CFA + MSF

Water Cooler Careers
#1

Hi,

I got accepted to a few MSF programs, and waiting to hear back from the one I want the most. I’m also planning to take the CFA Level I in December. I was wondering if anyone else on the forum has done full time MSF and the CFA simultaneously and if they recommend doing this?

Also, will completing the MSF and passing the Level I and II look much better than just doing the MSF?

Thanks

#2

I haven’t done either but MSF programs vary from one school to another, I do know many MFin programs have courses exactly like the CFA and others offering courses that are not touched by the CFA such as programming. Even the top Mfin programs in the U.S (MIT, Princeton) don’t have very good placement compared to their other programs unfortunately.

#3

Those programs have great placement considering most of the kids don’t have full-time work experience. You can’t compare it to a full-time MBA program, and Princeton program I believe is two-years and have almost 100% placement rate at great firms.

#4

Touché

#5

Wow, two years for a Masters in Finance though.

#6

I think it’s more of a post-experience program, most people already have full time experience and looking for more quant type of finance training… It requires internships during the program.

#7

Wait I thought you just said most of the people don’t have full time experience, which would make more sense, since most people who have full time experience and who can get accepted into a 5% program should probably go to Penn business school instead.

The other niche for MFin, might be for foreign students who want to get a foothold in the US; since they are from other countries, they naturally have no US work experience and are uncompetitive in MBA admissions. The photo of the Princeton entrance class seems to support this (not that I want to profile).

It’s also interesting from the recruitment website how everyone went to well known financial institutions, but one guy went to work for Walmart (it’s probably still a desirable position, but the list is visually entertaining). I feel a bit sorry for the guy who went to work for Singapore government. He is probably stuck there for 3-5 years.

#8

Was referring to the Princeton program, other MFIN programs are mostly filled with people without full-time work experience looking for a better offer or in rare cases people with one-two years work experience looking to change jobs through on-campus recruitment but not enough work experience for a top tier MBA program.

#9

^^ This. I did an MFin and a good 50% of the program were Chinese students that, for the most part, were completely unqualified for the program and sub-par english skills. The universities like them because they pay full tuition

Read this similar thread:

http://www.analystforum.com/forums/careers/91347256

#10

There aren’t that many quality MSF programs in the US, there are a few that gives almost full rides to qualified students and mostly target non-internationals, but very hard to get in. The value of those programs that serve mostly as cash grabbing tools is very questionable, but the ones that piggybacks a great brand name like MIT, Princeton are not bad for what they are.

#11

I am Chinese and I went to a noname MSF program in USA with GMAT 710. But honestly, I don’t feel MSF does much to my career.

If you want to land on a IBD job, top MBA is the first choice.

#12

Also, what is the median salary of MFin graduates compared to MBA graduates who enter finance? I am sure that these people can get some job, but that does not mean the opportunities are equivalent. I’m not trying to say MFin is a bad investment. It’s just that the claim of great placement should be substantiated.

#13

^A few points:

  1. The Princeton Mfin program states that it requires linear algebra ,multivariable calculus, and some probability theory so they are teaching some advanced/quant finance and that is very different from what is taught at normal Mfin programs and the typical MBA programs so I think their placement should be different also.
  2. The MIT/Johns Hopkins Finance program is mostly (read above %80) frequented by Chinese/Indian/Foreign students who have below satisfactory level English and spend lot of their time in their own communities thereby hindering their chance of getting a Job in the U.S due to low communication skills ,also their smartest/most hard working usually go to study STEM fields and the lower percentile end up in these programs.
  3. The whole notion of business school and especially finance programs are associated with making people believe they will be the next warren buffet ,I think the over Confidence associated with business schools have some role in fucking up people’s ability to actually get a decent Job.
#14

You are making some huge claims.

#15

especially #4