How good is Stony Brook QF program?

[angelos]

Hi, I am an undergraduate Economics major student at a top school in my country and looking to apply for MS + PhD program at Stony Brook in their Quantitative Finance track. I went through their website and at first it looked like quite a good program to me. But after trying to look for more information about it, unfortunately, there were not a lot of good things I ended up reading on other forums and sites like Wall Street Oasis.

Nevertheless, I still want to give it a benefit of doubt because the posts I came across were quite old. There are a couple of things which make me think that it would be the right choice.

1. First of all, it is located in NY and just 1.5-2 hours from NYC. A lot of people I have come across have told me that this will always be an advantage when it comes to attending workshops and appearing for interviews.
2. Secondly, they've some really good faculty out there. For example, Robert Frey - former MD of the mysterious Renaissance Technologies, Stan Uryasev - the guy who coinvented CVaR (Conditional Value at Risk), Haipeng Xing - co-author of a famous financial statistics book and so on.
3. Thirdly, I haven't come across any other university offering a PhD program in Quantitative Finance. Their program looks very unique and seems to be tailor-made for the quant industry.

That said, there also are things that make me sceptical and think twice about the program.

1. The first red flag is their employment statistics. They are given here. What do they mean by "Sample List"? Also, why have they not mentioned their yearly employment statistics? What percentage of graduates find employment at the time of graduation, three months after graduation, 6 months after graduation? What companies employed their graduates year-wise?
2. Do people on the Wall Street even know them? From what I've heard, a lot of hedge funds have their respective target-schools and do most of their hiring from there. If SB is not a target school, is it worth spending 5 years here?
3. There is not a lot of information available about their program apart from what they've mentioned on their website. I hardly found 5-6 people in the trackers on quant net. Why is it so? Where are all the people applying for the program? I also tried to find graduates of this program on LinkedIn and to my surprise, not a lot of them appeared in the search results.

No offense to the program but that is how I am feeling about it right now. It would really help if someone can answer my questions or even help me in deciding if I apply for this school next year or not. Other schools I have shortlisted are QCF @ Georgia Tech, Mathematics in Finance @ NYU, Financial Mathematics @ University of Chicago, Financial Mathematics @ North Carolina. But all these are Masters program and I am looking for a PhD program too! Yes, there are others like ORFE Princeton and IEOR Columbia but realistically speaking, I won't be able to make it there. Hence, I am keeping an option as SB.

 

[chisquared]

If you are fully funded by SBU, it is definitely worthy; however it's very competititve (Most funded PhDs come from US top 20 or the very top schools from China and they all come from math/stat background) and since you are econ major, it is unlikely for you to get scholarship. Most PhDs got good jobs here, you can check linkedin or each Professor's research group which has list the placement of their own supervised students in the past years. Many do end up working at investment banks, hedge funds, and tech firms like apple, google, amazon, facebook. You can also consider do the PhD with either statsitics or computational applied math track which has even stronger placement record for Wall Street jobs.

As for the QF at ms level, ms and PhD students take the same class and have the same assignment and same level of exam papers. The QF program alone is
not so resourceful due to low budget (You get what you paid for) but students can take courses in other tracks: statsitics, operation research, computational applied math.

The QF at SBU is in fact more rigorous than other programs (SBU is more theoretical-oriented while other MFE programs are the terminal degrees and career-oriented) and more flexible in terms of curriculum. It is a good springboard for PhD programs elsewhere. There are people who later got into many top PhD (Stanford, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, UC Irvine, HKUST, etc) programs from not just QF but other tracks at the MS level.

 

[jarryds]

I am currently at SBU in QF (masters) and I am happy with my choice. First off, I saved a fortune. Not sure if people in the industry know SBU, but also not sure if they care. Academics love over emphasizing the school name, it is how they make money. The reality is, most of the employers out there do not care too much about where you went to school.

AMS QF is definitely less terminal than other MFE degrees, which I like. I picked this option because I was initially unsure about pursuing a career in quant. I wanted a degree that left other doors open to me (data science/tech/research).

The coursework is actually pretty rough, you will either learn a lot or fail. If you like a challenge, this may be a good pick.

I have gotten pretty strong opportunities at SBU. I worked a HPC student assistantship last semester (was even offered a full time job), performed school funded research, and landed a quant internship at a hedge fund for the spring/summer. Last semester, the QF students received roughly 5-8 emails from employers looking to fill quant internships exclusively from the SBU QF students.

There is a lot of flexibility in the AMS program, which is attractive. To note, some of those other programs you listed are on the tier above SBU. So if you can afford those and get an offer, I would go.

Stay away from forums and make the decision yourself. A lot of people who comment on here are in the same position you are. It is the blind leading the blind. Is SBU the best school for you? The internet does not have that answer. Rank your offer letters by cost, coursework, potential opportunities, etc and pick the top one on the list.

 

[quant_enthu]

The latest employment statistics are not good at all. Only 4 people in the entire AMS graduate program had been able to land an internship.
The college and the program are heavily underfunded. This is a decent academic program but from a professional standpoint, it is no better than a mid-level community college. The leadership is aware of the issues but they choose to ignore it. The course hasn't been updated in years. I feel that SBU should be someone's last option for Quantitative Finance program as it has no credibility. I have never heard of any seminars conducted by industry professionals. People usually choose this university because of its low cost but there is no use of saving money if you don't get any opportunities in the professional world.
I URGE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO NOT CHOOSE THIS UNIVERSITY. Don't believe in their employment statistics. Use Linkedin to form your own opinion and you'll see how many people have landed a job or an internship. The University is feeding off of CS students' reputation and maybe of Robert Frey and Jim Simons. Its only been a week here and it already feels like eternity.

 

[Three_LIttle_Pigs]

The latest employment statistics are not good at all. Only 4 people in the entire AMS graduate program had been able to land an internship.
The college and the program are heavily underfunded. This is a decent academic program but from a professional standpoint, it is no better than a mid-level community college. The leadership is aware of the issues but they choose to ignore it. The course hasn't been updated in years. I feel that SBU should be someone's last option for Quantitative Finance program as it has no credibility. I have never heard of any seminars conducted by industry professionals. People usually choose this university because of its low cost but there is no use of saving money if you don't get any opportunities in the professional world.
I URGE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO NOT CHOOSE THIS UNIVERSITY. Don't believe in their employment statistics. Use Linkedin to form your own opinion and you'll see how many people have landed a job or an internship. The University is feeding off of CS students' reputation and maybe of Robert Frey and Jim Simons. Its only been a week here and it already feels like eternity.

Do you personally enroll in this program? If so, I would like to hear about your experience.

 

[jessefreitag]

The latest employment statistics are not good at all. Only 4 people in the entire AMS graduate program had been able to land an internship.
The college and the program are heavily underfunded. This is a decent academic program but from a professional standpoint, it is no better than a mid-level community college. The leadership is aware of the issues but they choose to ignore it. The course hasn't been updated in years. I feel that SBU should be someone's last option for Quantitative Finance program as it has no credibility. I have never heard of any seminars conducted by industry professionals. People usually choose this university because of its low cost but there is no use of saving money if you don't get any opportunities in the professional world.
I URGE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO NOT CHOOSE THIS UNIVERSITY. Don't believe in their employment statistics. Use Linkedin to form your own opinion and you'll see how many people have landed a job or an internship. The University is feeding off of CS students' reputation and maybe of Robert Frey and Jim Simons. Its only been a week here and it already feels like eternity.

Can you enlighten me on where you found those employment statistics?

 

[jarryds]

Can you enlighten me on where you found those employment statistics?

One of the professors said that during orientation. Not sure where they got that info from, the department did not poll the students.

 

[jessefreitag]

One of the professors said that during orientation. Not sure where they got that info from, the department did not poll the students.

Seems legit….

 

[kayd]

The latest employment statistics are not good at all. Only 4 people in the entire AMS graduate program had been able to land an internship.
The college and the program are heavily underfunded. This is a decent academic program but from a professional standpoint, it is no better than a mid-level community college. The leadership is aware of the issues but they choose to ignore it. The course hasn't been updated in years. I feel that SBU should be someone's last option for Quantitative Finance program as it has no credibility. I have never heard of any seminars conducted by industry professionals. People usually choose this university because of its low cost but there is no use of saving money if you don't get any opportunities in the professional world.
I URGE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO NOT CHOOSE THIS UNIVERSITY. Don't believe in their employment statistics. Use Linkedin to form your own opinion and you'll see how many people have landed a job or an internship. The University is feeding off of CS students' reputation and maybe of Robert Frey and Jim Simons. Its only been a week here and it already feels like eternity.

Few things I wanted to point out as a final year grad student in the Quant Finance Program at Stony Brook University

1. The course structure has been updated last year itself and since you are just 1 week into the program I wonder how you are able to come to a conclusion that the course structure hasn't been updated in years. The first semester courses are pretty much same for all different tracks in Applied Math (Linear Algebra/Calculus/Data Analysis) which helps to revise the basics (if you are not from Math/Statistics background) and as you enter into your second sem onwards, the courses are more track specific and honestly these courses are extensive like Stochastic Calculus/ Case Studies in Computational Finance/Quant Risk Management/ML in finance and it's always good to have some coding experience because these courses are all heavy Math+ Finance+ coding based [For QF track]

2. Talking about seminars, please go through this link : Seminars | Applied Mathematics & Statistics & Quantitative Finance Program Webinars. We have regular weekly seminars which you probably have received emails about and if you attend any of them you will get to know the varied topics covered in these seminars. Moreover the department covers the cost for top performing students to attend the yearly ARPM Quant Bootcamp (if you are eager to become a quant in future)

3. Also, there are highly skilled professors in the QF department covering extensive courses like Professor Stanislav Uryasev's Advanced Stochastic Models and Portfolio Optimization, Prof. Pawel Polak's Machine Learning in finance, Prof. Andrew Mullhaupt's Computational Finance, Prof. Robert Frey and Prof. Haipeng Xing's courses they are all project based and personally the courses have helped me tremendously to prepare for industry interviews. Plus, the best part os AMS dept. is there are 5 different tracks and you can also pursue an advanced certificate in data science as an example.

4. Talking about industry internships & jobs, I wonder how did you get this specific number that only 4 students received internship. First of all, quant positions are very competitive in nature but very lucrative. It's unfair to compare with CS department where the total batch of students is 400+. Bagging an internship is 90% dependent on your skill and the way you communicate. I was a part of the internship drive and, as far as what I have seen people did get multiple interview opportunities from top IBs (which means companies do not segregate if you are from Ivy league or not) but finally getting the job is dependent on your skillsets and convincing the interviewer that you are fit for the role. People from my batch who were looking for summer internships did get some or the other opportunity and people who did not probably were looking for PHD opportunities or their way of preparation was wrong. And, to crack a Quant Role you need to be diligent and be good at coding & Math and if you have some previous work experience in this field then that's awesome. My friends at Columbia and NYU were all in same boat during internship hunt and since their batch size is huge you probably don't get to know their struggles. And just to add, the QF courses and projects have actually helped me to grab a full time quant role at one of the top 3 Investment Bank. So, it's good to get a whole perspective before posting such comments.

Moreover, contact your seniors and professors (sometimes professors recommend you to companies since they have strong industry ties) and QF program is extensive and you need to work really hard since becoming a quant is not easy and if you have decided to pursue this field then there is no shortcut unfortunately. Also, once again companies do not segregate between universities. If you are not getting the opportunity then that's probably because you need to work on your resume or skills or your approach is not the right way.

 

[math_maniac]

I am a second year QF masters student at SBU and my experience has been phenomenal. The main appeal to me for this program was the professors. While in addition to being academics, the professors have all worked in industry in some capacity and a lot of the times at top hedge funds or banks. Some of the professors are still active in the industry and while they can't necessarily tell you what they are working because of NDAs, they teach you the math you'd need to know to be able to. That being said, this is unashamedly an applied math program. Most people did their undergrad in math, physics, stats, comp sci, or engineering. Why? Because those fields are most similar to the coursework. As @jarryds said, the coursework can be hard but there's a reason why someone who is active in the industry is teaching it to you. I've personally done quite well with the coursework and had professors offer to recommend me and even set me up with interviews. The professors are also very accessible and are more than happy to help you with academic or professional questions.

I would say that's not necessarily true about hedge funds focusing mainly on target-schools, it's mostly about connections. And the professors at SBU have very good connections. But that doesn't mean they will automatically set you up with a hedge fund. You have to demonstrate you are capable of working at one first. Their reputation is on the line too if you aren't able to perform well.

I really don't know what @quant_enthu is talking about. I know a ton of people in the program who have internships and some who even have full-time positions at hedge funds. We are sent emails near weekly about companies interested in hiring directly from our program. Also, we have weekly seminars for which professionals do come and speak. For example, we've had some members of Bloomberg's quant research group speak at a few. I have no clue how they've been able to make that kind of judgement after a week in the program.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend applying to the program. The coursework is strong and the opportunities are great.

 

[kayd]

I would also recommend applying to the program

 

[jessefreitag]

I am a second year QF masters student at SBU and my experience has been phenomenal. The main appeal to me for this program was the professors. While in addition to being academics, the professors have all worked in industry in some capacity and a lot of the times at top hedge funds or banks. Some of the professors are still active in the industry and while they can't necessarily tell you what they are working because of NDAs, they teach you the math you'd need to know to be able to. That being said, this is unashamedly an applied math program. Most people did their undergrad in math, physics, stats, comp sci, or engineering. Why? Because those fields are most similar to the coursework. As @jarryds said, the coursework can be hard but there's a reason why someone who is active in the industry is teaching it to you. I've personally done quite well with the coursework and had professors offer to recommend me and even set me up with interviews. The professors are also very accessible and are more than happy to help you with academic or professional questions.

I would say that's not necessarily true about hedge funds focusing mainly on target-schools, it's mostly about connections. And the professors at SBU have very good connections. But that doesn't mean they will automatically set you up with a hedge fund. You have to demonstrate you are capable of working at one first. Their reputation is on the line too if you aren't able to perform well.

I really don't know what @quant_enthu is talking about. I know a ton of people in the program who have internships and some who even have full-time positions at hedge funds. We are sent emails near weekly about companies interested in hiring directly from our program. Also, we have weekly seminars for which professionals do come and speak. For example, we've had some members of Bloomberg's quant research group speak at a few. I have no clue how they've been able to make that kind of judgement after a week in the program.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend applying to the program. The coursework is strong and the opportunities are great.

Appreciate the insight… I am currently a senior finishing my AMS undergrad at SBU. Definitely going to apply.
Do you happen to know if those weekly seminars are available for AMS undergrads? I would love to attend. Maybe I will reach out to one of the AMS coordinators…

 

[chisquared]

Few things I wanted to point out as a final year grad student in the Quant Finance Program at Stony Brook University

1. The course structure has been updated last year itself and since you are just 1 week into the program I wonder how you are able to come to a conclusion that the course structure hasn't been updated in years. The first semester courses are pretty much same for all different tracks in Applied Math (Linear Algebra/Calculus/Data Analysis) which helps to revise the basics (if you are not from Math/Statistics background) and as you enter into your second sem onwards, the courses are more track specific and honestly these courses are extensive like Stochastic Calculus/ Case Studies in Computational Finance/Quant Risk Management/ML in finance and it's always good to have some coding experience because these courses are all heavy Math+ Finance+ coding based [For QF track]

2. Talking about seminars, please go through this link : Seminars | Applied Mathematics & Statistics & Quantitative Finance Program Webinars. We have regular weekly seminars which you probably have received emails about and if you attend any of them you will get to know the varied topics covered in these seminars. Moreover the department covers the cost for top performing students to attend the yearly ARPM Quant Bootcamp (if you are eager to become a quant in future)

3. Also, there are highly skilled professors in the QF department covering extensive courses like Professor Stanislav Uryasev's Advanced Stochastic Models and Portfolio Optimization, Prof. Pawel Polak's Machine Learning in finance, Prof. Andrew Mullhaupt's Computational Finance, Prof. Robert Frey and Prof. Haipeng Xing's courses they are all project based and personally the courses have helped me tremendously to prepare for industry interviews. Plus, the best part os AMS dept. is there are 5 different tracks and you can also pursue an advanced certificate in data science as an example.

4. Talking about industry internships & jobs, I wonder how did you get this specific number that only 4 students received internship. First of all, quant positions are very competitive in nature but very lucrative. It's unfair to compare with CS department where the total batch of students is 400+. Bagging an internship is 90% dependent on your skill and the way you communicate. I was a part of the internship drive and, as far as what I have seen people did get multiple interview opportunities from top IBs (which means companies do not segregate if you are from Ivy league or not) but finally getting the job is dependent on your skillsets and convincing the interviewer that you are fit for the role. People from my batch who were looking for summer internships did get some or the other opportunity and people who did not probably were looking for PHD opportunities or their way of preparation was wrong. And, to crack a Quant Role you need to be diligent and be good at coding & Math and if you have some previous work experience in this field then that's awesome. My friends at Columbia and NYU were all in same boat during internship hunt and since their batch size is huge you probably don't get to know their struggles. And just to add, the QF courses and projects have actually helped me to grab a full time quant role at one of the top 3 Investment Bank. So, it's good to get a whole perspective before posting such comments.

Moreover, contact your seniors and professors (sometimes professors recommend you to companies since they have strong industry ties) and QF program is extensive and you need to work really hard since becoming a quant is not easy and if you have decided to pursue this field then there is no shortcut unfortunately. Also, once again companies do not segregate between universities. If you are not getting the opportunity then that's probably because you need to work on your resume or skills or your approach is not the right way.

Hi Kayd,

Are you international student or US citizen?

 

[chisquared]

Few things I wanted to point out as a final year grad student in the Quant Finance Program at Stony Brook University

1. The course structure has been updated last year itself and since you are just 1 week into the program I wonder how you are able to come to a conclusion that the course structure hasn't been updated in years. The first semester courses are pretty much same for all different tracks in Applied Math (Linear Algebra/Calculus/Data Analysis) which helps to revise the basics (if you are not from Math/Statistics background) and as you enter into your second sem onwards, the courses are more track specific and honestly these courses are extensive like Stochastic Calculus/ Case Studies in Computational Finance/Quant Risk Management/ML in finance and it's always good to have some coding experience because these courses are all heavy Math+ Finance+ coding based [For QF track]

2. Talking about seminars, please go through this link : Seminars | Applied Mathematics & Statistics & Quantitative Finance Program Webinars. We have regular weekly seminars which you probably have received emails about and if you attend any of them you will get to know the varied topics covered in these seminars. Moreover the department covers the cost for top performing students to attend the yearly ARPM Quant Bootcamp (if you are eager to become a quant in future)

3. Also, there are highly skilled professors in the QF department covering extensive courses like Professor Stanislav Uryasev's Advanced Stochastic Models and Portfolio Optimization, Prof. Pawel Polak's Machine Learning in finance, Prof. Andrew Mullhaupt's Computational Finance, Prof. Robert Frey and Prof. Haipeng Xing's courses they are all project based and personally the courses have helped me tremendously to prepare for industry interviews. Plus, the best part os AMS dept. is there are 5 different tracks and you can also pursue an advanced certificate in data science as an example.

4. Talking about industry internships & jobs, I wonder how did you get this specific number that only 4 students received internship. First of all, quant positions are very competitive in nature but very lucrative. It's unfair to compare with CS department where the total batch of students is 400+. Bagging an internship is 90% dependent on your skill and the way you communicate. I was a part of the internship drive and, as far as what I have seen people did get multiple interview opportunities from top IBs (which means companies do not segregate if you are from Ivy league or not) but finally getting the job is dependent on your skillsets and convincing the interviewer that you are fit for the role. People from my batch who were looking for summer internships did get some or the other opportunity and people who did not probably were looking for PHD opportunities or their way of preparation was wrong. And, to crack a Quant Role you need to be diligent and be good at coding & Math and if you have some previous work experience in this field then that's awesome. My friends at Columbia and NYU were all in same boat during internship hunt and since their batch size is huge you probably don't get to know their struggles. And just to add, the QF courses and projects have actually helped me to grab a full time quant role at one of the top 3 Investment Bank. So, it's good to get a whole perspective before posting such comments.

Moreover, contact your seniors and professors (sometimes professors recommend you to companies since they have strong industry ties) and QF program is extensive and you need to work really hard since becoming a quant is not easy and if you have decided to pursue this field then there is no shortcut unfortunately. Also, once again companies do not segregate between universities. If you are not getting the opportunity then that's probably because you need to work on your resume or skills or your approach is not the right way.

What quant role are you going to?
mid or front?

 

[chisquared]

Few things I wanted to point out as a final year grad student in the Quant Finance Program at Stony Brook University

1. The course structure has been updated last year itself and since you are just 1 week into the program I wonder how you are able to come to a conclusion that the course structure hasn't been updated in years. The first semester courses are pretty much same for all different tracks in Applied Math (Linear Algebra/Calculus/Data Analysis) which helps to revise the basics (if you are not from Math/Statistics background) and as you enter into your second sem onwards, the courses are more track specific and honestly these courses are extensive like Stochastic Calculus/ Case Studies in Computational Finance/Quant Risk Management/ML in finance and it's always good to have some coding experience because these courses are all heavy Math+ Finance+ coding based [For QF track]

2. Talking about seminars, please go through this link : Seminars | Applied Mathematics & Statistics & Quantitative Finance Program Webinars. We have regular weekly seminars which you probably have received emails about and if you attend any of them you will get to know the varied topics covered in these seminars. Moreover the department covers the cost for top performing students to attend the yearly ARPM Quant Bootcamp (if you are eager to become a quant in future)

3. Also, there are highly skilled professors in the QF department covering extensive courses like Professor Stanislav Uryasev's Advanced Stochastic Models and Portfolio Optimization, Prof. Pawel Polak's Machine Learning in finance, Prof. Andrew Mullhaupt's Computational Finance, Prof. Robert Frey and Prof. Haipeng Xing's courses they are all project based and personally the courses have helped me tremendously to prepare for industry interviews. Plus, the best part os AMS dept. is there are 5 different tracks and you can also pursue an advanced certificate in data science as an example.

4. Talking about industry internships & jobs, I wonder how did you get this specific number that only 4 students received internship. First of all, quant positions are very competitive in nature but very lucrative. It's unfair to compare with CS department where the total batch of students is 400+. Bagging an internship is 90% dependent on your skill and the way you communicate. I was a part of the internship drive and, as far as what I have seen people did get multiple interview opportunities from top IBs (which means companies do not segregate if you are from Ivy league or not) but finally getting the job is dependent on your skillsets and convincing the interviewer that you are fit for the role. People from my batch who were looking for summer internships did get some or the other opportunity and people who did not probably were looking for PHD opportunities or their way of preparation was wrong. And, to crack a Quant Role you need to be diligent and be good at coding & Math and if you have some previous work experience in this field then that's awesome. My friends at Columbia and NYU were all in same boat during internship hunt and since their batch size is huge you probably don't get to know their struggles. And just to add, the QF courses and projects have actually helped me to grab a full time quant role at one of the top 3 Investment Bank. So, it's good to get a whole perspective before posting such comments.

Moreover, contact your seniors and professors (sometimes professors recommend you to companies since they have strong industry ties) and QF program is extensive and you need to work really hard since becoming a quant is not easy and if you have decided to pursue this field then there is no shortcut unfortunately. Also, once again companies do not segregate between universities. If you are not getting the opportunity then that's probably because you need to work on your resume or skills or your approach is not the right way.

Are you from the PhD or MS program? Please clarify.

 

[chisquared]

Few things I wanted to point out as a final year grad student in the Quant Finance Program at Stony Brook University

1. The course structure has been updated last year itself and since you are just 1 week into the program I wonder how you are able to come to a conclusion that the course structure hasn't been updated in years. The first semester courses are pretty much same for all different tracks in Applied Math (Linear Algebra/Calculus/Data Analysis) which helps to revise the basics (if you are not from Math/Statistics background) and as you enter into your second sem onwards, the courses are more track specific and honestly these courses are extensive like Stochastic Calculus/ Case Studies in Computational Finance/Quant Risk Management/ML in finance and it's always good to have some coding experience because these courses are all heavy Math+ Finance+ coding based [For QF track]

2. Talking about seminars, please go through this link : Seminars | Applied Mathematics & Statistics & Quantitative Finance Program Webinars. We have regular weekly seminars which you probably have received emails about and if you attend any of them you will get to know the varied topics covered in these seminars. Moreover the department covers the cost for top performing students to attend the yearly ARPM Quant Bootcamp (if you are eager to become a quant in future)

3. Also, there are highly skilled professors in the QF department covering extensive courses like Professor Stanislav Uryasev's Advanced Stochastic Models and Portfolio Optimization, Prof. Pawel Polak's Machine Learning in finance, Prof. Andrew Mullhaupt's Computational Finance, Prof. Robert Frey and Prof. Haipeng Xing's courses they are all project based and personally the courses have helped me tremendously to prepare for industry interviews. Plus, the best part os AMS dept. is there are 5 different tracks and you can also pursue an advanced certificate in data science as an example.

4. Talking about industry internships & jobs, I wonder how did you get this specific number that only 4 students received internship. First of all, quant positions are very competitive in nature but very lucrative. It's unfair to compare with CS department where the total batch of students is 400+. Bagging an internship is 90% dependent on your skill and the way you communicate. I was a part of the internship drive and, as far as what I have seen people did get multiple interview opportunities from top IBs (which means companies do not segregate if you are from Ivy league or not) but finally getting the job is dependent on your skillsets and convincing the interviewer that you are fit for the role. People from my batch who were looking for summer internships did get some or the other opportunity and people who did not probably were looking for PHD opportunities or their way of preparation was wrong. And, to crack a Quant Role you need to be diligent and be good at coding & Math and if you have some previous work experience in this field then that's awesome. My friends at Columbia and NYU were all in same boat during internship hunt and since their batch size is huge you probably don't get to know their struggles. And just to add, the QF courses and projects have actually helped me to grab a full time quant role at one of the top 3 Investment Bank. So, it's good to get a whole perspective before posting such comments.

Moreover, contact your seniors and professors (sometimes professors recommend you to companies since they have strong industry ties) and QF program is extensive and you need to work really hard since becoming a quant is not easy and if you have decided to pursue this field then there is no shortcut unfortunately. Also, once again companies do not segregate between universities. If you are not getting the opportunity then that's probably because you need to work on your resume or skills or your approach is not the right way.

Congrat on the offer; however, if you are the grad of PhD program and don't diclose this fact, this is going to mislead many people who are just looking at the program quality at the MS level.

 

[chisquared]

Appreciate the insight… I am currently a senior finishing my AMS undergrad at SBU. Definitely going to apply.
Do you happen to know if those weekly seminars are available for AMS undergrads? I would love to attend. Maybe I will reach out to one of the AMS coordinators…

Seminars are great but I think AMS QF faculty should do more to publish consistently in top journals themselves...

 

[kayd]

Hi Kayd,

Are you international student or US citizen?

Yes I am an international student not a US citizen

 

[kayd]

Congrat on the offer; however, if you are the grad of PhD program and don't diclose this fact, this is going to mislead many people who are just looking at the program quality at the MS level.

Nope I am not from PHD, I am a Masters student in QF track and going for an associate Quant Developer Front office role

 

[jessefreitag]

Seminars are great but I think AMS QF faculty should do more to publish consistently in top journals themselves...

Do you /did you personally attend SBU for MS