Profile Evaluation: MFE or MFin?

[Jeremy B.]

Hello all,

After a gap year between graduating and working (a non-related field) I have decided to pursue a Masters degree. I obtained a B.B.A in Finance from an accredited university with a 3.7 GPA (in my major). While I do not have a strong mathematics background (took Calculus and Probability/Stats) I am currently taking courses in Linear Algebra and Calc II and plan on taking Differential Equations and Stochastic Calc next semester. I am also taking the C++ certification through Quantnet online. Finally I got a 161V/164Q on my GRE

There were a few questions I wanted to ask the forum:

Would I have a shot at going for a MFe program or should I go for a MFin?

How strong would my application (based on the above) be for a top MFin program?

What would you recommend for me in order to improve my application/background?

Thank you,

Jeremy B.

 

[TehRaio]

you'd need to elaborate more on your background for people to give you an honest review of your qualification.
(what did you do during your gap year, why do you want to move into quant finance, how does your job experience relate, where did you go to school, can you get good letters of recommendation, etc...)

 

[Jeremy B.]

you'd need to elaborate more on your background for people to give you an honest review of your qualification.
(what did you do during your gap year, why do you want to move into quant finance, how does your job experience relate, where did you go to school, can you get good letters of recommendation, etc...)

After graduating from Kent State University, I worked for a semester as a personal tutor in business finance, macro econ, and stats. After which I moved to NC in order to take care of a sick family member during which I worked part-time as a staff accountant and as a server. Throughout the year, a professor and I collaborated on an academic paper [in-progress] called "High Frequency Trading as a Determinant of the Option/Stock Ratio." Our abstract was accepted by the ABR last March and was awarded best in its section. Hopefully we will have it completed and published this year. I also have two excellent recommendations from two professors who spurred my interest in quantitative finance.

 

[TehRaio]

-Hopefully more people will give their impressions, but imo your profile is sound for both degrees.
-For a top program? who knows... a 3.7 GPA is very good, GRE 161V/164Q scores are great also, if you need convincing just look up admission statistics (sometimes called "class profile" ) of top programs to see that you're good enough to be admissible.
Now, imo, you should think about the type of career you're interested to pursue: obviously Mfin and Mfe don't necessarily prepare you for the same career paths. If you want to do Quant finance and you're willing to pay for a Msc degree, then the MFE seems like the way to go (the MFin obvsiouly wont, unless its Princeton/MIT etc...)