Check out Honest Opinion on NYU-POLY MSFE Program.

[Pral]

I am a prospective student for this NYU-POLY's FE program. I felt like I can't really get in Baruch or Courant w/ 3.513 GPA and lack of major experience that other applicants have like (PHDs etc). So, I thought may be I'll try NYU-POLY but, then it's also very expensive. I asked several aluminas. One of them was very honest and not vague unlike many others.

I asked: '

Hey man how is it going ? It's really hard to get hands on Polytech's FE Alumni / Current students. I really need your empirical advice. I want to do MS in FE at Poly and would like to know your Honest opinion on this program.

1. Quality of the Program, (does it prepare you well for the real job ? I read in forums that, professors aren't that serious...but I want your opinion.
2. Job Placement (any help by the school ? how difficult is it to get the internship ? I am an international student. )
3. Image of the program in finance industry, like how companies view the graduates of this program.

Thank you ,

Pral

P.S. Your opinion seriously matters to me.

:deadhorse:

"Hi Pral
Something I did not realise when i came here was that traditional FE = Stochastic Math + Programming + Stats for high freq. trading. [No analytical stuff whatsoever]

Poly's course is more flexible and u can learn basics - Reggie can help u with the Corporate Finance Track - I took Computational. Although job prospects are bleaker in the former IMHO and Computational is not even close to what they learn at CMU, Princeton, Baruch et al.

1. The forums are correct. Very few professors are serious about teaching. During our time we had a very imp class in the auditorium which was a mess...though now they have worked to limit the size of the class.

2. The only way you can get a job is through networking. It's next to impossible to get an interview by applying online in the current environment...there are a few good professors who have contacts, but you need to really work on them.

3. Very few cos. know that Poly has an FE program! However if you can keep a 4.0 GPA and transfer/take courses in NYU Courant - then you might improve your chances - but I know that even Courant students have only managed to land financial S/W jobs instead of hedge funds, ibanks etc. [Poly studs with even 4/4 GPA are still unemployed!]

So if you have good networking skills then Poly won't be a problem, otherwise going into FE for the instant big bucks like I did - may be a rash choice...

Best,
*******
PS: Despite me getting an internship through a prof. i am transitioning into a lesser paying analytical role for mutual funds - my math skills aren't upto the mark - I feel i wasted my money!"
:wall

hope this helps many like myself who come to this fantastic website to find opinions on this NYU-POLY's program.

 

[Uncle Max]

3.5 GPA is not that bad. You can see some posts here when people apply to top programs with 2.7 and even lower GPA. Just find you way to convince admissions committee that you will be successful during the study and competitive on the job market.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

To make an honest opinion on anything, you need transparency i.e access to stats, students, staff, facility. In this information age, I find it amusing that we don't have all the information at our finger tips.
I'm glad you find the info on our site useful. From the correspondence, it pretty much confirms that general info we have here.

I know first hand a handful of NYU-Poly students apply to the NYU program after one or two semesters there.