UCB C++ Programming vs QuantNet's

[khanhld]

Hi,
Per the title, what are your thoughts about UCB C++ Programming vs QuantNet's? The former is of course recommended by HAAS to fulfill the C++ prerequisite for its MFE programme and the latter by Baruch. Does HAAS accept the course certificate offered by QuantNet's and vice versa? The first impression is that UCB C++ Programming is offered at half the price of QuantNet's.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

half?? not quite
895 versus 1450

That's 39% cheaper. BTW QN has embedded C minicourse + TA support.

Is there a detailed outline? i.e. the precise contents etc.

 

[SD_]

I don't think this is UCB's Pre-MFE C++ course because it should not be available now. It is only available starting December with the payment deadline in the first week of November every year.

There are 4 pre-program courses (Maths, Stats, C++, and Python) that are mandatory for incoming MFE students, and from what I have read on the forum, contain a lot of financial applications, unlike the one you have listed above.

Btw, I think the Pre-MFE C++ UCB course has similar pricing to QuantNet's course based on the price I saw last year on their website ($1500 for incoming MFE students, a little more for anyone else).

read ---> UCB MFE - UCB Pre-Program Review

 

[m_s]

Hi,
Per the title, what are your thoughts about UCB C++ Programming vs QuantNet's? The former is of course recommended by HAAS to fulfill the C++ prerequisite for its MFE programme and the latter by Baruch. Does HAAS accept the course certificate offered by QuantNet's and vice versa? The first impression is that UCB C++ Programming is offered at half the price of QuantNet's.

There is a course that you could take through UCB Ext, which it is the course recommended by the department, I think you could enroll in that course anytime and takes about 2 months to finish it, or maybe 6 weeks. Also, you could ask this question to the department, you can either email them or go to office hours.

 

[khanhld]

Thanks for all the discussion guys!

half?? not quite
[imath]895 versus[/imath]1450

That's 39% cheaper. BTW QN has embedded C minicourse + TA support.

Is there a detailed outline? i.e. the precise contents etc.

Yes, it's true that the Berkeley requires prior fundamental knowledge of C while QN's doesn't require any prior knowledge. A TA is definitely a bonus as well. The website's outline is all I have as well. Will keep you posted if I manage to get the detailed outline.

I don't think this is UCB's Pre-MFE C++ course because it should not be available now. It is only available starting December with the payment deadline in the first week of November every year.

There are 4 pre-program courses (Maths, Stats, C++, and Python) that are mandatory for incoming MFE students, and from what I have read on the forum, contain a lot of financial applications, unlike the one you have listed above.

Btw, I think the Pre-MFE C++ UCB course has similar pricing to QuantNet's course based on the price I saw last year on their website ($1500 for incoming MFE students, a little more for anyone else).

read ---> UCB MFE - UCB Pre-Program Review

Yes, this is not UCB's Pre-MFE C++ course. This course is recommended by HASS to fulfill its C++ prerequisite as seen here.

There is a course that you could take through UCB Ext, which it is the course recommended by the department, I think you could enroll in that course anytime and takes about 2 months to finish it, or maybe 6 weeks. Also, you could ask this question to the department, you can either email them or go to office hours.

I actually wrote to them and am waiting for their replies. Hopefully, both schools accept the other's course otherwise it would be a headache to fulfill the prerequisite. Will keep you posted. One thing as Daniel brought up is UCB's course requires prior fundamental knowledge of C.

 

[SD_]

UCB accepts the QuantNet’s C++ course.

However, you might not get an exemption from the Pre-program C++ course even if you have completed the QuantNet’s course.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

For QN C++, having TAs is worth its weight in gold.

 

[LeFed]

For QN C++, having TAs is worth its weight in gold.

there are TAs (or as they are called at uc berkeley, GSIs) for the berkeley c++ preprogram course too

 

[LeFed]

I don't think this is UCB's Pre-MFE C++ course because it should not be available now. It is only available starting December with the payment deadline in the first week of November every year.

There are 4 pre-program courses (Maths, Stats, C++, and Python) that are mandatory for incoming MFE students, and from what I have read on the forum, contain a lot of financial applications, unlike the one you have listed above.

Btw, I think the Pre-MFE C++ UCB course has similar pricing to QuantNet's course based on the price I saw last year on their website ($1500 for incoming MFE students, a little more for anyone else).

read ---> UCB MFE - UCB Pre-Program Review

the python course is not mandatory

 

[SD_]

the python course is not mandatory

It wasn't last year according to a current student.

 

[LeFed]

It wasn't last year according to a current student.

isn't that what i just said?

 

[SD_]

isn't that what i just said?

Let me rephrase, Python was not mandatory last year (i.e. for the students joining in March 2022), however, for the students that have been admitted this year(i.e. students joining in March 2023), all 4 are mandatory.

 

[EngTurnedQuant]

So, I'll ask this question to the admin committee tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure they've told me that the C++ pre-program course is being discontinued for this incoming year's (March 2023) students. If you check this link (MFE Preparation | Master of Financial Engineering | Berkeley Haas) only the math, stats and Python classes are listed.

I don't have a background in C++, but I did the lowest cost and easiest courses to "fulfill" the pre-req. The Coursera courses that are suggested on the Berkeley pre-req page at (MFE Preparation Resources - Berkeley Haas)

will only take you about 10 or so weeks (or less) and cost about $150 total if you just sign up for Coursera premium.

If you really want to program in C++ and possibly use it in the field, I think doing something like Quantnet or UCB extension's course is probably the way to go. From what I've heard, everything is moving more towards Python, so that's what I'm going to focus on and just do the bare minimum to get the C++ "done".

 

[khanhld]

UCB accepts the QuantNet’s C++ course.

However, you might not get an exemption from the Pre-program C++ course even if you have completed the QuantNet’s course.

Yes, UCB confirmed that they accep QN's C++ course with me via an email.

So, I'll ask this question to the admin committee tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure they've told me that the C++ pre-program course is being discontinued for this incoming year's (March 2023) students. If you check this link (MFE Preparation | Master of Financial Engineering | Berkeley Haas) only the math, stats and Python classes are listed.

I don't have a background in C++, but I did the lowest cost and easiest courses to "fulfill" the pre-req. The Coursera courses that are suggested on the Berkeley pre-req page at (MFE Preparation Resources - Berkeley Haas)

will only take you about 10 or so weeks (or less) and cost about $150 total if you just sign up for Coursera premium.

If you really want to program in C++ and possibly use it in the field, I think doing something like Quantnet or UCB extension's course is probably the way to go. From what I've heard, everything is moving more towards Python, so that's what I'm going to focus on and just do the bare minimum to get the C++ "done".

Just curious, are the Coursera courses accepted by Baruch as well?

 

[Daniel Duffy]

So, I'll ask this question to the admin committee tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure they've told me that the C++ pre-program course is being discontinued for this incoming year's (March 2023) students. If you check this link (MFE Preparation | Master of Financial Engineering | Berkeley Haas) only the math, stats and Python classes are listed.

I don't have a background in C++, but I did the lowest cost and easiest courses to "fulfill" the pre-req. The Coursera courses that are suggested on the Berkeley pre-req page at (MFE Preparation Resources - Berkeley Haas)

will only take you about 10 or so weeks (or less) and cost about $150 total if you just sign up for Coursera premium.

If you really want to program in C++ and possibly use it in the field, I think doing something like Quantnet or UCB extension's course is probably the way to go. From what I've heard, everything is moving more towards Python, so that's what I'm going to focus on and just do the bare minimum to get the C++ "done".

My Datasim ODE/PDE online course is on the UCB list.

Online Courses :: Datasim

www.datasim.nl

 

[APalley]

From what I've heard, everything is moving more towards Python, so that's what I'm going to focus on and just do the bare minimum to get the C++ "done

This is not correct; in practice, Python will always be used to supplement a hard programming language such as C++, Java, C#. Every major firm uses multiple hard and soft languages, playing each to its core strength.

C++ as a hard language is making a major comeback in many firms. C# was mostly a fad, and many are waking up to the shortcomings of Java.

Moreover, I've never met a good Python developer who did not first have a solid grounding in a hard language. Python development is no excuse to write poor code, but as a language it does not have the low level grounding needed to instill good coding practices on its own.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

C# is a great language. We have used it since 2000 on many projects.