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I think Anthony hit it spot on regarding the CFA, but I think since you're still currently a student you would be better served taking more math courses.

I'm liking option 6, Master of Statistics in Mathematics.

nice bob

I second this. In general I would say study computer science and statistics.

Option 1 because I like the mental imagery of running over others. I think if your interests are in finance then a PhD in finance makes sense, and I would go with the MSc in applied math if it really is the more rigorous of the two.

From a learning perspective, I would say that the elite schools are probably not the best in all cases. But there certain careers or companies that hire almost exclusively from elites. For example, when asked how to get into a top consulting firm, a current employee responded go to an Ivy...

I don't think anyone can give you very accurate chances based on a profile because it depends on other applicants. Somewhat related, I read an interview with I think the admissions director at HBS for their MBA program and they said that something like 80% of applicants are qualified. GRE score...

I second what TraderJoe said. You are better off working for a short time while continuing applying to top programs. Suggestions: - Improve your GRE score to say 800Q/600V/4.0 which you are already very close to so I think it won't be difficult for you. - Read some of the books on the Quantnet...

@Cjs - I think you should apply to more than 3 programs. The general idea when applying is to apply to a few dream schools, a few schools you feel are at your level, and finally a few "safety" schools that you feel are below your level. I think the admissions will be somewhat forgiving of your...

You should try applying to a few jobs and see what happens. Why not impossible to go directly into a quant finance role, in the past (from my knowledge) the engineers going into finance had some engineering experience in things directly applicable to finance (i.e. signal processing). Apply to a...

I don't believe Cambridge has an MFE, but their masters of finance is 2 years and they offer many quant electives. Check out: Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial, City University London (Cass business school), Warwick. You generally want a brand name or something close to London.

Problem with waiting to do a PhD is that the average age is mid to late 20s. So while not impossible to get accepted at 40+, your options will be more limited. For hedge fund/private equity I think you would be better off with an MBA.

What is your undergrad in? What are your career goals? You may be better prepared by an MBA, MFin, or Masters in economics. I don't think it's a good time to quit your job unless you are getting a new, better job.

You could get a job in finance with a masters in cs. If you can get a job at a bank with just your BS, I say try that for a year or two then decide whether you want/need to pursue an MFE. With a few years of relevant work experience and then a masters (MBA, MFE, etc), you will have an easier...

What areas or topics do you think are not sufficiently covered by math finance programs today? And what areas/topics do you think will be important in the future? From a hiring perspective, are there any skills that you would like to see in applicants that you don't? What can a masters student...

I assume that the head hunter wants you to interview because there is something of value on your resume. I would take the interview for practice if nothing else because I feel that I get better at interviewing the more interviews I do.

I'm somewhat confused. Are you trying to decide between masters in applied math vs stats? Or between theoretical or non-theoretical?

ROFL!! Wasn't there another youtube video with real people about models and bottles??

I agree with Andy about talking to recruiters about finding a job. But I think you can look at this in 2 ways: (1) do I want to work and go to school part-time or (2) do I want to go to school full-time? This is important because in option (1) you really need to find a job first but it needs...

Where are you located now? Are you willing to relocate and find another job for a specific program? Afterward where do you want to be in general, US or Europe? What are your career goals? Do you want to continue what you are doing? Sounds like you aren't getting promoted as you would like; what...

I would think for short-term something about becoming a quant analyst focusing on derivative pricing and modeling would be enough. I guess you could mention any specific derivatives that interest you, but I wouldn't want to come off as too narrow minded/focused. Long-term: Maybe like head of...

Where is the MSc from?

I've never heard of any post-doc positions for finance or computational finance. You may want to look into CMU as I know they are big into computational finance. From a time perspective, you would probably be better off doing a 1year MFE than a post-doc anyway because the MFE career services...

If you have the skill set required and sounds like you do, then it should be possible find something. Job competition is high right now though. I would say to try applying to some jobs with a back-up plan to get an MFE.

Do applied math or statistics then. You should always be able to get a job then. Choose a PhD program (applied math/statistics) where they do some research in finance/economics so that you can take some finance courses and direct your research in that direction. Check out CMU, they have a...

Are you considering masters? PhD? Both? What are your interests? Specifically finance, applied math/stats or machine learning?

Personally don't think I would report it if it was below 75

How are you exempt from the GRE? The only instance I've heard of not having to take the GRE for admissions is if you already have a PhD.....

The usual advice I see on the forums is to not take unfunded PhDs. But if you are interested in doing a PhD, I think it's important to ask yourself if you decided to work would you go back to get a PhD? For many people it is a now or nothing decision. Have you looked into other PhD programs...

You want recommenders that know you personally and can attest to your positive qualities honestly, having a big name recommender just listing your achievements is going to come off as fake in my opinion. I would go with E and F. For the third I'm stuck between B and D; D would be good if he...

I think it was a good decision because IB experience can take you to many other opportunities. I have seen jobs in finance, accounting, and consulting all ask specifically for IB experience (usually at least 2-3 years).

I don't think it will be an issue, and since it's in the past it doesn't really matter. When I was considering a PhD in finance I asked the director at my school whether it would be better for me to retake math classes to get a better grade or take more advanced classes, and he said to take...

Have you tried applying to any quant jobs? It seems to me like you would already have the math/programming background required.

I would you say that you have the background that programs are looking for in terms of math and programming. You should be able to get an admit somewhere. How are your letters of recommendation? And you will need to be clear on your essays why you want to move into finance.

I don't think cold-calling is going to help you when you are so young. After a few years of university maybe. Possibility of getting another internship at Morgan Stanley? Can't really recommend much beyond trying all the big banks and IBs. I remember JPMorgan having a program for younger students.

It's never too late to try! What kind of job do you want in finance? Quantitative? Non-quantitative? Is your MBA in finance? You will probably need to show an interest and basic knowledge of finance to employers; you can do this through self-study and/or taking the CFA.

Do grad school in math. The right math electives could give you a quant finance basis and also give you other opportunities. And don't do something just for the perceived money potential. Get some research experience and start working on getting good letters of recommendation.

People aged 40+ do get PhDs, but it is a big decision and not absolutely necessary. To my knowledge the best MFE programs do not offer online options, and its questionable whether just any program will help you get a job. Depending on where you live part-time could be an option. You may want...

I would take the internship.

CS wouldn't help you understand financial theory or the math behind it. Think of math as the backbone behind finance and cs as the way to implement it.

That can be solved easily enough ;)

To your first question I'm going to guess yes, otherwise how would computers do the math?

The problem you run into is when applying for MFE programs the other applicants you will be competing against for slots will have math/engineering backgrounds, so you need to be able to demonstrate that you have the ability to be success in the program. Quant finance is alot of programming and...

Yes I would recommend knowing C++. Definitely look at the master reading list, and look at books about pricing with C++ and such. I remember seeing a book on amazon about computational finance that may be good...

The power of the Internet: Quantitative analyst - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mathematical finance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia These don't require the heavy math/computer skills that quant finance does (though it wouldn't hurt). Looking at the Finance/Accounting option, it gives...

I think it depends on your situation and university. Can you extend the length of your undergrad degree? Afford to? Would you rather take a few extra semesters now or take night classes while working? After graduating, whether just taking the needed classes or getting another bachelors is up to...

What exactly do you want to do?

Don't apply for the quant role and think you will have the IT job as a backup, they realistically could rescind the offer. If you want to apply for the quant role then you need to decline the IT offer. But one in hand is worth two in the bush.

Interesting. Read: LSE smashes world record trade speed with Linux

I know the business school at Warwick in general is pretty good. Not sure about their MFE in particular but I would probably have it on my "to-apply" list of programs in the UK.

Finance and accounting would probably prepare you more for a corporate finance or accounting job, while the financial math would prepare you for more investment/risk management, basically more math-based finance stuff. I agree that if quant finance is your goal then studying math instead of...

I'm not aware of a rankings for European programs. I generally just look at business school rankings, brand name recognition, and location/proximity to financial centers. I found teaching style different in the UK (hard to explain how/why) and I've heard that the MFE programs there are more...

For GRE scores: 800Q, probably about 500+ on the verbal and at least a 4.0/4.5 on the AWA. But the most important part is the 800 quant score.

Dominic, Would you say that an individual with a PhD or extensive experience would be better suited or have a better chance at algo trading? Or would a MFE be enough assuming said individual was creative? Amadeus was a good movie but I read it wasn't very historically accurate, which given...

I think Risk Advisory at E&Y even if just for 1-2 years will be a benefit. And you should try for the position at JPMorgan anyway because you never know. If your academics are weak then you need to be able to compensate for that weakness somewhere in your profile. For example, you could...

University of Edinburgh in Scotland 1. It's a good university but it isn't known for business. I found the program fairly weak but I think this was due to it being a fairly young program. 2. 50/50, I had some pure academics that were really bad and some good. And then I had a few professors...

Sad day, I did a research paper once on fractals in finance, cool stuff.

There are going to pros and cons to either US or UK. On your points: 1) The UK could be less expensive but not necessarily. You have to take into account cost of living, currency exchange, and tuition. I just completed a 1year MSc Finance in the UK and after exchange rates and traveling home a...

Alas it appears my memory has failed me again! :-k

Also depending on your previous major you may be able to relate or tie them together somehow....

I've been curious to try F# because apparently it has some roots in FORTRAN. Interesting. Thanks for the update Andy.

First I think you are mistaken about the US masters in finance (MFin) programs being "quant-centric" and are confusing MFin with a masters in financial engineering (MFE) which is very quantitative. Warwick is a pretty good university but I've no idea about their placements. I still am of the...

I think it's very hard to say because bachelors in FE are very new degrees from my knowledge. But it would probably be a fairly narrow degree and I think there are better options. A classic undergrad recommendation here is to get a double major in math and computer science. Most importantly...

3.5 is a little on the low side but your verbal is good. I don't think I would worry about it because your Q and V scores are good.

Welcome. Double majoring in CS and math is a great start. But first there are a few things that you can do while still an undergrad: 1) Get to know a few of your professors (both cs and math) through classes, office visits, and research. This will provide you with top-notch LORs. 2)...

@iniesta - I doubt it, you should be good. @gauravpuri - Stick to the schools on the Quantnet rankings and chose a few to apply to based on location, rank and those that interest you the most. 2009 QuantNetwork Ranking of Financial Engineering Programs | Quant Network At a quick glance your...

I don't see your current work as very relevant to financial engineering but then having some experience is better than no experience. Would you prefer to work a year and then apply or apply now? Honestly I don't see much difference for you in working 1 year or applying now; so I suggest...

@sureshv - Your GRE looks good and it sounds like you have a strong background in programming, my question would be on how much math you have taken. Also, if you are seriously considering a PhD, a MFE may not be the best preparation because it is more practically focused. For PhD preparation I...

I agree with what Andy said. If you don't like math than quant work probably isn't for you. I would recommend majoring in more than just finance because finance alone doesn't really give you a competitive edge. Double majoring with economics would be interesting. Look into taking the CFA and...

Work on making your LOR and SOP better than decent, especially your SOP since its quality is solely in your control.

I think anybody has a low chance of getting into a strong/pure quant finance role right after undergrad; your best bet here would be something through your internship. I think you need to decide whether you would accept any job in finance, will go to grad school, or work a big tech company as...

I agree with Andy, being able to ask the program directors directly in these admission chats is the way to go. You say that you know all languages really well. Not to be critical but I doubt that. Focus on 1-3 languages including C/C++ and know them deeply. You have a good profile, but I would...

I don't think the special BA will really add much value and think you would be better off using that extra time to focus on your application/GRE test. The GRE subject test doesn't add that much value and is probably a better option for people with weak math backgrounds to show that they have...

1) C/C++ is the way to go in my opinion. It is widely used and if you know C/C++ then picking up Java or C# should be easy. If you wanted to learn Visual Basic then I would recommend learning VBA in Excel, as having strong Excel skills is always a plus. 2) I don't have a solid recommendation...

Applying to only one program is risky. 800Q GRE Take more than the bare minimum math and programming courses Great statement of purpose Good letters of recommendation

In no specific order: 1) CMU 2) Baruch 3) Berkeley 4) Stanford 5) NYU

It sounds to me like you have great experience and a good job right now, so I would recommend looking at options that you could complete on a part-time basis. Whether that's an MBA or MFE depends on what is available where you live.

That would definitely fit in the difficult internships to get bucket in my mind. The article does a good job of demonstrating how important it is to go above and beyond your university coursework to stand-out and gain an edge.

Did depends on what you career goals are and what this finance firm does. If this finance firm does things that are part of your career goals then that would probably be a better option. The economic research intern also sounds interesting and seems like a good opportunity but it depends on what...

You don't want to work in industry or academia after your PhD, so what do you want to do?

It won't hurt. Other alternatives?

I would say if you get the full time offer and accept it then don't put the internship on your resume; if you don't get the offer then do put the internship on your resume and be prepared to talk about it.

I agree that population is a factor, but there has also been a change in culture. Education in the form of a degree has become more important and necessary. In my opinion there are jobs today that are being done by people with bachelor degrees that could just as easily be done by people without...

I think with your law background doing an MBA or MFin would be better for you because it would open up finance jobs where you could use your law degree. MFE is mostly math and programming.

Take a look at this website: http://www.careers-in-finance.com/

1) No, for example Stanford's deadline is Dec 7 and I believe other programs are later than that. 2) No, but you didn't tell us your age either. 3) Next GRE test dates are Oct 23 and Nov 20. How long it will take to prepare for the GRE depends on your current knowledge and ability plus how...

What is your end goal? Maybe an analyst role at an investment bank or investment management firm, this would be pretty good foundation experience.

Engineers are always in demand and get paid well. I would recommend finishing your PhD and possibly getting a masters during your PhD if possible. Work experience is not a requirement for US MBA programs, some admit students straight from undergrad just the average work experience is in the 2-3...

Your ideal roles are many and broad, not limited to quant. I think you just need to change jobs, get a job as an analyst or something and move into investment management. Like Andy said, your current job is something that MFE graduates would need up at so I don't think you gain all that much...

I have always seen job competition in finance as fierce especially in financial centers (NY, London, Tokyo, etc) and I think with the slowdown it has only become more fierce. You shouldn't go the quant route if the potential for high pay is the only thing you like about it. Based on what you...

Generally joint degree MBAs require that you apply and be accepted into both programs. So for example you could end up getting accepted into the MBA but not the MFE or vice versa. Is there a point? I think it really depends on what you want to do.

I agree with the suggestion to try applying to a few jobs that interest and see if you get anything. You are correct that a GRE quant score of 800 is pretty standard these days and is what you should be aiming for. What you could do is hold off on taking any math courses and apply to some...

I agree you should just try applying to other jobs in a few years. And you should explore your interests more deeply because I would recommend different things for each thing you mentioned: a) Your current work experience should be good for getting into equities, etc. The CFA wouldn't be a...

I am curious why you want to do a MFE. It seems like you have great work experience and would be able to get a job somewhere. Generally they look at your most recent GPA so for you that would mean your MBA. But a MFE is very math intensive and since you have not taken any math in a long time...

Your profile looks pretty good and I think the programs were mentioned are appropriate. General strategy is to apply to the programs you want to be in plus a few "lower" programs as safeties. But why would you want to get a MFE if you already have a job at a quantitative trading firm?? I don't...

What classes the admissions see will depend on the transcript you send, but depending on when you apply, your transcript could show the current semester courses without grades. The math courses you listed that you will be taking looks pretty good, but I think you may be on the weak side for...

This reminds me of a comment I think Dominic made on another thread regarding how little quality testing is done in finance compared to other software. I guess they should have considered doing more testing...

If you can get a good job then I would recommend that. Work a few years and then decide whether you still want to get a MFE, if so get it.

Shows what is on people's minds first and foremost :D

I think this is a better idea, you really don't need all the degrees you originally listed to get a PhD. Towards the end of your BS in Stat I would recommend applying for a few PhD programs and maybe a masters program as a backup. In the US you can enter a PhD program with just a BS but you...

This is a great article Andy, it covers many of the common topics/questions people ask on the forum regarding their application as well as offering advice to potential applicants. I especially like "You failed to proofread and named a different program in your essay".

Having any level of CFA will help you for certain jobs, such as an analyst position. It really just depends if your employer wants/values the CFA for the position you are applying for. I would assume that having higher levels of the CFA completed would be a positive thing, but not necessarily a...

The degree in quant finance isn't really enough to get you a job in quant finance on its own unless you are lucky. I would recommend going the engineering route. It will prepare you for a career in engineering but also will give you the needed background to pursue a MFE. This option gives you...

What university? I'll take a look.

There is a range of programming skill required (in theory): basically their are people that just work on theory and strategies with no serious programming on one end and at the other end are guys that develop these strategies into programs. There are people everywhere between those extremes...

@Tristo Very nice profile. I don't think your age hurts you that much from an MFE admission perspective but I think it will when getting a job. MFE graduates are usually older than you and will have some work experience and/or internships. But I am no expert so hopefully a more authoritative...

1) Does it matter if it is negative? At this point you can't do anything about it so forget it and focus on the things under your control. 2) I did 5 years and on my resume instead of saying university from 200x to 200x I say "Graduated 200x". This could come up in an interview so just be...

CS is very important. Take the job.

I know you want to hear the opinion of others but I want to expand on the experience issue. Experience can be a good thing but it isn't absolutely necessary. A problem some academics have is that they don't think in terms of the real world, and get theoretical instead of practical...

Four suggests come to mind right now: 1) Try to get a job in finance that interests you, whether it be quant work or as an analyst 2) It is not unheard of for a PhD student to do a masters while researching. This way you could pursue a MSF, MFE, or masters in applied math while finishing up...

I agree, but I don't think you can disregard GPA.

If I understand your question correctly, you want our opinions on what makes a good professor in this area and what we look for in professors. I've had professors that spent their whole lives in academia and others that worked in the real world, and there have been both good and bad professors...

This book has been recommended before: Amazon.com: Excel 2007 Power Programming with VBA (Mr. Spreadsheet

Economics is good stuff to know but probably won't help you get a quant job. Unless you know someone in the industry already I don't think you have a chance at a quant job with your low gpa. Why would someone hire you over the math major with a 4.0? Now I imagine you can get a job somewhere...

@aditshankar - Is this the 4th time you've posted your profile? You may want to try asking your questions in a different way.

Get a job and pay off your debts first.

I'm interested to read tomorrow's post. I once thought about going into iPhone app dev as a hobby but didn't feel like buying a Mac to dev on.

Maybe there is a perfect recipe out there for a MFE application, but realistically most people aren't going to fit it unless they are lucky or happened to design their college years around that recipe. At some point you have to just take what you have and do what you can. You don't have a...

Recommendation letters are generally generic because unless the writer knows about a school or program or does research then their letter will be generic. But really they are talking about you and many schools are looking for the same basic things so generic works alright. One possible strategy...

It's a British newspaper, what do you expect? Interesting read.

Here is a good website that explains/explores different careers in finance : http://www.careers-in-finance.com/ @euroazn - I can understand your desire to do your homework on choosing a career and classes, but you asked for our advice and we gave it to you. Whether you follow our advice is up...

I agree with that, and those are the things you should prioritize. You can also highlight your grades and extracurricular activities, especially those that demonstrate leadership. Regarding Office skills, I wouldn't bother mentioning Word or PowerPoint but highlight Excel, Access, etc that you...

No matter the difficulty of your courses there is a limit to how many you can take in a semester. Yes business courses are easier than math courses but that doesn't mean you can 10 business courses in one semester. We are saying that taking a fluff business course not related to finance is a...

Business degrees aren't intellectually demanding and employers know this. And thus they are often more than willing to hire graduates that are smart from non-business disciplines. I know that big investment banks and investment management firms with strong training programs are more than willing...

In my opinion, MFE admission boards aren't looking for finance experts. They want people with a strong background in math and computer science with an interest in finance. Self-study shows this interest.

I agree with everything esahione has said here. And joel_b makes a strong argument for dropping the business major when he points out that no one knows the future state of quant finance or MFE programs but focusing on computer science and math will prepare you for a wide range of quantitative...

I just threw those courses out as an example because they sound interesting to me, but my main point was it doesn't seem like your current schedule has you taking many upper level courses for each subject, just enough to get the major. I don't remember where I heard this or if it is true but I...

Self-study. Read some finance books and implement some of the models then talk about it in your application.

A very ambitious plan that I believe would prepare you for a MFE program. But looking briefly at the catalog and your schedule, I feel that by trying to cover so many topics you end up only get the basics (so called scratching the surface) instead of really digging deep. I will throw a few...

See dstefan's comment

The 2 graduate-level mathematics programming classes sound promising. Doing well on graduate-level math courses will look good on your application.

These certifications are good to have especially when it comes to looking for a job but I don't think they will provide the improvement to your application that you are looking for.

Check this specific thread for other profiles to compare yourself to. I remember reading a number of profiles from India in the last month.

1. Since you can't do anything about it now, I wouldn't worry. Focus on doing well on the GRE. 2. I don't know for sure regarding these programs, but in general part-time programs are considered easier to get in. But at NYU for example, part-time students cannot use the career counseling or job...

Any employer is almost guaranteed to have Office, but will they have the additional package for VSTO? Plus they are going to be looking for someone with VBA/Excel skills, not VSTO.

Not in this case because you are talking about using VBA in Excel

I don't know the difference but I imagine its minor. I would go with the 2nd if the price difference is big.

Basically your options are to get a second undergraduate degree or just take classes to fill in holes in your knowledge. But based on what you have said, you have many holes to fill so in the end you probably would end up with a second degree either way. I think the only way that not getting a...

Short answer: Yes. Any experience is going to be better than no experience and your internship sounds fairly relevant in finance. So you should stand out from an applicant with no experience but obviously won't be as good as someone with 5 years of full-time experience. And at the end of the day...

First choice would be something related to your specific interests, but anything finance or economics related would be good for MFE. The question is whether any internship is better than say taking extra summer classes; debatable but still think I would recommend an internship. For PhD, being a...

Plenty of people work full time and prepare for the CFA. I know a guy that woke up every morning for 2 hours of CFA prep before going to work all day and then go to university for night classes. An issue with the GRE math test is that no one really knows how well you have to do. Unless some one...

Say something about wanting to fully explore the financial field before choosing, informed decision, etc

Talk to the manager about how you enjoyed your internship, learned so much, etc and are very interested in the field. Then ask about the possibility of another internship at the firm or if he/she has any career advice.

Depends what you want to do. Do you want to go into risk management? Or are you only interested in boosting your MFE application? I think CFA is probably the most recognized out of the certifications you listed, but whether it will help your application is debatable. How did you do on the...

I would focus on C/C++ and if any courses are offered covering other languages take those, especially Perl or Python. I wouldn't worry about learning Java unless certain courses are only in Java and not C++ because once you know C++, switching to Java is pretty easy.

Here is a link to a PhD forum that offers great info for finance or economics: http://www.urch.com/forums/forum.php For top PhD programs no question, math and econ. PhDs in finance are heavy in economics so I would stick with the economics major and if you want to and have time take a few...

I have heard of that program from JPMorgan aimed at 1st year undergrads. I wish I had done it. It should be a great experience and if you do well, your chances of an internship the next summer should be better. Depends on the trading. More quant focused trading will obviously require more math...

Your logic makes sense. How big an area are you looking at? NY state? NYC? x miles from x city? I'm assuming you don't want to move.

Based on your answer I would tell you to go for either computer science or engineering because it allows you to do jobs in that fields but also doesn't prevent you from getting a job in finance. I'm thinking that the most flexible thing for you to study would be computer engineering as you...

Are you a CPA? If not I would recommend waiting until you get the designation before moving on. You will probably need to get a MFE or other masters (applied math, statistics, cs, etc), so the question is whether you can just take a few math/cs courses to meet prerequisites for admission or...

This is the book used in my AI class.

It looks like a neat program course-wise, but not quantitative. Looks like it would be great for getting a job in banking, and I imagine after completing it you would be looking at a job in Luxembourg, France, or Switzerland. Not sure about its reputation globally as I have only heard about it...

I am unsure, but I believe most people using it that I have heard of are smaller hedge funds. 1) AI probably isn't easy to implement in a profitable way. 2) If someone had figured it out, would they tell you about it? I wouldn't.

No harm in asking, worst case scenario they tell you no. Besides going to career fairs early gives you more experience and you will only get better at it. If you go, make sure you do some each on the companies you want to talk to beforehand and ask intelligent questions.

I think Smith is legitimately a pretty good school. I don't think it compares to some of the other schools on your list such as MIT, UPenn, CMU, but as a safety school and in terms of cost and location for you I would recommend applying there.

I can't speak about all universities, but where I did my undergrad there was a limit on the number of graduate hours that would count towards your degree. So I guess in theory you could take a ton of graduate courses but you would get to a point where the courses wouldn't be counting towards...

Best thing to do if you don't want the professors to send it to the university directly is tell them that you aren't applying right away for the next year and get them to seal their letter in an envelope (prefer university branded envelope if available). They may not want to do this in which...

Math or stats? First not all universities off stats as a major. I'm sure there will be some different opinions here but in my opinion unless you want to do a masters/phd in math I would say major in stats and just make sure you take the math courses mentioned on this forum as prerequisite for MFE.

I don't know and therefore can't comment on SUNY Binghampton and Baruch but I imagine since I never heard of them before coming to this forum that their reputation is more localized. I would probably consider most state public universities safeties for you. I would think you would have no...

I agree with you on the EDHEC internship being a great opportunity, and I think you getting an unsettling response from the Cranfield career services is a bad sign. An important consideration of course is what exactly you are interested in doing. I don't know anything about the Dublin job...

I did a masters in finance, there is a masters in financial mathematics here but its in conjunction with another local university so not very highly regarded. Job-wise isn't hard to say because I've only had 1 phone interview here (I believe it is related to my needing a work visa) but from my...

Not much you can do about your GPA except do your best your senior year. Could always try taking the ACT. You will need great letters of recommendation. I like your list so far: CMU NYU UPenn UVA MIT Could also consider Columbia, Michigan, Chicago, Berkeley, and Cornell. University of...

You really should go to the "best" university you can get into and that fits you best. I can only imagine that the competitiveness of quant jobs will increase in the future so being the best you can be and any small edge like brand name will be a plus. What do you want to study? Some...

MBAs of course can specialize in various business areas and are hired for a large variety of roles. I think prestige and alumni play a big role in the value of an MBA and don't know which programs you have access to. A big pro of MBA programs is the flexibility and for you the fact that your...

University of Edinburgh in the UK

In your case I don't think you need to worry about explaining your bad grades in Brazil, your more recent grades make up for that. I think this is exactly what you should be aiming for. You want to show interest and commitment to quantitative finance and explain why that specific program is a...

If you know VBA well you should be able to pick up other languages, once you know the basics its largely about syntax until you get into deeper stuff. Learn C++ and R.

I'll try to answer your questions best I can. 1. I don't know for sure but I imagine that part-time programs are a little easier to get into. But will still be very competitive. 2. I believe I looked at Columbia before and the MA in stats basically allowed you take many/most of the MFE type...

Don't know if I'll see it in theaters but I will see it at some point.

@esahione - I think you have a great chance, a very impressive profile. Just make sure you take the time to do a great job on your statement of purpose. @arvind - I think about MFE programs like this: if its on the QuantNet rankings then it is going to be a good program with a good chance of...

I haven't heard of any Asian programs, so I'm interested in what others say about the topic. But this prompted me to take a quick look, so I looked at a few of the top Asian business schools and didn't really find anything. The closest was the MSc in Financial Analysis/Investment Management at...

I have seen the NSE certifications mentioned a few times on this forum, and honestly have no idea how they are viewed by potential employers or MFE admissions. They may be worth doing if you plan on going back to India, but in the US I don't think they mean much. The CFA is alot of preparation...

I edited my previous post with more schools. The problem you face now is time. Most admission deadlines for Fall 2011 will either be around Dec 2010 or March/April 2011. GRE score is good and your grades look solid. If taking more math courses is an option that could be advantageous. Your...

Actuarial science would be a good fit. And it may be easier to get into a good actuarial graduate program.

@roni: Maybe someone else here is of a different opinion but in my opinion how well you did in high school that is 6+ years ago is irrelevant now. I would be more interested in your current performance. The only way I could see a useful spin of going to a science high school was some specific...

@arvind Ambitious: Columbia, Oxford, CMU, Princeton, Stanford, Chicago, MIT, Baruch, NYU, Berkeley Within profile: Boston, Georgia Tech, Claremont, Imperial, LSE, Univ of Michigan, UIUC, NC State, Cornell, City University London Safe: Manchester, Vanderbilt, Univ of Toronto, Univ of...

As I remember someone saying before, if you are really good then it doesn't matter what school you go to because you will do well no matter what. That being said a well recognized university name on your resume is only going to help. When it comes to picking universities for undergrad/graduate...

http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-business/119265-non-traditional-applicant-older-underrepresented-groups-diversity-suggestions.html

Without looking at their website I imagine that they only allow Summer enrollment. They probably have some refresher program in the summer before the main courses start in the fall.

If I was as smart as you make yourself sound, I think I would go for a PhD. As more people are getting MFEs (and I'm sure this number will only go up) it is increasingly hard to stand out. The shortness of a MFE program helps people get that masters and move back out into the job market but it...

You will have to submit your university transcripts so that will show your math ability. And you will be required to take the GRE test and optionally you could take the GRE math subject test.

Firefox 4 is nice

Similar questions have been answered before so for more detail please refer to those, but I will make a few short points here. With your work experience you may try your luck at applying for some positions and see what you get. That being said a masters degree is a common "requirement". If you...

You don't need to go through all of them and it isn't necessarily required that you go through any of them beforehand. But what you do look at before a MFE should help you and hopefully make the actual MFE less stressful.

Please elaborate on how much math and programming experience. What did your research involve? Any modeling experience? Target year of entry? i.e. How much time to prepare? How far are you willing to go to prepare? Taking courses at night? Self-study? Have you taken the GRE? Score?

Based on the few details you have given, I doubt you will get into your target schools.

Wishful thinking. First, as the article points out, the young adults have to be self-motivated learners. I know people that are self-motivated to learn about specific things that interest them but not to be educated in a well-rounded manner. His idea about the best lectures being online and...

I agree with alain about the MBA but you doing an MBA right now with no work experience would be pointless in my opinion. So for that option you would be better off working a few years first. Is getting a second bachelors a good decision? Well first you may just want to try to get a job...

Welcome to the forum. First regarding you getting frustrated and angry, something to work on because finance/investing can be very stressful and learning how to deal with it in a healthy way is important. From your post I think you need to narrow down your interests within finance. It sounds...

I would say don't risk it with a wife and kid. This will start a big change in your lives and you want it to be worthwhile. Assuming you like computer science and currently program, why not a masters in computer science? With it you could still get a quant developer job and it would give you...

Princeton Man named off the important ones. No harm in taking PDE if you have the time and overall the more math the merrier.

If you already have a quant job then why do you need a MFE?

I would have to agree, I think most students are just taking on debt to pay for that name brand these days.

Depends what you consider a respectable program. Compared to many applicants I think you will be weak on the math and programming parts and I see you didn't have a class on derivatives. But it does sound like your experience will be more relevant than some applicants. Any chance of a full-time...

@PennyLess - I think you have a very good chance of getting into a top program. Maybe the only thing for you to do before applying is self-study on programming to strengthen your application, but you are in a good position in my opinion.

It all depends really on what you want to do. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe many MFE graduates go into trading among other positions. If you are interested in risk management or other analytic jobs you may want to consider a degree in applied math or statistics. I have...

I think many people understand the limitations of mathematical models when applied to finance, they aren't perfect predictors but are a best guess and guide. These models do fail as we all saw, but imperfect models that work most of the time are better than no model at all. I too am interested...

I too would have thought an MBA would be more appropriate if any masters was needed.

Welcome. For top programs, your GPA is low, GRE quant score is low, and based on the courses you listed on your resume you don't have enough math courses. Resume is too long, general guideline is one page so I would say cut the extracurriculars and hobbies section. But you can retake the GRE...

In my experience it all depends on your opponents and their level of experience.