Columbia MAFN Columbia MAFN Admission Discussion

[pcorralo]

Congrats to everyone admitted!!

I have been admitted to the MAFN program and I have to accept (or reject) the offer by March 22. Could you tell me what it implies? If I accept, am i commiting my money, my word and everything to that program?

I am also waiting for the NYU program, as well as some full-tuition+life expenses scholarships from my country (Spain) cause I have no 60000 USD in really liquid assets as you could easily imagine. A few quick questions, how better is the placement after an internship (Courant offers)? Is there any problem in the placement if you don't have financial background (Aerospace Eng.)? What are the foreseeable expectations for the US market at the end of 2011 (in Spain are really bad) meaning if the job market is recovering the status prior to the crisis?

Thanks in advance. Great and helpful forum!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

If the program requires a deposit in case you accept the offer, you will lose the deposit amount if you later change your mind and decide to study somewhere else.

There is no legal obligation for you to keep your "commitment" to any program. In fact, many pay the deposit to keep their seat until the better admit comes along. This is a buyer market and there is no hard feeling from either party. If you nix them, they will admit someone else. As long as the quota is met, it's business as usual.

Some programs hedge this by holding a large Hold queue, just like what UCB does. Some give a short time window to accept. Some require a few thousand dollars deposit.

NYU requires $250 deposit. Some programs ask for $3,000. UCB requires many to take CFA L1, take their own pre-course classes with no guarantee of admission.

 

[ggazzyy]

I am also wondering you mean NYU has already sent out their decisions this week..do you know exactly when? they told you that? so if admited, we are supposed to recive email this week? otherwise we just screw?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Let me just clarify the question about NYU.

They have sent out some decisions already. The bulk of applicants will hear about it in the coming weeks. If you have to answer other programs' deadline, email them for an expedited respond.

If you have not heard from NYU, it's either your application is not being reviewed yet or you will shortly. Don't stress. The decisions are coming out this year much earlier than last year.

This is as much as I can say. And this is Columbia forum so please start a question in the NYU forum if you want to ask NYU-related questions.

 

[fish]

I received an offer from the MAFN program this week and have to respond by mid April. It is one of the schools which I always wanted to go to. However, I have also secured a graduate analyst offer at a 2nd tier IB doing derivatives trading. I am having some tough decisions to choose between the two.

I notice this program need not to pay a deposit to secure a place. I was wondering whether I can accept the offer and decide at the very last minute...

 

[alain]

Get the job. You can always go back to school.

 

[Chr]

Columbia MAFN vs NYU Poly MSFE

I got accepted this week (PT). turnaround time was about 2 months.

Also was accepted to NYU Poly MS FE (PT). not sure which to choose from. any thoughts?

 

[LeBlancDan]

Waitlisted today. Submitted Feb 10. If anyone knows what the likelihood of getting an admission is, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LeBlancDan]

Hi,

I was asked if I'd like to be placed on the wait list of the MAFN program. They asked me to email them back if I'd like to be placed on the wait list. Did anyone else email them and ask to be placed on the wait list too? And did you hear back from them confirming that you've emailed them and that in fact you have been placed on the waitlist? I haven't heard back from them yet and the deadline to respond is tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[alain]

didn't they offer you MSOR?

 

[Joe Yu]

didn't they offer you MSOR?

MSOR is for MSFE applicants. I think for MAFN, you will either be placed on MAFN waitlist and not referred to MS Stats or won't be placed on waitlist and referred to MS Stats directly.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

In general, a waitlist indicates a uncertainty of the school on the level of commitment of those who got admitted.
I hear more about waitlist this year than the past few years.

 

[LeBlancDan]

@Joe Yu, That's correct. If you accept the wait list status, they won't send your application for the statistics review.

@Andy, is it because Columbia's MAFN isn't the top priority of most of the best applicants, so they anticipate many will decline their offers? Maybe there are just so many programs available as it is and less people in the pool willing to take on these programs.

thanks

 

[sidharth]

LeBlancDan

I have been waitlisted too. On the page that showed my application decision, they asked me to accept the waitlist by clicking on a link. And then it confirmed that I have accepted the waitlist and my result will be out by late june.
What you can do is, check your decision again and try opening that link. Now it should say " thank you for accepting waitlist"
i hipe that helps

 

[LeBlancDan]

@sidharth

Hey, thanks for the response. Are you sure you aren't referring to Columbia MFE though? Because in my decision letter there was no link, but instead it asked me to email them saying:

"Please let us know if you wish to accept wait list status by April 23. You should email your response to us at: gsas_apply@columbia.edu using “Wait List Response” as the subject of your email. In the text of your message, make certain to include your full name, department, date of birth and Applicant Number A000964897. If you elect to remain on the wait list, your application will not be sent to the Department of Statistics for review."

 

[AmitkumarPatel]

This waiting list is for part time candidates OR full time candidates?

 

[LeBlancDan]

Full Time applicants

 

[sidharth]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone has received a final admit or reject after being waitlisted in MAFN? If anyone can throw some light on the chances of waitlisted candidates, it would be great. I still don't understand the logic in keeping so many candidates on a 'short waitlist'.
Thanks

 

[yajing]

has anyone known when would the mafn program given their final decision?
I have completed my application for almost 2 months and still get nothing from them~
I would appreciate if anyone can answer my question.
Thank you

 

[fish]

Hi guys,

I have accepted an offer for this MAFN programme. However due to some unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to attend in Fall. Is there any penalty charges for pulling out, or would I be black listed by the School?

Can someone advise me who I should inform? I wish I can free up my place for others who are still waiting to hear from them. But I want to do this the correct and polite way.

Fish