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NYU Tandon MFE NYU Tandon School of Engineering - MS in Financial Engineering
- Thread starter maxszx
- Start date
That's too bad... I thought there may be more opportunities in NY.
This is my trial at the reviewing this program since I just finished my first year.
A program where you can either get out as a hero or a zero
Reviewed 5/11/12
Rating 4/5
What do you think is unique about this program?
The program all together is decent, it doesn't focus on Financial Engineering, the track system makes it that you obtain a masters in corporate Finance or actuarial sciences instead of a pure FE degree. So you get to readjust yourself based on what part of the financial industry you want to work for. it Has an enormous amount of classes, and so choice won't be a problem.
What are the weakest points about this program?
The choices offered in this program can either make you a hero or a zero, I personally recommend to take Maymin's classes as well as High frequency trading, if you pick your classes and your professors well you will get the most value out of this program. However if you go for easy classes you might get your degree without learning much.
1.5 credit system isn't appropriate for most classes, Derivative Algorithms and Stochastic Processes should be 3 credits at least.Remove Econ as a required class, nobody needs it. Finally instead of tracks just have masters in FE, actuarial science or MS in Finance.
Career services
NYU careerLink is where I got most internship interview calls it's a large university so companies reach out for NYU students. Poly's career service is almost inexistant for FE students.
Student body
A lot of communautarism in this program, some times I get into the class and half of it is chinese taking the right side and indians the back left and then the rest of the world. Chinese hang out with Chinese only, and make it hard for a strong student relationship, specially when they speak broken english and prefer to speak their own language instead.
So why the hopeful 4/5, well because of the merger with NYU, things improve and you can feel it. I heard stochastic will be a required class, Quant finance is made harder and most importantly the next batch of applicants will know huge selectivity. The department is trying to make the program more technical to be at par with Courant, so give it 2,3 years either poly FRE department will be merged into Courant or vice versa.
A program where you can either get out as a hero or a zero
Reviewed 5/11/12
Rating 4/5
What do you think is unique about this program?
The program all together is decent, it doesn't focus on Financial Engineering, the track system makes it that you obtain a masters in corporate Finance or actuarial sciences instead of a pure FE degree. So you get to readjust yourself based on what part of the financial industry you want to work for. it Has an enormous amount of classes, and so choice won't be a problem.
What are the weakest points about this program?
The choices offered in this program can either make you a hero or a zero, I personally recommend to take Maymin's classes as well as High frequency trading, if you pick your classes and your professors well you will get the most value out of this program. However if you go for easy classes you might get your degree without learning much.
1.5 credit system isn't appropriate for most classes, Derivative Algorithms and Stochastic Processes should be 3 credits at least.Remove Econ as a required class, nobody needs it. Finally instead of tracks just have masters in FE, actuarial science or MS in Finance.
Career services
NYU careerLink is where I got most internship interview calls it's a large university so companies reach out for NYU students. Poly's career service is almost inexistant for FE students.
Student body
A lot of communautarism in this program, some times I get into the class and half of it is chinese taking the right side and indians the back left and then the rest of the world. Chinese hang out with Chinese only, and make it hard for a strong student relationship, specially when they speak broken english and prefer to speak their own language instead.
So why the hopeful 4/5, well because of the merger with NYU, things improve and you can feel it. I heard stochastic will be a required class, Quant finance is made harder and most importantly the next batch of applicants will know huge selectivity. The department is trying to make the program more technical to be at par with Courant, so give it 2,3 years either poly FRE department will be merged into Courant or vice versa.
- Joined
- 12/14/15
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- 38
This program is an absolute horror show. (Graduated in 2016) Professors are mostly guest lecturers and don't care; TAs are unreliable and unqualified; the administration act as if they are just collecting a paycheck and are reluctant to help. Emails to the program coordinator and those in charge of the curriculum are rarely responded to personally.
Even the positive reviews admit the job placement services for those in the FE program is a dumpster fire. Some reviews say you need to be "highly motivated"; what that really means is people in the program (professors, program/academic directors, TAs) are very unlikely to help you advance your career, you will be left on your own. Any success you enjoy will likely be in spite of the quality of the program, not because of it.
Even the positive reviews admit the job placement services for those in the FE program is a dumpster fire. Some reviews say you need to be "highly motivated"; what that really means is people in the program (professors, program/academic directors, TAs) are very unlikely to help you advance your career, you will be left on your own. Any success you enjoy will likely be in spite of the quality of the program, not because of it.
P. Carr
RIP 1958-2022
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- 6/6/13
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____________________________________________________________
I am the new department chair. It is unfortunate that I started just after you graduated. I want to thank you for posting your thoughts, which I take very seriously. I apologize on behalf of the program for both the lack of responsiveness and the job placement service while you were with us. To the extent that you are still seeking employment, I believe I can be personally helpful. Please email me at petercarr@nyu.edu for either career advice or an update on the several changes made since your graduation.
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Thank you very much for your very professional reply and I am grateful to you for offering to help.
There is absolutely no need to apologize as none of the things I mentioned are your fault, and what few things I have heard about you are positive.
I am very curious about placement rates for this program. In future years, will the department gather information on the placement of its graduates (or retrieve it from Career Services) and make them public?
P. Carr
RIP 1958-2022
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We have incomplete data on past placement rates. At a recent meeting of about 20
program directors, my department was the only one with incomplete data. Before your post, the director of NYU's placement office (Wasserman) wrote me that
Wasserman is in the 2nd year of a pilot to survey the first destination results of NYU graduate students. I will make the results for my dept. public shortly after they become available early next year. I am taking other steps to address the issue as well. Please continue to use this forum to let me know how we can improve.
program directors, my department was the only one with incomplete data. Before your post, the director of NYU's placement office (Wasserman) wrote me that
Wasserman is in the 2nd year of a pilot to survey the first destination results of NYU graduate students. I will make the results for my dept. public shortly after they become available early next year. I am taking other steps to address the issue as well. Please continue to use this forum to let me know how we can improve.
P. Carr
RIP 1958-2022
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I'm the dept chair and take the recent negative reviews seriously.
Regarding the lack of programming /algorithmic classes, we are adding two sections on intro to machine learning for Fall 2017. We will likely also add an advanced class in spring 2018.
I'm addressing cheating and it won't be an issue next year.
We are always reviewing staffing, and have added 11 new industry professionals since my arrival in May 2016. We've also added several industry sponsored projects which will help placement. We are reviewing the curriculum, and anticipate changes for the coming year.
Regarding the lack of programming /algorithmic classes, we are adding two sections on intro to machine learning for Fall 2017. We will likely also add an advanced class in spring 2018.
I'm addressing cheating and it won't be an issue next year.
We are always reviewing staffing, and have added 11 new industry professionals since my arrival in May 2016. We've also added several industry sponsored projects which will help placement. We are reviewing the curriculum, and anticipate changes for the coming year.
You can reply here or PM on quantnet. Waiting for you reply.
P. Carr
RIP 1958-2022
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Thanks. I PM'd you.
I am a first-year student from NYU Tandon program.
I have some oppinons and suggestions to add:
Pros:
1. Dr. Carr is really helpful here. When I met ppl from other MFE programs, they refer our program as "Peter Carr's program." Our program definetely benefits a lot from Dr.Carr's reputation.
2. NYU's brand. If you have a good resume, you will get many interviews, both from bulge brackets and from asset managment firms. Whether or not you can crack those interviews largely depends on the time and effort that you spend on your own time.
3. Help from peers. Many students are actively seeking internship. They are very smart and will help each other when they get interviews and share their experience after as well.
Suggestions:
1. Courses. We have a very long course list, and there are many great courses, such as two R courses taught by Jerzy Pawlowski and C++ couses taught by Song Tang. Dr. Pawlowski's courses help me to improve from a programming rookie to an intermediate R coder. And Dr. Tang's course is vey helpful for interview preps. However, we lack some essential courses, such as Python courses and Statistic courses. In my oppinon, key concepts in linear regression play a very crucial role in quant finance interview.
2. Interview preparation session. It would be much helpful if the program can hold these sessions for students to prepare beforehand. For example, recommending books to read, important areas to cover and holding mock interview sessions.
I have some oppinons and suggestions to add:
Pros:
1. Dr. Carr is really helpful here. When I met ppl from other MFE programs, they refer our program as "Peter Carr's program." Our program definetely benefits a lot from Dr.Carr's reputation.
2. NYU's brand. If you have a good resume, you will get many interviews, both from bulge brackets and from asset managment firms. Whether or not you can crack those interviews largely depends on the time and effort that you spend on your own time.
3. Help from peers. Many students are actively seeking internship. They are very smart and will help each other when they get interviews and share their experience after as well.
Suggestions:
1. Courses. We have a very long course list, and there are many great courses, such as two R courses taught by Jerzy Pawlowski and C++ couses taught by Song Tang. Dr. Pawlowski's courses help me to improve from a programming rookie to an intermediate R coder. And Dr. Tang's course is vey helpful for interview preps. However, we lack some essential courses, such as Python courses and Statistic courses. In my oppinon, key concepts in linear regression play a very crucial role in quant finance interview.
2. Interview preparation session. It would be much helpful if the program can hold these sessions for students to prepare beforehand. For example, recommending books to read, important areas to cover and holding mock interview sessions.
Last edited:
"True, the department is collecting students’ reviews to bring more changes to the program, but it is not a marketing campaign trying to furnish our reputation."
To the most recent reviewer: what do you mean by the department is collecting students reviews? Do you mean the department is asking for reviews to be submitted to the department OR do you mean the department is directing, asking, suggesting or encouraging students to review the program online? Seems weird to add the qualification of 'not a marketing campaign' if it is only the former.
To the most recent reviewer: what do you mean by the department is collecting students reviews? Do you mean the department is asking for reviews to be submitted to the department OR do you mean the department is directing, asking, suggesting or encouraging students to review the program online? Seems weird to add the qualification of 'not a marketing campaign' if it is only the former.
It was a response to some reviews later deleted.
One of my professor saw these comments and asked his former students to write about out own opinions, so I wrote mine. I saw many comments laughable so I would like to refute them point by point.
I've been waiting to see what kind of new excuses or identities they would come up with against this program. So far didn't see.
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That's very disappointing. The professor, safe to say wanting positive reviews to be written, and who presumably know a few students fairly well, would know exactly who to ask to get positive reviews written. I don't think reviews that are the result of professors soliciting former students for them are authentic or objective.
Would you trust online reviews of businesses that are the result of the owner asking specific people? I wouldn't either.
Hopefully no other professors did the same and not TOO many reviews were written as a result of this.
P. Carr
RIP 1958-2022
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To Apollo Chariot
You seem like a very perceptive person. I'd like to run recent and future planned changes by you. Please contact me via petercarr@nyu.edu
You seem like a very perceptive person. I'd like to run recent and future planned changes by you. Please contact me via petercarr@nyu.edu
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@ApolloChariot, under normal circumstances, I might agree with you, but knowing the details and the people, I feel compelled to add some color.
The Tandon program seemed rudderless for a while and got some bad press. Peter Carr was hired to shore it up. He’s done a good job, so far. It’s only logical that he (or someone else) would ask for some additional opinions if the program was in a big improvement phase. I’ve been known Peter for 18 years. I can attest to his integrity.
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