Application advice welcomed... not sure what my next steps should be

[jleocookiemonster]

All,

Thanks for taking the time to read. I'm in the middle of applications for MFE programs for a 2024 start date and wanted to see if anyone had any recs for additional schools I should consider or other general career / academic advice...

About me:
- Graduated from top 5 public school in the US with a ~3.65 GPA, double major in Quantitative finance and economics
- 1570 SAT (800 math, 770 reading)
- 331 GRE (170 quant, 161 verbal)
- Currently work at a MM investment bank doing M&A
- interned in treasury dept at a small ($9B) HF
- have made it to the final round interviewing for multiple quant shops but just haven't been able to get over the hump... hoping a MFE will allow me to pass a resume screen at more places + push me over the edge to get an offer + allow me to brush up on technical skills & math prowess

Schools I'm applying to / have applied to:
- Stanford ICME
- UC Berkeley MFE
- UCLA MFE
- Rice CMOR
- UT Austin CSEM
- LSE FinMath
- UChicago FinMath
- MIT Finance
- BU MSMFT
- Princeton Finance
- NYU MFE

anywhere else I should think about applying? should I just work another year in banking and hope for better luck next quant admissions cycle? is there any point in retaking the GRE for a higher verbal score? open to any and all suggestions

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Bumping this up for exposure.
Strong profile but it seems you cast your net wide and far. I question some of your choices.
Are you American? If yes, no need retake the GRE for verbal. You made it to final rounds so it's good enough.

 

[MikeLawrence]

Schools I'm applying to / have applied to:
- Stanford ICME
- UC Berkeley MFE
- UCLA MFE
- Rice CMOR
- UT Austin CSEM
- LSE FinMath
- UChicago FinMath
- MIT Finance
- BU MSMFT
- Princeton Finance
- NYU MFE

anywhere else I should think about applying? should I just work another year in banking and hope for better luck next quant admissions cycle? is there any point in retaking the GRE for a higher verbal score? open to any and all suggestions

Some of these are really good and some I won't personally be applying too. I'd add CMU, Cornell, and Baruch. You shouldn't have a problem getting into at least one of the programs listed.

I don't know much about UT's program, but I don't think the placement at Rice is much good or really geared for what you're looking at. LSE should probably be taken off if you want to end up in the US, or at least weighted lower, since Visa won't be an issue but it's still not in the US.

But since you've gotten to 'multiple' final rounds (well done), here is how I'd think about this.

Some grad school is pretty much a necessity to further your career; right now may, or may not, be the best time for it. If you don't get into a program you REALLY want to get into, I'd just wait an admissions cycle. If you landed multiple final rounds without an MFE you probably should not settle for just an ok MFE.

 

[jleocookiemonster]

Bumping this up for exposure.
Strong profile but it seems you cast your net wide and far. I question some of your choices.
Are you American? If yes, no need retake the GRE for verbal. You made it to final rounds so it's good enough.

Thanks, Andy. Yes, American. And admittedly I confuse myself sometimes — just want to be able to take that next step to a quant firm and unsure if I need continuing education to do so. As it currently stands, I can’t pass a resume screen with the top tier quant firms (think CitSec, JS, HRT) but can get through with the second tier (think IMC, Optiver)

 

[jleocookiemonster]

Some of these are really good and some I won't personally be applying too. I'd add CMU, Cornell, and Baruch. You shouldn't have a problem getting into at least one of the programs listed.

I don't know much about UT's program, but I don't think the placement at Rice is much good or really geared for what you're looking at. LSE should probably be taken off if you want to end up in the US, or at least weighted lower, since Visa won't be an issue but it's still not in the US.

But since you've gotten to 'multiple' final rounds (well done), here is how I'd think about this.

Some grad school is pretty much a necessity to further your career; right now may, or may not, be the best time for it. If you don't get into a program you REALLY want to get into, I'd just wait an admissions cycle. If you landed multiple final rounds without an MFE you probably should not settle for just an ok MFE.

Mike, appreciate the insight. Want to clarify that I made the final round with the same firm in back to back years but no offer.

Certainly get the last point, which is why I’m aiming high with the programs I’m applying to. Definitely do want to be a quant but also am a realist and I realize that staying in banking / going to private equity would be a better career than any opportunity going to a middle of the pack, or worse, MFE program would provide