COMPARE NYU MSMF vs Columbia MFE

[foundation]

Columbia MSFE VS. NYU MSMF

We all know both programs are really good good.

However, where would you go if you have to choose only one??

 

[Startree]

I have cut down my choices to these two which I can hardly decide. The deadline of Columbia is coming so I want some advice from the forum.

I am currently a math undergrad and want to go for a quant or asset management job in US after the graduate study.

I have read some threads saying that NYU is much better than Columbia but I think Columbia has its own strength. Here is my concern:

NYU's program is under math dept and I am really love math so that is the thing that attracts me to apply. I know NYU's career service is very strong that most of its students can find a job in US. However, its reputation outside US is not as good as Columbia. I want to go back to China after a few years working in US so I am not sure whether it matters.

Columbia first has very good reputation. Students of FE program can take courses from its B-school which is very strong. However, there are two many students in that program and I heard that some competitive programs such as MSOR and MathFin are pretty much the same that students from these programs can take same courses.

Really wanna hear some advice.

Thanks.

 

[hamletwlp]

I have cut down my choices to these two which I can hardly decide. The deadline of Columbia is coming so I want some advice from the forum.

I am currently a math undergrad and want to go for a quant or asset management job in US after the graduate study.

I have read some threads saying that NYU is much better than Columbia but I think Columbia has its own strength. Here is my concern:

NYU's program is under math dept and I am really love math so that is the thing that attracts me to apply. I know NYU's career service is very strong that most of its students can find a job in US. However, its reputation outside US is not as good as Columbia. I want to go back to China after a few years working in US so I am not sure whether it matters.

Columbia first has very good reputation. Students of FE program can take courses from its B-school which is very strong. However, there are two many students in that program and I heard that some competitive programs such as MSOR and MathFin are pretty much the same that students from these programs can take same courses.

Really wanna hear some advice.

Thanks.

I have the similar situation as for a chinese student. I am just considering the best choice from the CMU, Columbia and NYU. And I also want to work for a few years and then come back to China. Columbia has too much students and quite a few similar majors such as MSOR, MF, FE, QF. The other two has much better career service.

By the way, as far as I know, the investment bank in China such as MS, JP Morgan, UBS, etc. more recognize Columbia~ Really a tough choice

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Before you go back to China, you have to build your career in the US first, right? And which program gives you the best training and help in finding your first job that will lead to the career you prefer?
This is the most important question.

I think you guys overestimate the brand name in the later part of your career. Maybe you can brag with friends and relative about Columbia because it's more recognized in Asia but I think it's snobbish to say global banks will want to filter someone with 5 years experience in the US using his education degree.

Can you imagine the hiring managers will say: "Hey, let's hire this guy. He did a master from Columbia 6 years ago. The other guy got a great career at Goldman Sachs with impressive skill and great fit for this role but his master is from NYU/CMU (insert a lesser known name)". At this stage of your career where you come in as experienced professional, if people still judge you by your school name, something is seriously wrong.

Please give me reasons why my thinking is wrong.

 

[Forza]

Even playing strictly by the name game, CMU and NYU are pretty on par to Columbia. The name doesn't really make much of a difference. In fact, if I wanted to be a hardcore quant, I would go with CMU or NYU....

 

[Andy Nguyen]

And let's not forget that statistics done on the number of international students who come to study in the US, the number of them going back home after obtaining the degree and 5 years later is really, really small.

So while you may think you will go back to China/India 5 years later, chance is good that you will settle in here, get married, buy a house. So don't plan your future that far where things may change quickly.

Your first and immediate plan is a program that prepare you with a job within the next 5 years. After that, you should be hiring people, not the other way around

 

[hamletwlp]

Before you go back to China, you have to build your career in the US first, right? And which program gives you the best training and help in finding your first job that will lead to the career you prefer?
This is the most important question.

I think you guys overestimate the brand name in the later part of your career. Maybe you can brag with friends and relative about Columbia because it's more recognized in Asia but I think it's snobbish to say global banks will want to filter someone with 5 years experience in the US using his education degree.

Can you imagine the hiring managers will say: "Hey, let's hire this guy. He did a master from Columbia 6 years ago. The other guy got a great career at Goldman Sachs with impressive skill and great fit for this role but his master is from NYU/CMU (insert a lesser known name)". At this stage of your career where you come in as experienced professional, if people still judge you by your school name, something is seriously wrong.

Please give me reasons why my thinking is wrong.

Andy, Thank you so much for helping me out as this probelm has disturbed me for a month. I think it doesn't matter what the fame of the school, It matters the quality of the program and what it can help you find your first job which you can learn and improve yourself most. Thanks you again for your guidance, it is really valuable for me. I will choose from CMU and NYU.(still waiting for NYU, got the admission from CMU)

 

[Startree]

Really thanks for your suggestion. Getting a good job in the US is my first goal after graduation. I think NYU is the best fit for me.

 

[Lei Quant]

Hi,

I've been admitted to Columbia MSFE but didn't hear from NYU MathFin yet. I'm thinking of joining one of these two programs.

Would you wait for NYU's reponse if you were me? Why?

How do you compare NYU MathFin and Columbia MSFE?

 

[remylebeau]

Commiserate with us here. I intend to wait for NYU until tomorrow (30 Mar) and accept Columbia's offer if I haven't heard from NYU by then.

There are many threads that compare NYU MathFin and Columbia MSFE. Do a search using Columbia MSFE as filter and you'll find more information than you'll know what to do with.

 

[Jingxuan]

Hi,

I've been admitted to Columbia MSFE but didn't hear from NYU MathFin yet. I'm thinking of joining one of these two programs.

Would you wait for NYU's reponse if you were me? Why?

How do you compare NYU MathFin and Columbia MSFE?

so you already know you would get both admissions by using 'compare' them
I'd merrily accept offer from Columbia, though I know I will have an ivy league diploma that shines
on my resume, which then is highly priced ... just say it, I'm not in the middle of such hard choice.

 

[registered]

Hi all, I've been admitted to and am currently deciding between the NYU MSMF and Columbia MFE programs, and was hoping to get some more insight into the programs' placement record.

From what I've seen, the impression I get is that NYU's careers service gives really strong support to the MSMF program (unsure about Columbia MFE), and that a lot of students are placed into front-office quant positions in New York.

I was wondering - what kind of positions are students usually placed into from these 2 programs? Is it mainly trading or quant research positions? I ask this because my goal is to secure a position doing fundamental research, and wanted to know if MSMF/MFE students are ever get placed into these kinds of roles, and whether the program would be good preparation for such a role.

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Shizheng Li]

My answer will disappoint you...
1. for fundamental research, neither program is a good fit. Very few students from MFE program gets to do those work because MFE does not teach how to do FA (MBA does...)
2. I think the placement of NYU and Columbia MFE are similar. Some of them (but not all) get FO quant positions (harder and harder these days). Some get risk positions or sale/trading positions. The placement of MFE students become very diversified these days (because of the tough job market for quants), just go to CMU MSCF website to see their positions.

 

[Canuck]

Hi all, I've been admitted to and am currently deciding between the NYU MSMF and Columbia MFE programs, and was hoping to get some more insight into the programs' placement record.

From what I've seen, the impression I get is that NYU's careers service gives really strong support to the MSMF program (unsure about Columbia MFE), and that a lot of students are placed into front-office quant positions in New York.

I was wondering - what kind of positions are students usually placed into from these 2 programs? Is it mainly trading or quant research positions? I ask this because my goal is to secure a position doing fundamental research, and wanted to know if MSMF/MFE students are ever get placed into these kinds of roles, and whether the program would be good preparation for such a role.

Thanks a lot in advance!

They're both great programs, so I don't think there is an incorrect choice. Have you tried emailing them directly for more precise placement stats?

 

[Lyn Huang]

just to add sth from my perspective -
i think our program is very quant oriented, not sure if columbia msfe is as quant oriented.
we have employer presentations for full-time students, where we meet with heads of teams directly and interview afterwards.

 

[Lyn Huang]

They're both great programs, so I don't think there is an incorrect choice. Have you tried emailing them directly for more precise placement stats?

lol i don't think either Michelle or Petter will respond to an email asking for that. but doesn't hurt to try

 

[Nick J]

Hi all,

I'm an applicant to MFE programs this year and I'm faced with a difficult decision now: NYU MathFin vs. Columbia MSFE.

Columbia has the big name and is recognized globally. The program seems great and the recent placement record is quite good. The problem is they have too many similar quantitative finance programs and they have many students.

NYU's program is located in Courant institute and is very solid in math. I heard that their alumni network in Wall Street is second to none. They has a small batch size and great resources at the same time. But NYU's general brand name may be a concern.

Upon graduation, I'd like to seek a quantitative finance related job in New York. Quant or asset mgmt related jobs are ideal for me.

Look forward to hearing advice from all of you. I believe they'll help a lot. Thanks!

 

[ABA]

From what I have heard, NYU Courant is considered the best App Math institute globally, so I think the choice then becomes quite simple...
I myself have admits to these 2 universities and NYU is anyday ahead of Columbia on my list atleast. Also I have spoken with alumni of both universities, NYU alumni seemed to be much surer of what they wanted in their careers and seemed better placed as well...
my 0.02$

 

[DanImp]

Hi there,

I have been admitted to NYU Courant Master in Mathematics in Finance and Columbia Master in Financial Engineering. I'm very happy but I really don't know which one to pick now. Columbia has a stronger brand and definitely a bigger alumni network. NYU's brand is weaker (but Courant is #1 in applied math) but the smaller class size (about 30 students vs 70-80 for Columbia) is definitely a huge plus, together with the fact that they have a more mathematically rigorous approach. The most used programming language at NYU Courant is Java, and this is something I can't really understand (and it's my fault maybe..), while at Columbia there is a considerable component of C++ and this is definitely better. Another thing which is really important is that at Columbia you are basically in competition with students from the Master in Math of Finance, the ones from Operation Research and also someone from the new Financial Economics course...

I am interested in quantitative asset management and my objective is not to get a pure quant position. In particular, I would like to get positions in portfolio management or as a researcher. In this sense, I think that both programs could be equally good to achieve my aim, since there are a lot of electives to choose in order to focus on what you are really interested in.

Can someone with a good knowledge of both programs, or maybe a student or an alumnus, give me more details on other things I should consider in order to take this decision? Which program would you suggest me? What are your personal experiences with Columbia and NYU?

I really hope that someone can shed some light on this because I am really having a lot of problems coming up with a final decision.

Thank you for your help,



Dan

 

[lsjaaa]

Man, you are lucky this year. Last year, NYU sent out their offers in April, way after Columbia did. A lot of students who wanted to go to NYU ended going to Columbia. It is not the case this year. Choose NYU Courant when you have the chance! Their class size is much smaller and almost every single faulty member in NYU MFin is a managing director in either JPM or Goldman. Columbia is good but NYU is better. Again, you are lucky. NYU learned to send out offers early.