COMPARE Columbia Mathematics of Finance vs. Imperial Mathematics of Finace

[eddiebeherano]

I was accepted by both programmes, i have 5 days to decide !!! Which programme is better, harder to get into, has better placements, more prestigious worldwide?
For now I think Columbia is a better deal...? I am right? Please help me!!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

You can't compare when you don't have access to admission and placement status.
Better and prestigious are not quantitative items.

 

[Marko]

Both are excellent programs. If you like to try wall street then Columbia otherwise London is not bad to live as well.

Personally, I will choose Columbia because of the reputation if money is not an issue.

 

[eddiebeherano]

Thank you, i've just received info about the Columbia MAFN programme :

Placement rate: we had 99% Placement Rate up until 2009 when we had about 65% placement rate and this year 80%. By placement rate I mean % of graduating students having job offers at the moment of graduation. After 3 months after graduation much higher percent get jobs but I do not have exact number.

Competitiveness : We have about 12 applicants per position.

Is the coursework more practical or theoretical?
Certain classes are more theoretical while other more practical.

 

[pediq]

hi,
my first post here, I would say go with imperial if you are not in love with NYC. Columbia MAFN program is not very practical school, you won t be required to learn C++ for instance. Career services for this program is OK, not good, you would expect better from an IVy school.

 

[eddiebeherano]

hi,
my first post here, I would say go with imperial if you are not in love with NYC. Columbia MAFN program is not very practical school, you won t be required to learn C++ for instance. Career services for this program is OK, not good, you would expect better from an IVy school.

On their web site, they say "Applicants should also have facility with an operating system, such as Windows or LINUX, and with one of programming language such as C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Matlab, Fortran etc.". I suppose that there's gonna be a lot of programming especially if I take electives within other departments such as engineering etc.

I am not in love with NYC (i've never been there ) but i think that there's more opportunities in quant-finance than in London. It seems so at least.

 

[alain]

I was accepted by both programmes, i have 5 days to decide !!! Which programme is better, harder to get into, has better placements, more prestigious worldwide?
For now I think Columbia is a better deal...? I am right? Please help me!!

talk to people in those programs or alumni. They know better than anybody looking from the outside.

 

[smjoneill]

Hi,

I am in somewhat of a position to give you a little advice, I have just finished my undergraduate degree at Imperial in Theoretical Physics and London is a great place to live, but Imperial attracts a certain breed of person. If you don't mind being surrounded by scientists and engineers alone, then Imperial may well be the place for you, it has an excellent reputation and connection with The City...

I on the other hand am bailing and also going to study MAFN at Columbia...

Shane

 

[torogirl]

Hi there, where did you get these numbers?

Thank you, i've just received info about the Columbia MAFN programme :

Placement rate: we had 99% Placement Rate up until 2009 when we had about 65% placement rate and this year 80%. By placement rate I mean % of graduating students having job offers at the moment of graduation. After 3 months after graduation much higher percent get jobs but I do not have exact number.

Competitiveness : We have about 12 applicants per position.

Is the coursework more practical or theoretical?
Certain classes are more theoretical while other more practical.

 

[eddiebeherano]

Hi there, where did you get these numbers?

From the Mathematics department at Columbia. These seem to be the official stats.

 

[torogirl]

Thanks! But I couldn't find anything on the math departmetn website or the math finance program website. Would you mind posting the link please?

Thanks!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

A spokesperson from Columbia University just called us to say they will provide admission/placement numbers for the MAFN program next week.

 

[torogirl]

A spokesperson from Columbia University just called us to say they will provide admission/placement numbers for the MAFN program next week.

Andy, where would they post it? i've been checking the mafn website. Have you heard anything yet?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

I posted it somewhere under the Acceptance rate thread.