COMPARE UCB MFE vs CMU MSCF

[Risky Business]

I would also weight that CMU is 1.5 years vs UCB's 1 year. Given that costs are similar, why not have more of a university experience?

 

[Michsund]

Hi everyone, I am a fresh graduate and I got an admit from UCB MFE(2020) as well as CMU MSCF. I wanted to know that for a fresh graduate which will be a better option?
I am currently inclining towards UCB but my qualm is that it starts in March which is a bit odd and I also found out that students in UCB mostly have some experience.

I feel the spring start gives UCB an advantage in that no one is competing against them at the time. Both are good depends on you

 

[quantdude]

I feel the spring start gives UCB an advantage in that no one is competing against them at the time. Both are good depends on you

Completely agreed. More internship opportunities, less competition and UCB (Linda in particular) is known to have strong industry connections.

 

[Onegin]

The less competition point is a fair one, assuming hiring is constant throughout the year. If there's less competition, but also less availability of positions because of you're outside the recruiting calendar, then the timing ceases to be an advantage.

Maybe compare the course plans you'd take under both programs? It's a big investment, so content would be the main thing I'd orient on, especially if I was early career.

 

[Michsund]

I would personally go to cmu, UC Berkeley to liberal for me.

 

[valour]

Main things I'm concerned about:
1. there'll be online video lectures at the CMU NY campus v/s the in-person lectures at UCB.
2. Placements
3. Curriculum

 

[Michsund]

Main things I'm concerned about:
1. there'll be online video lectures at the CMU NY campus v/s the in-person lectures at UCB.
2. Placements
3. Curriculum

For concern 1 have you ever been to the campus. The learning is set up very well where it almost seems as if the professor is there. You can press a button where the professor see's you and can answer your question in real time. It's probably the best live distance learning available. For placements its gonna be rather similar other then the fact that UCB takes more experience students whereas CMU takes in many students who don't have any experience and still get them top jobs. So, I would say placements are rather similar. Curriculum of CMU is more well rounded because it is comprised of 4 schools rather then UCB's 1 business school. You have an extra semester of learning, where you could take up to 10 mini's. This would be a lot more learning! CMU also has one of the top machine learning programs in the world, so being able to take extra classes in that as long as you could find an online version. Both schools are very good so you really can't go wrong, but I would use CMU.

 

[Onegin]

What @Michsund said.

 

[Michsund]

What @Michsund said.

Your the one who got me to get rid of my bias and see cmu is a great school, so thank you. Once you look at it from an objective view CMU is definitely a top school.

 

[binomial-torrent]

Your the one who got me to get rid of my bias and see cmu is a great school, so thank you. Once you look at it from an objective view CMU is definitely a top school.

I wanted to get in during undergrad for CS...still want to do an MS in CS or ML there I guess lol.

 

[Michsund]

I wanted to get in during undergrad for CS...still want to do an MS in CS or ML there I guess lol.

I would also look into Princeton mfin. It’s definitely a great choice as well.

 

[binomial-torrent]

I would also look into Princeton mfin. It’s definitely a great choice as well.

My biggest weakness is a low GPA (3.1), otherwise work and research experience is solid. Which reputable masters programs are the most amenable to that?

 

[YangXu]

My biggest weakness is a low GPA (3.1), otherwise work and research experience is solid. Which reputable masters programs are the most amenable to that?

Actually UCB MFE focuses less on GPA. I know some guy with GPA 3.3 gets admission. I think 3.1 also has chances.

 

[Michsund]

Actually UCB MFE focuses less on GPA. I know some guy with GPA 3.3 gets admission. I think 3.1 also has chances.

Cmu accepted me with a 3.40. I also had no relevant work experience as well.

 

[Onegin]

CMU, NYU Courant, Cornell, Baruch were most open to my application as a non-traditional student. I didn’t have a great time w Ivy / top ranked data science and MFin. A few even said they were interested in 22 year olds w perfect GPAs and 170 GRE Q.

 

[Michsund]

CMU, NYU Courant, Cornell, Baruch were most open to my application as a non-traditional student. I didn’t have a great time w Ivy / top ranked data science and MFin. A few even said they were interested in 22 year olds w perfect GPAs and 170 GRE Q.

If you don’t mind me asking, which ones were those?

 

[Onegin]

If you don’t mind me asking, which ones were those?

Harvard Data Science, MIT MBAn

To be fair, I had a lot less math when I applied, and I completely tanked one of the interviews.

 

[binomial-torrent]

I'm more interested in just CS, Applied Math, and Stats Masters programs than MFE stuff because I want to do buy-side signal generation and they tend to value that more from what I've seen. Does the same from above apply? Or would those programs be more competitive

 

[YangXu]

I'm more interested in just CS, Applied Math, and Stats Masters programs than MFE stuff because I want to do buy-side signal generation and they tend to value that more from what I've seen. Does the same from above apply? Or would those programs be more competitive

CS is really hot recently... Top CS master like CMU is extremely hard to get in. Many candidates has 3.8 GPA, high GRE and over 1 top publication.
I think despite recent trend, MFE is still the quickest path for quant jobs... Applied Math and Stats are great, but to be more competitive than MFE, phd is needed, instead of master.

 

[IntoDarkness]

cs masters are really easy to get into even for top schools cuz they are cash cow programs. most failed candidates don't have required prerequisites or performed poorly on undergrad cs classes. candidates with relevant experience, e.g. fang sde internships, can get into cs masters with 0 problem. publications are overrated for master programs most of which are just taught masters. of cos, why do they even need a master degree if they are already working at fang.