Reputation of ETH Zurich

[SchroedingersLion]

Greetings,

I am searching for PhD positions and I was wondering: What is the reputation of the ETH Zurich when it comes to finance careers?
According to Google (e.g.: Top Universities for Accounting & Finance in 2017), it is not under the most valued schools, even though it consistently ranks in the top 20 or top 10 schools world wide.
However, what about its reputation in the quant sector? Since the ETH's focus is on STEM subjects instead of economy and finance (even though it seems to be strong there as well), I would think that it should be a good choice, if one considers a career in quant finance/data science?

Regards
SL

 

[TehRaio]

You want to do a PhD? Alright, find a supervisor there, look up the research done in that professor's group etc...
stop looking at rankings ffs.

 

[SchroedingersLion]

As far as I can tell, high class employers always have "target schools". A mediocore school might not cut it, if you're ambitious.

 

[TehRaio]

As far as I can tell, high class employers always have "target schools". A mediocore school might not cut it, if you're ambitious.

One final warning: stop being shallow, do the work, figure out why ETHZ is a world class university on the level of MIT and such. I gave you a hint.

 

[SchroedingersLion]

One final warning: stop being shallow, do the work, figure out why ETHZ is a world class university on the level of MIT and such. I gave you a hint.

Why? Because they do excellent research with focus on science, mathematics and engineering. Are you saying there is a deeper reason?
I mean, this explains why they are not listed in the 'target school' list for 'classical' finance/economics careers. Their reputation in the field data science/quant finance should, however, be great. Only that this school is not nearly as well known (to the public) as the typical US/UK names, so I doubted my view.

 

[Beep Boop]

The thing is that PhD is all about sinking 5-6 years into research in an area of your own interest...so it's more important that you find a research group whose interests and achievements align with yours, rather than a school that fits you. Granted, higher ranking schools tend to have more options, and their research groups are generally more well-endowed.

At PhD level, statements like "This school has excellent research in Mathematics" mean very little. It's more like this: "This school is home to Professor X's group, who are leading researchers in investigating analytical solutions to this <insert some exotic and arcane unsolved differential equations here>".

 

[SchroedingersLion]

The thing is that PhD is all about sinking 5-6 years into research in an area of your own interest...so it's more important that you find a research group whose interests and achievements align with yours, rather than a school that fits you. Granted, higher ranking schools tend to have more options, and their research groups are generally more well-endowed.

I am aware, but the top level schools usually have lots of interesting stuff I could easily get involved in for several years. Btw. the PhD here in Europe usually lasts for 3-4 years as we start after the M.Sc. I am about to finish my M.Sc. in physics and I intend to do a PhD either in computational physics or applied mathematics (depending on the topics in the groups).

At PhD level, statements like "This school has excellent research in Mathematics" mean very little. It's more like this: "This school is home to Professor X's group, who are leading researchers in investigating analytical solutions to this <insert some exotic and arcane unsolved differential equations here>".

But an employer will not know of Prof. X and his great group, he will only know the name of the school :-(

 

[TehRaio]

But an employer will not know of Prof. X and his great group, he will only know the name of the school :-(

this isn't the employer you want to work for.