An auto insurance firm

I have worked extensively on SAS and am SAS certified(base level). I have knowledge of C, Python, SQL, SAS and MS Office extensively.

I am planning to give CFA Level 1 in December.

My GPA in college was 7.6/10

I am taking my GMAT in August.

What are my chances of getting into MIT MFin program?
What should be my target GMAT score?
What are the other best MFin programs which are not too heavy on quant like the MFE programs but still come in the top tier colleges?

Does my work-ex counter my low GPA?

 

[utkarsh dalmia]

Hi, to answer your last question about work-ex compensating for the low GPA, It depends on the quality of work-ex. I mean, you'll be competing with IITians who are working at say GS or JPM. So it's very important that you convey how your experience is 'relevant' to the MFin program and gives you an advantage over other candidates. If you can do this successfully, then your work-ex should help in countering the low GPA. Moreover, the workex you have mentioned seems more apt for a quant program. In my opinion, MIT prefers if you have done something finance related even if it is an internship or a part-time job.

 

[Alexandre Chretien]

isn't 7.6/10 a good grade in India?

 

[GoIllini]

You're clearly in the running for CMU's MSCF program, but you are a little old to be starting at MIT in 2015. MIT is a younger program that prefers to focus on placing people in the sell-side rather than the buyside.

You clearly have a very interesting background for finance. It is possible that you don't need an MFE to make the jump.

 

[Soopergirl]

isn't 7.6/10 a good grade in India?

@AlexandreH

It is not a low score in India, rather I was amont the top 10 at my university.

I wrote 'low' because MIT has people with high GPA's and when converting on a scale of 4 my GPA may not be among the best!

 

[Soopergirl]

You're clearly in the running for CMU's MSCF program, but you are a little old to be starting at MIT in 2015. MIT is a younger program that prefers to focus on placing people in the sell-side rather than the buyside.

You clearly have a very interesting background for finance. It is possible that you don't need an MFE to make the jump.

@GoIllini

Sure!
I can switch a job here in India easily but for getting in the financial markets , but in USA i will need a degree related to finance.

Also, CMU is on my list. Can you suggest other programs in the top universities?

 

[moretodo]

look up the rankings and apply to the top 6-8

 

[Alexandre Chretien]

@AlexandreH
I wrote 'low' because MIT has people with high GPA's and when converting on a scale of 4 my GPA may not be among the best!

The US has a very special way of ranking its student.

MIT being really international should know your grade is good! I wouldn't worry much on that aspect of your application.

 

[GoIllini]

The problem, again, with MIT is that it is a very, very young program. If OP were straight out of undergrad he'd have an excellent shot but his age hurts him here.

OP would fare a lot better with CMU and NYU IMHO. If he were a trader at a BB in India, he'd also do well with Princeton.

Columbia has their shortlist of preferred schools. It may not extend very far past IIT and IIM.

MIT is too young of a program.

Princeton would want to see FO finance experience or a truly spectacular resume. OP has a very strong background but it isn't quite truly spectacular. (Neither am I- I got in on the FO experience)

For everything else, OP is an excellent candidate.

My suggestion is that OP migrates to a large international bank, spends two years there, and then transfers to a role in the US or EU. This would obviate the need for an MFE and result in a savings of $100K.

 

[Soopergirl]

The problem, again, with MIT is that it is a very, very young program. If OP were straight out of undergrad he'd have an excellent shot but his age hurts him here.

OP would fare a lot better with CMU and NYU IMHO. If he were a trader at a BB in India, he'd also do well with Princeton.

Columbia has their shortlist of preferred schools. It may not extend very far past IIT and IIM.

MIT is too young of a program.

Princeton would want to see FO finance experience or a truly spectacular resume. OP has a very strong background but it isn't quite truly spectacular. (Neither am I- I got in on the FO experience)

For everything else, OP is an excellent candidate.

My suggestion is that OP migrates to a large international bank, spends two years there, and then transfers to a role in the US or EU. This would obviate the need for an MFE and result in a savings of $100K.

Thanks @GoIllini

I think that helps and I'll reconsider some aspects!

BTW by NYU you mean NYU-Poly(the MFE program)?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

BTW by NYU you mean NYU-Poly(the MFE program)?

NYU Math finance program
https://www.quantnet.com/resources/nyu-mathematics-of-finance-program.2/