Quant programs as a US citizen

[logger]

of course, but what does international students have to do with the worth of the program? just trying to get clarification what you're actually worried about

It's just that MFEs are a way to get visas to work in the US. Also do you know if any programs give scholarships? I know CMU and UChicago do, not sure about the rest

 

[Qui-Gon]

It's just that MFEs are a way to get visas to work in the US.

Not their sole functionality man. I think your rushed approach to applications reflects in your understanding of these programs. Do your research.

 

[princeofbelair]

It's just that MFEs are a way to get visas to work in the US. Also do you know if any programs give scholarships? I know CMU and UChicago do, not sure about the rest

Are you saying that all these degrees are just a way for universities to milk out cash from rich international students and don't provide anything in return? I can see where you might get this judgement from, because there are master programs that will do this. But a lot of the top MFE programs put substantial resources into getting you hired, prepping you for interviews and updating their curriculum.

Look at the 2021 quantnet rankings, employment rate and starting salary. Baruch, CMU and columbia have some deeper employment stats on their site. So what if it's a way to get visa? All that matters is your return on the degree. Personally, I would say only the top mfe programs are worth your money

 

[logger]

Are you saying that all these degrees are just a way for universities to milk out cash from rich international students and don't provide anything in return? I can see where you might get this judgement from, because there are master programs that will do this. But a lot of the top MFE programs put substantial resources into getting you hired, prepping you for interviews and updating their curriculum.

Look at the 2021 quantnet rankings, employment rate and starting salary. Baruch, CMU and columbia have some deeper employment stats on their site. So what if it's a way to get visa? All that matters is your return on the degree. Personally, I would say only the top mfe programs are worth your money

Ok, do you know if any programs give scholarships? I know CMU, Cornell and UChicago do, not sure about the rest

 

[Andy Zhang]

Ok, do you know if any programs give scholarships? I know CMU, Cornell and UChicago do, not sure about the rest

Looking at earlier posts, such as by searching "MIT scholarships" as I don't recall the exact programs offering scholarships, it looks like MIT MFin also gives them.

 

[bigbadwolf]

Are you saying that all these degrees are just a way for universities to milk out cash from rich international students and don't provide anything in return? I can see where you might get this judgement from, because there are master programs that will do this. But a lot of the top MFE programs put substantial resources into getting you hired, prepping you for interviews and updating their curriculum.

Every MFE program (save the amazingly affordable Baruch program) is a cash cow. It's just that the good ones give something of worth in return -- solid education, placement offices, interview preparation.

 

[laughingwalls]

Why are quant programs so filled with international students? Is it even worth to go in a quant program as a US citizen? I would have preferred a MS in Stats/CS but it is too late to apply to those programs, so I am applying to MFEs instead.

Just look at BU's students, I only see 3 not from China. I feel like I would be very out of place if I went there.

MSMFT Student Profiles 2022 - Questrom School of Business - Graduate Programs

questromworld.bu.edu

American in quant space here. I have a Ph.D and the same is true there.

1. Math backgrounds. Quant Finance takes most of the same mathematics courses engineering majors or a good CS degree takes. Most Americans with those math backgrounds will be studying those subjects, so there are just that many people with a finance/econ background and the same math backgrounds engineers have. The ones who do have those backgrounds generally are the people aiming for economics Ph.D or a Finance Ph.D, where that math is a pre-requisite.

2. Opportunity cost - Americans don't need the technical backgrounds to work in other areas of finance that pay just as well as a large glut of quant jobs. I would wager that say a B.A in Economics/Finance from UCLA and U.S. citizen ship, probably can do just as well as someone with MFE from Georgia Tech in the grand scheme of things in the long themes.