UCB MFE UCB MFE Admission Results Discussion

[andytanff]

I interviewed on 2/6, it is pretty much two weeks now. How u did on the technical questions?

Not too bad, I only had a morning to prepare while those questions were kinda easy. I received the notification on Friday afternoon and the interview was on Sunday~

 

[Dave Lee]

Not too bad, I only had a morning to prepare while those questions were kinda easy. I received the notification on Friday afternoon and the interview was on Sunday~

well, I received my interview invitation on Wednesday afternoon, then had it on Thursday morning. I dont think that I did well. Hopefully can get the second interview

 

[andytanff]

well, I received my interview invitation on Wednesday afternoon, then had it on Thursday morning. I dont think that I did well. Hopefully can get the second interview

Yeah, actually it was my first interview for application season, anyway, wish u the best luck~

 

[sin]

interviewed today, when will the final results be available. Enduring waiting suffers a lot.

I don't feel there is any thing like final result. I haven't heard anything yet. When I called them they said we will let you know once any slot is open.

Just curios to know you had your interview with current students or ad com.

 

[Zerocool]

Dear All,

I had my 1st round interview early February and I just received an email for another interview with another current MFE student next week.

Is this the normal procedure (to have more than one interview) and did other people have similar experiences? Just curious about it.

Thank you,
Zerocool

 

[moretodo]

Dear All,

I had my 1st round interview early February and I just received an email for another interview with another current MFE student next week.

Is this the normal procedure (to have more than one interview) and did other people have similar experiences? Just curious about it.

Thank you,
Zerocool

your first interview probably wasn't satisfactory so your getting a second shot b'coz they like your profile and want to give you a second shot.

 

[jetforcegeminix]

I had a 2nd interview with Linda and she told me that I was admitted.

 

[Dave Lee]

I had my first interview early in the Feb, but I have not heard anything back yet. Is this a rejection?

 

[Vivek Ahluwalia]

I had my first interview in second week, but I have not heard anything back. Well, they look at the overall application and it doesn't only depends on interviews. It's not necessarily a reject if someone hasn't heard but mostly one can end up in Hold or Waitlist.

 

[moretodo]

what are your profiles by the way ?

 

[Pablo Bertisch]

I have been accepted into the UC Berkeley MFE program yesterday, on 2/27, for the Spring 2015 term. However, I was assigned several conditions that I must meet such as:
-Raise GRE score
-Pass CFA Level 1 exam
-Pass preprogram courses
I was wondering if these or other conditions are usually assigned to admitted students and what would happen if, for example, I attempt but fail to pass the CFA exam. Would by admission be revoked?
Any advice or personal experiences are useful.
Thank you.

 

[moretodo]

They have, as yet to the best of my knowledge, not revoked anyone's offer. It's just to prepare you better for the program going through what they consider the unofficial first year of the program.

 

[HelenM]

Hi Pablo,
When did you get this email? Did you have any second round interviews?

thanks

 

[Pablo Bertisch]

I did not have a second interview and was admitted on 2/27

 

[moretodo]

Congratulations! Its a great program if you have 2-3 years of work experience.

 

[Pablo Bertisch]

What did you mean by "if you have 2-3 years of work experience"? Is it not a good program if you do not?

 

[andytanff]

Hi Pablo~Big congrats! Was it Berkeley's current student interviewed u?

 

[moretodo]

What did you mean by "if you have 2-3 years of work experience"? Is it not a good program if you do not?

You will be at a significant disadvantage since most of your peers will have work experience so you probably would not get as many interviews through the program as your peers with work experience would be given preference. Also, most jobs that come in at UCB MFE are mid career opportunities as opposed to entry level at Columbia which is more relevant and compatible to your profile in my opinion.

 

[curltron]

What did you mean by "if you have 2-3 years of work experience"? Is it not a good program if you do not?

Hi Pablo. I'm actually a current student in the program, graduating in a few weeks. Not sure how moretodo is getting this information as he is not, to my knowledge, a current student. I came into the program without any experience, and was able to secure an internship at Goldman Sachs, and recently took a full-time offer in automated trading at a different bank.

The lack of experience in this program can actually be a huge advantage as your projects become your experience in interviews. In my case, I did projects that I was extremely passionate about and hence got interviews for positions I was passionate about. The program is in my opinion the best in the world when it comes to selling you to employers, but you do need to make sure you have interesting selling points. However, I don't think you would get an offer if they didn't think they could sell you easily.

On the topic of admit conditions, all I can tell you is I completed all of mine. One of mine was the GRE, and I found it helpful when it came to interview tests, which can sometimes follow the GRE math format. The preprogram classes get you prepared for the material in the program, and they're actually taught by professors you'll see in the MFE. To my knowledge everyone took the preprogram courses that were assigned. I wasn't assigned the CFA so I can't comment on that, but I know quite a few students were and completed it.

 

[moretodo]

Hi Pablo. I'm actually a current student in the program, graduating in a few weeks. Not sure how moretodo is getting this information as he is not, to my knowledge, a current student. I came into the program without any experience, and was able to secure an internship at Goldman Sachs, and recently took a full-time offer in automated trading at a different bank.

The lack of experience in this program can actually be a huge advantage as your projects become your experience in interviews. In my case, I did projects that I was extremely passionate about and hence got interviews for positions I was passionate about. The program is in my opinion the best in the world when it comes to selling you to employers, but you do need to make sure you have interesting selling points. However, I don't think you would get an offer if they didn't think they could sell you easily.

On the topic of admit conditions, all I can tell you is I completed all of mine. One of mine was the GRE, and I found it helpful when it came to interview tests, which can sometimes follow the GRE math format. The preprogram classes get you prepared for the material in the program, and they're actually taught by professors you'll see in the MFE. To my knowledge everyone took the preprogram courses that were assigned. I wasn't assigned the CFA so I can't comment on that, but I know quite a few students were and completed it.

Curltron is right. I'm not an UCB MFE student; neither past, present or future. While I agree with everything you've stated in principal, can you please confirm if every student who went to the program with you straight out of college have had significantly better access to opportunities than other Tier 1 programs as it seems to be in your case or are you an exception?