COMPARE UCB MFE or Imperial College Math Finance

[sixu]

I am from Hong Kong and hope to get a job in quant field. Overseas is preferred. Second is Hong Kong.

I was so confused.

UCB: Linda's exit impacts the program so much. most of the current students are having a hard time getting placed (most of them on Linkedin are with Open to work tag).

No helpful for getting into a good Ph.D. program in the future
IC: Less job opportunities in the UK.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Did you get accepted into these 2 programs? Both are one year program which is very compressed for some people. The US job market is much larger than the UK but you would need a lot of help from a good career service.
If you are just looking into applying, you can apply to more programs to give you more options.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Keep an eye on the recent reviews of the UCB MFE program. It seems they are having a challenging time due to ongoing issue with the change of director. It's been tough for the 2024 graduates of the program. I hope the issue will be resolved soon.

University of California, Berkeley - Master of Financial Engineering - Reviews

quantnet.com

 

[MikeLawrence]

I was going to throw in a vote for UCB but now I'm really not sure.

Decide where you'd rather work, and choose there.

 

[Michelle]

I was going to throw in a vote for UCB but now I'm really not sure.

Decide where you'd rather work, and choose there.

UCB MFE used to be known for its strong career services and placement. It seems to be an area of concern right now.
It's highly recommended that applicants do a thoroughly research on programs they want to apply to. Reputation and track records take years to build but harder to maintain at a high level.
If this is any indication, reviews from current graduates are invaluable in giving insights on how a program is actually performing.

 

[joe_boy]

Hi... The answer is straightforward if you decide on where you want to work. But I'd advise you check LinkedIn as well and do your research. People have a high propensity to give good reviews on the programs they are affiliated with...

Personally, I'd take Imperial cos I'm usually always thinking about the possibility of doing research or Ph.D. in adjacent fields in future..which you can do in future as a form of career break or maybe life happens and you are out of job...It is always a good thing to consider imo...I also really really love the MathFin curriculum. It's also cheaper and has a smaller class size. I wish I applied there this year..Would have had a hard time making a choice if I got accepted...My only problem is the program is too short (10 months I think) but UCB is just one year so not much of a difference between the two. Also, you don't make as much as you would in the US.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Joe
You brought up a good point. The UK programs are all one-year whereas most US programs are usually 3 semesters. A few can be stressed to 2 full years. There is a cost benefit to go to one year program and get a job quicker.
The bigger downside is that many people have said that one year is too short to fully absorb the materials while preparing for interviews. When the job market is tough, the longer programs give you more time stay in legal status and find jobs.
The US programs gear toward practical side and job market oriented. The UK programs may be more theoretical and better for people doing PhD.

 

[joe_boy]

Joe
You brought up a good point. The UK programs are all one-year whereas most US programs are usually 3 semesters. A few can be stressed to 2 full years. There is a cost benefit to go to one year program and get a job quicker.
The bigger downside is that many people have said that one year is too short to fully absorb the materials while preparing for interviews. When the job market is tough, the longer programs give you more time stay in legal status and find jobs.
The US programs gear toward practical side and job market oriented. The UK programs may be more theoretical and better for people doing PhD.

Yeah Andy.
It's as clear as it can get

Thank you for the exposition.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Keep an eye on the recent reviews of the UCB MFE program. It seems they are having a challenging time due to ongoing issue with the change of director. It's been tough for the 2024 graduates of the program. I hope the issue will be resolved soon.

University of California, Berkeley - Master of Financial Engineering - Reviews

quantnet.com

Since my last post, there were 7 additional reviews. Those are very helpful from current students and recent graduates.
You can clearly see the pros and cons of the program from the very detailed reviews. Appreciate all the time and effort put in by our reviewers.

 

[sixu]

Did you get accepted into these 2 programs? Both are one year program which is very compressed for some people. The US job market is much larger than the UK but you would need a lot of help from a good career service.
If you are just looking into applying, you can apply to more programs to give you more o

Yes, I have received offers of these two projects

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Yes, I have received offers of these two projects

If you have can share you final decision with us, it would be great.
You must have a strong profile to get admissions from these 2 top programs. Many applicants would want to compare their profiles to yours so if you are willing, please add your timelines to the Tracker.
Thanks

 

[sixu]

If you have can share you final decision with us, it would be great.
You must have a strong profile to get admissions from these 2 top programs. Many applicants would want to compare their profiles to yours so if you are willing, please add your timelines to the Tracker.
Thanks

Submitted:1/18/24
Accepted:4/7/24