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COMPARE Princeton MFin versus CMU MSCF

Do you want to be a quant or do you want a quantified general masters in finance? CMU will teach you programming as well as true quant finance. Princeton will give you a broad finance exposure, but with a higher level mathematics exposure than at a more traditional MSF program. I would probably describe the Princeton MFin as a financial mathematics program vs CMU which is financial engineering/programming.

Know what you want to do and become and then decide on the school.
 
Back in 2006, I applied to these two programs, got acceptance from CMU though I wanted to do MFin Princeton. I find Princeton's program more valuable.
 
How is this still an issue? I thought Princeton MFin confirmations had to be sent by some date in March!
Anyways- Princeton and CMU have two very different programs. I would suggest Princeton in case you want a broad overview of finance (including stuff like accounting and behavorial finance) and CMU for more hardcore quant related coursework.
All in all, I would choose Princeton over CMU. Its more bang for you buck! :D
 
placements at princeton are much much better. unless you really really really want to get an in depth education on the computational aspects of quant finance princeton's a better choice
 
placements at princeton are much much better. unless you really really really want to get an in depth education on the computational aspects of quant finance princeton's a better choice
what do you mean by "much much better" ?
CMU has great placements.
 
what do you mean by "much much better" ?
CMU has great placements.

From looking at CMU's employment report their 2010 class had around 82% placement only. 50 out of 60 students accepted offers after 3 months after graduation.
 
Joy, class graduated dec 2010 was much higher than 82 percent. You might be referring to dec 09 class, and that's heavily recession influenced.

And take everything arden says with a shaker full of salt
 
From looking at CMU's employment report their 2010 class had around 82% placement only. 50 out of 60 students accepted offers after 3 months after graduation.
That's 82% with offers a month or so after graduation. Other schools usually report placements of 3 months after graduation.
And, yeas they are not perfect(and I won't be surprised to see better stats from Princeton) but they are pretty good (considering the big classes they have).
 
Joy, class graduated dec 2010 was much higher than 82 percent. You might be referring to dec 09 class, and that's heavily recession influenced.

And take everything arden says with a shaker full of salt

It says 2010. Not 2009. It states 82%

I am not saying it was bad. It's good. But it's not the 100% or close to 100% that everyone thinks CMU places.
 
sorry, maybe i should have been more clear.

since the class graduates in december, they refer to it as the class of the following year, when graduation is held. see this:

http://tepper.cmu.edu/master-in-computational-finance/your-career/index.aspx

so the 82% number you're referring to, while not matching the 88% number displayed there, is referring to the class that graduated dec 2009, like i said. again, that number was highly influenced by the state of the economy at the time.
 
Would love some updated input on this. Been a few years since some activity on this thread; do you all feel these previous comparisons are more or less the same as now?

My opinion: yes for the following points
- Princeton's program is more of a general finance with quantitative concentration while CMU's is purely quantitative
- Placement rates seem to be better at Princeton, but that may just be inflated due to the incoming class that they admit (usually those who have quite a bit of work experience)

I imagine the placement rates for both programs is a bit higher now than those quoted in 2011.

For an undergraduate coming straight into these programs (without work experience) and without a definitive preference as to a general finance or quant role, which program would be better?
 
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