U Buffalo Financial Engineering Program

[pauljack]

Hi all,

I am currently researching different Financial Engineering Programs. I live in Atlanta, But I'm originally from Upstate New York (Grew up in Syracuse, got my degree at Buffalo State.)
Anyway I'm hoping to be accepted in a full Time program in either Fall 2008 or Fall 2009.
I'm looking for the best program for the amount spent because I'll probably be taking out student loans. Currently I'm getting my math and finance classes completed.
I just got an A in Calc 3, and I'm taking Diff EQ and keeping an A average. I'm taking classes at Georgia State University and I'm going to apply to their Mathematical Risk Management program. I'm also looking at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, NC is the 2nd largest financial center in the country, besides NYC of course. (Bank of America, Wachovia etc.).
I've been looking at the IAFE website and they listed most of the Financial Engineering programs worldwide.
They gave a link to SUNY Buffalo. They have a MS-Finance in Financial Engineering program. It's a 30 credit program, all the typical Math, computer science, Finance prerequisites.
I was wondering if anybody has any info about this UB (SUNY Buffalo) program. If they know anyone who graduated from it. If they know any companies that recruit from it, etc. If it's got a good reputation I'll consider applying, Buffalo is an inexpensive city to live in and I'd be close to my family. Also, I was wondering if anyone has the same info about graduates from the Georgia State or UNCC programs.
I thought there may be some recruiters or professionals on the site that may have some insight.

Thanks,

PaulJack

 

[pauljack]

clarify

Hi all,

I just reread that message and realized it was long and rambled a lot.
To clarify; I was wondering if anyone had any info on the reputations of the Financial Engineering programs at:

SUNY Buffalo (most interested)
Georgia State
UNCC.

Thanks

 

[Christian]

Welcome pauljack. I'm a fellow upstate New Yorker as well - I actually grew up about 20 minutes from you in Skaneateles, and we have a family business in Syracuse. Small world.

I'm currently an undergraduate at Baruch, but let me give you some advice. Don't go to Buffalo. That city is not by any stretch of the imagination a mecca for finance, and it will be extremely difficult to make any connections to get a job. The population has been steadily decreasing for about the past 50 years, which is not a very good indicator of economic development. Unless you want to work at M&T Bank, I suggest you come to New York.

 

[pauljack]

Thanks

Christian,

Thanks for your response. I don't know anyone who has stayed in Upstate NY 1-2 years after graduation. If I went to UB I'd probably take the first Plane/Train/Automobile out of town and head directly to NYC five minutes after I graduated.
Now you've got me considering Baruch. Wondering how I could finance it, or if I'd even get accepted.

PaulJack

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Now you've got me considering Baruch. Wondering how I could finance it, or if I'd even get accepted.

I would recommend Baruch, for the sole reason that it's the superior program compared to the 3 on your list. Buffalo program is not much talked about. Your chance of getting a job on Wall Street coming from UB will be much lower than coming out of NYC-based program.
Are you paying instate tuition at UB ? If so, you probably pay instate tuition at Baruch as well which is 9K for the whole program. The out-of-state tuition is 18K. Now, it's hard to argue that there is a better valued program than Baruch.

If you want to stay in NC or Georgia after school, then those local programs may be a better pick.

 

[naeron]

Andy .. should we make another topic area to discuss about the various schoools. I am sure more such queries will start hitting on our website since we have increased the participation and we may want to keep a log of it. Once the thread grows we dont have to explicitly answer all such questions again and again.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Andy .. should we make another topic area to discuss about the various schoools.

Nalin,
That's why this forum has been renamed to Questions about MFE programs recently. I agree we will see more questions about other programs soon.

As for the log, we have a better tool: a wiki about different programs will be introduced.