UCB MFE UCB MFE Admission Results Discussion

[bansalmohit]

well personally i have heard that if u have more than 2 undergrad degrees that can be little put off too as it shows u didnt know wht u wanna do. especially if the degrees were not connected . i will recommend retaking gre and ace it. Also the applications seem to have increased exponentially this year. Almost whole of India and China wants to be quant and boy they are smart

 

[ICQuant]

Hardluck Sky. There is no clear evidence but I estimate that this rate is really low. At the same time, I believe it works on a case by case basis, so if you worked really hard and you did all what they asked for, you shall have a chance. I saw so because I read somehwere in the reviews that some people got accepted only two weeks before the start of the program, which means that it's still possible that they accept you if you do all that. Meanwhile you can hedge yourself and apply for other programs as well so that you have other options. I suppose no news for you KnowledgeSeeker!

 

[KnowledgeSeeker]

Sorry to hear, Sky. Best of luck!
EDIT: Also, Sky how many interviews did you have? And around when? Thanks

ICQuant - Not yet. I tried their number yesterday but it went straight to the answering machine. Had thought of mailing them today but as Sky received his result, I am assuming the results must be on their way. <Fingers crossed>

 

[ICQuant]

Due to the fact that all accepted students I knew got a 2nd interview during which they were told about the offer of admission, I suppose that the abscence of an email calling for this interview means the abscence of an offer! Thus, I am not optimistic and not anymore in a hurry for the decision email. Decision email is Rejection email.

 

[KnowledgeSeeker]

Are you sure about that? Cos from what I have gathered is that the second interview is done usually when the first interview was not good/inconclusive. And a lot of people get in with just one interview too (Source: Global-derivatives, Quantnet)

Also, if you notice the Tracker, many of the applicants have gotten their results on the R1/R2/R3 deadline dates (not all, but a lot). I know its inconclusive, I'll use that also as a sign of people being intimated by e-mail on deadline day.

I am still hopeful.

 

[Kittu]

Are you sure about that? Cos from what I have gathered is that the second interview is done usually when the first interview was not good/inconclusive. And a lot of people get in with just one interview too (Source: Global-derivatives, Quantnet)

Also, if you notice the Tracker, many of the applicants have gotten their results on the R1/R2/R3 deadline dates (not all, but a lot). I know its inconclusive, I'll use that also as a sign of people being intimated by e-mail on deadline day.

I am still hopeful.

I am matriculating at UCB this Spring for MFE and I never had two interviews. I go my admit decision via an email.

EDIT: I would also like to add the fact that majority of suitable candidates(the candidates who are worthy of a place in the class according to adcom) will get a WL in R4. The reason being most of the class is full by this time. A few guys would be admitted while others will be put on WL. The admits which are handed a couple of weeks before the start of program are usually against any last minute drop outs and from the WL.

 

[ICQuant]

I just got my pseudo-reject (application being held for further review) letter today. It reads:

We would like to inform you that your application for spring 2012 admission to the Master of Financial Engineering Program at the Haas School of Business is being held for further consideration. If you have any questions, please call Christina Henri at (510) 642-4417.

We advise you to complete the following:

• Successfully complete the preprogram courses in C++, Mathematics, and Statistics offered by our department
• Read Crack’s Heard on the Street, Hull’s Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives, Brealey, Myers, and Allen’s Principles of Corporate Finance and Zhou’s A Practical Guide to Quantitative Finance Interviews and read the Wall Street Journal regularly
• Retake the GRE/GMAT and raise your analytical writing score to a 5 or higher and quantitative score to 90th percentile or higher.
• Successfully complete coursework in Corporate Finance and Macroeconomics.

There is no guarantee that you will be recommended for admission if you fulfill these requirements. The admissions committee will review your file regularly and make a final decision before the close of the admissions cycle in March 2012.

Our preprogram courses, which are offered by our department in January, are available online for students who cannot be in Berkeley until March. If you have any questions, please call Christina Henri at (510) 642-4417.

We would like to continue to consider your candidacy. We appreciate your interest in Haas and the MFE Program at Berkeley.

This really sucks. I thought my phone interview went really well, so this comes as a shock. I'm concerned how thoroughly they looked at my application, because (1) I have a BS degree in applied mathematics (it has only been 2 years since I graduated, and I -- like many other fairly recent grads -- have been struggling to find a job, so I took whatever came my way, which didn't happen to use any of my degrees at all) and (2) I already took a macroeconomics course in my economics minor, as well as having corporate finance knowledge from other courses.

I guess I'm just not good enough for Berkeley (I wonder if I'm good enough for Carnegie Mellon or Baruch...). It's like you have to have all of the knowledge that comes out of an MFE degree before you even start the degree itself.

Does anybody know what the acceptance rate is for somebody who has been put on hold status (that is, assuming he / she completes all of the required stuff in between)?

you shouldn't take their suggestions seriously man! It's just an automated message. I received a very similar one asking me to prepare and take CFA level 1 when I already passed the CFA level 2 exam and asking me to get the 90th percentile quant score in GRE when my GRE quant score is perfect! lol
Ridiculous man

 

[Sky]

I have been moved up from "Hold" to "Waitlisted" as of about 3 weeks ago, now. I'm going to do the 3 pre-program courses online, which will hopefully show to them that I am a serious candidate. In the meantime, I'm cranking through the problems in Dan Stefanica's "A Primer for the Mathematics of Financial Engineering"

 

[nightkid]

I have been moved up from "Hold" to "Waitlisted" as of about 3 weeks ago, now. I'm going to do the 3 pre-program courses online, which will hopefully show to them that I am a serious candidate. In the meantime, I'm cranking through the problems in Dan Stefanica's "A Primer for the Mathematics of Financial Engineering"

I am also waitlisted as of 2-3 weeks ago.

Please, if somebody did not go from Hold to Waitlist (and instead, from Hold to Rejected or stayed as Hold), could you speak up? Really appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[Me.rahul]

Hello Sky, nightkid,

Are you guys registering for pre-program courses? I have also been put on waitlist. Frankly speaking, don't want to spend $1500 doing basic math course unless and until I get admission into the program.

 

[nightkid]

Hello Sky, nightkid,

Are you guys registering for pre-program courses? I have also been put on waitlist. Frankly speaking, don't want to spend $1500 doing basic math course unless and until I get admission into the program.

Hi Me.rahul, I may take the Stats and Math courses since I've been out of school for about 5 years. The programming course is probably not necessary for me since I have a pretty solid programming background.

 

[Sky]

Yes, I have already registered for all 3 pre-program courses (even though they may not be truly necessary for me or any of us for that matter). I know it sucks to spend about $1500 per course (not to mention the time spent doing coursework and other money on textbooks). But I've come this far, and I don't want to give up. I hope that completing the 3 pre-program courses successfully will show the admissions committee that I am indeed a serious candidate.

 

[Michaelbevan]

I have also been moved to waitlist status..but frankly speaking it looks like there are lot of people in waitlist pool...fighting for a small no. of seats and it is really a big commitment in terms of both money and time wise to take the preprogramming courses...I am confused here whether it is all worth it.

 

[ICQuant]

It seems UCB has gotten some good strategies to raise money!

 

[Me.rahul]

Has anyone got any update from UCB?

 

[Sky]

Does anybody know the exact start and end dates for UC Berkeley - MFE for the 2012-2013 school year? I only see the 2011-2012 calendar on their website.

 

[MrPrices]

March 26, 2012 to March 29 2013....

You are an accepted student?

 

[Sky]

No, I'm on the waitlist. I just need to know such that I can start making arrangements if I do get in.

 

[Sky]

Sorry to hear, Sky. Best of luck!
EDIT: Also, Sky how many interviews did you have? And around when? Thanks

ICQuant - Not yet. I tried their number yesterday but it went straight to the answering machine. Had thought of mailing them today but as Sky received his result, I am assuming the results must be on their way. <Fingers crossed>

I had one interview at the beginning at the end of October.

 

[Sky]

I have a question about being accepted to UC Berkeley's MFE program during round 4. I went from a hold status to a waitlist status in round 4, and I am currently taking their pre-program courses, in hopes that they'll accept me by the time classes start. (The pre-program courses end the week of March 17th, and the school year begins March 26th.) Has anyone ever been in this situation before? If so, what is the probability of being accepted for this coming school year at this point? Thanks.