Profile Evaluation

[MayurB]

Hi,

I'm looking to apply to top MFE programs in Fall 2015. Since I have time on my hands before I start applying, I'd like to seek suggestions so as to how I can increase the odds in my favor so as to get accepted into a top program.

Brief profile snapshot-
1. Bachelor of Technology(IT) - 6.7/10(Class of 2013, VJTI, India)
2. Developed Algorithmic Trading Simulator as final year undergrad project
3. Average grades in Math topics in the undergrad
4. CFA Level 2 candidate(June 2014 attempt)
5. Currently working as a Software Engineer(Business Intelligence domain) in an Indian IT company(5 months)
6. 1 internship as a Research Analyst for a management consulting project and 1 internship with an Indian Non Banking Financial Company which was a 3 week project in the Finance team monitoring employees' compliance with the Code for Insider Trading

I am yet to take my GRE. Want your suggestions as to what other things I could add to my profile in the next 8 months(will start applying by Oct).

I have a few things in mind, please validate if they are advisable(only a couple of them I'll be able to take up with a full time job)-
1. QN C++ online certification
2. Applied Mathematical Finance for Engineers Certificate(6 month course offered by Indian Institute of Quantitative Finance)
3. FRM Part I(Nov 2014 attempt)
4. Search for relevant jobs(trust me, no one is looking to hire just an engineering grad in a Finance/Quant field in India where there's an over supply of MBAs in the market; if you think you can help, please PM me!)

The following are the institutes on my list as of now:
CMU MSCF
Baruch MFE
Columbia MFE
Boston MathFin
UofW CFRM
UIUC MFE

Please feel free to comment on any of the above keeping in mind that I'd like to break into Quantitative Investing and similar areas where Quant skills aid in Portfolio Management/Hedge Funds.

Thanks!
--
Mayur

 

[MayurB]

bump

 

[MayurB]

bump

 

[moretodo]

I personally do not think your profile is strong enough for a Tier 1 program. If I were you, I would get a Masters in CS from a good university; re-assess and decide whether I still want to do FE or take up one of the many lucrative CS jobs I would hopefully get from the CS Masters degree. If I have a GPA in excess of 3.7-3.8 and I still am on doing FE, I'd apply to tier 1 programs and probably get into one of them.

 

[MayurB]

Okay that's a nice way to put it. But don't you think the suggested route to be longer? With my kind of grades, its going be challenging even to get into a Tier 2 CS program, not sure though as I'm yet to give it a thought.

 

[moretodo]

It is longer but it is your best bet!