CMU MSCF CMU MSCF Q&A (ask a current student)

hellogo · 11/7/14

Andy Nguyen said:
This is the area you need to address immediately. I know some applicants are given conditional admission until they complete a C++ course or certificate. We have many of those students successfully completed our online C++ certificate and been enrolled in the CMU MSCF program since then.
You can take a local college course as an option.

Thanks, Andy. I will think about it.

Wang Chun · 11/9/14

I've heard that the employability of a MFE graduate is reasonably high in the US.
What the chances are for internationals on student visas in getting a quant role in NYC?

Ivan Nikolenko · 11/17/14

Hi, @Wang Chun . It depends on many factors, including previous work and academic experience and the quant role you would like to pursue.

mhy · 6/29/15

Thought I might resurrect this thread for all the recent admits.

Ivan Nikolenko · 6/29/15

Great idea=)

Guillermo Perez · 9/5/15

@Ivan Nikolenko does the summer internship pay relatively well to help with tuition?

wise-monkey · 9/30/15

hi ivan
first of all let me thank you for your great work

since you are a current student of CMU, i would really appreciate if you could evaluate my C.V and tell me how it stacks to your other class mates? do you think i have any chance of getting accepted to the program?

1. i'm 26 years old
2. from Iran (please just keep on reading -_- )
3. MBA in finance from Sharif university (best university in my country / 251 in world / 27 between universities under 50 years old)
4. GPA 3.93 out of 4 (highest in the history of program )
5. CPA and CFA chart holder (and some other certifications namely equivalent of series 7 and 63 in my country )
6. 5 year of work experience ( 2 years in accounting department of a private holding / 3 years in ER, buy side of the biggest broker in my country)
7. have 16 ISI papers
8. started programing when i was 18 ( i know some c++, full python and excel vba and a little matlab / recently i've been studying r)
8. some other things i don't think are important (1st in national entrance exam, translated some finance books, can speak English, Japanese, Persian some Chinese and a little Arabic, play classical guitar and so on)

many many thanks ^_^

kamyar

mhy · 10/1/15

wise-monkey said:
hi ivan
first of all let me thank you for your great work

since you are a current student of CMU, i would really appreciate if you could evaluate my C.V and tell me how it stacks to your other class mates? do you think i have any chance of getting accepted to the program?

1. i'm 26 years old
2. from Iran (please just keep on reading -_- )
3. MBA in finance from Sharif university (best university in my country / 251 in world / 27 between universities under 50 years old)
4. GPA 3.93 out of 4 (highest in the history of program )
5. CPA and CFA chart holder (and some other certifications namely equivalent of series 7 and 63 in my country )
6. 5 year of work experience ( 2 years in accounting department of a private holding / 3 years in ER, buy side of the biggest broker in my country)
7. have 16 ISI papers
8. started programing when i was 18 ( i know some c++, full python and excel vba and a little matlab / recently i've been studying r)
8. some other things i don't think are important (1st in national entrance exam, translated some finance books, can speak English, Japanese, Persian some Chinese and a little Arabic, play classical guitar and so on)

many many thanks ^_^

kamyar

Check the website for the program prerequisites. Do you meet them? Otherwise your profile looks strong.

Max B. · 10/1/15

Hi everybody, me and my classmate @Adelyn are first year students at CMU. We recently went through the application process, so we would be happy to answer any questions prospective students may have about anything related to CMU. Please feel free to reach out to either me or @Adelyn on this forum or through direct message.

Piranut · 10/1/15

Max B. said:
Hi everybody, me and my classmate @Adelyn are first year students at CMU. We recently went through the application process, so we would be happy to answer any questions prospective students may have about anything related to CMU. Please feel free to reach out to either me or @Adelyn on this forum or through direct message.

Hi Max B.
I have question regarding the length of essays. It states on MSCF Admissions Essays and Recommendations | Carnegie Mellon that "Maximum length is two double-spaced pages per essay". However it states on the online application that Maximum is 300 words. I am a bit concern as 3oo words is much shorter than two double-spaced pages. I have sent the email to MSCF admission but they haven't answered yet.

Thank you very much
Piranut

mhy · 10/1/15

Piranut said:
Hi Max B.
I have question regarding the length of essays. It states on MSCF Admissions Essays and Recommendations | Carnegie Mellon that "Maximum length is two double-spaced pages per essay". However it states on the online application that Maximum is 300 words. I am a bit concern as 3oo words is much shorter than two double-spaced pages. I have sent the email to MSCF admission but they haven't answered yet.

Thank you very much
Piranut

Go with 300 words and use a word count tool.

Adelyn · 10/2/15

Hi everyone, like what Max said I'm open to answering any and all questions regarding the application process.

Some background about myself: I came into the program right out of undergrad. I attended a women's liberal arts college in the US where I majored in Mathematics. I'm happy to talk about essays, comparing similar programs, what it's like coming from a liberal arts college into a highly technical program. I'm based in NYC and will be happy to chat about the program!

Max B. · 10/2/15

@Piranut I would try to stick to the 300 word maximum as best as you could. Just make sure to get across all the important points you would like in those 300 words and to answer the question as specifically as you can.

Piranut · 10/3/15

Thanks @mhy and @Max B for the reply. I am not aware of the 300 words limit as I relied on the information provided on the website when I wrote each essay. Just spot the 300 words limit when preparing essays for uploading. Luckily, There's enough time to trim those two essays.

okmijn · 10/3/15

What is the attitude of the students in the MSCF program or in general MFE programs? Do students focus on jobs and then put the necessarily efforts to just pass or do student commit to actually doing well in the courses? From what I know, you are not allowed or not required to put your MSCF GPA on you resume when you are applying for jobs.

mhy · 10/3/15

okmijn said:
What is the attitude of the students in the MSCF program or in general MFE programs? Do students focus on jobs and then put the necessarily efforts to just pass or do student commit to actually doing well in the courses? From what I know, you are not allowed or not required to put your MSCF GPA on you resume when you are applying for jobs.

Most people I know are pretty focused on internship and job searches AND they do more than the minimum to pass (although they not necessarily try to ace classes). On the other hand there is always someone who gets a 100% on the final exam, and I don't know if they are geniuses or studied like crazy (probably both).

You have to work hard, it's just a matter of how hard. There is a minimum GPA you need to maintain, otherwise you are placed on probation and dismissed if there is no improvement.

DOGGY · 10/5/15

Hi @Ivan Nikolenko

I'm a Chinese student, applying MSCF program now. I would like to know about the difference between the campus in NY and the campus in PIT. Is there significant difference in job placement rate and summer internship rate between these two campuses? And what about the education quality between these two?

In addition, I would like to know whether your program emphasizes on GRE Verbal score during the admission. I got 155 in Verbal, 170 in Quantitative. Do I need to take the exam again to get a higher verbal score? I mean, how much do admission officers value it?

Thanks a lot !!!

Swat · 10/5/15

Hey Guys. I'm Swathi, a first year student in the MSCF program, in the Pittsburgh campus. @Piyush Sachdeva (who is a second year) and I, would be happy to answer any questions ya'll might have.

I was previously a Computer Science Engineer, who was looking to make a shift into Quant finance.

As per the previous question regarding the difference in the two campuses, both have their own pros and cons, and it depends on what you're looking for. The New York Campus is an excellent place for networking, as some of the major firms you would be looking to work for are located in the area.
The Pittsburgh campus on the other hand is great for a hands on learning experience, where you will be able to meet your professors on a daily basis and make full use of the college facilities.

The internship and placement opportunities would depend on your skill set, profile, and how you hold yourself in interviews, not the location of your campus.

The program values a high Quant score on the GRE. A detailed report on the class profile of the MSCF class is put up on the website.

MSCF Class Profile | Carnegie Mellon University

I would highly recommend each of you to have a thorough look through the MSCF page before sending in applications.

DOGGY · 10/5/15

Swat said:
Hey Guys. I'm Swathi, a first year student in the MSCF program, in the Pittsburgh campus. @Piyush Sachdeva (who is a second year) and I, would be happy to answer any questions ya'll might have.

I was previously a Computer Science Engineer, who was looking to make a shift into Quant finance.

As per the previous question regarding the difference in the two campuses, both have their own pros and cons, and it depends on what you're looking for. The New York Campus is an excellent place for networking, as some of the major firms you would be looking to work for are located in the area.
The Pittsburgh campus on the other hand is great for a hands on learning experience, where you will be able to meet your professors on a daily basis and make full use of the college facilities.

The internship and placement opportunities would depend on your skill set, profile, and how you hold yourself in interviews, not the location of your campus.

The program values a high Quant score on the GRE. A detailed report on the class profile of the MSCF class is put up on the website.

MSCF Class Profile | Carnegie Mellon University

I would highly recommend each of you to have a thorough look through the MSCF page before sending in applications.

OK. Thank you very much. You are very helpful !!

Helengirl · 10/8/15

Hi Ivan, Swathi, Piyush, Max, and Adelyn (I hope I haven't missed anyone :P ) - you guys are great for doing this! I originally wanted to be a quant, took a few math courses, then got side tracked into accounting. I have my BBA and MPA in accounting with additional hours in finance and am a CPA. I am currently taking linear algebra and differential equations. I do not have any programming at all so will do C++ as well. I will have had 6-8 mths experience by the time I apply but it is not math or finance related (I am a tax consultant). Otherwise my resume should look very good – very good school (non Ivy), 4.0, awards and honors,… GMAT that meets the average class profile,... But am I in trouble? Reading this thread, applicants seem to have a lot more math, CS, and finance schooling and/or experience.

Do age and sex play any role in admission? Can’t wait to hear back from any or all of you! Any help you can give will be treasured. I so want to be a CMU MSCFer! Helen