Chicago MSFM Chicago MSFM Admission Discussion

[bootstrap]

The only way to move forward is to enhance your profile with better work/projects. I don't see any other way. After many rejections, I wondered what more could be done. The point is not to get admitted to these colleges but to use them as stepping stones to your goals. If luck plays a part, then statistically, we won't always be unlucky.
All we need is 1 win. Stay stong buddy.

Thanks Psyduck! I agree with you that we have to keep enhancing our profiles. My point is: if we can't figure out what are the "weakpoints" in our application in the eyes of the admission officers and then surgically address them, what's to prevent them from rejecting us again next year?

I don't want to mistake correlation for causation, but some schools do have much more impressive placement records than others. And from the alumns I have spoken to, some schools simply have excellent career services that make landing a good opportunity that much easier.

 

[drakaron]

You are right. Sadly, even getting my files reviewed with alumni of those schools didn't help much. Every school looks for different aspects of a candidate/ profile. We can talk to the folks who got admitted and get some confluence.

 

[rodeo]

Thanks Psyduck! I agree with you that we have to keep enhancing our profiles. My point is: if we can't figure out what are the "weakpoints" in our application in the eyes of the admission officers and then surgically address them, what's to prevent them from rejecting us again next year?

I don't want to mistake correlation for causation, but some schools do have much more impressive placement records than others. And from the alumns I have spoken to, some schools simply have excellent career services that make landing a good opportunity that much easier.

Actually makes me also wonder how competitive the job market will be after graduation. We'll have to compete with these all these selected students, plus many more talented undergrads for a few open quant positions. Cracking the top hedge funds would be almost impossible unless everything is 100% perfect.

 

[vol_whisperer]

Does anyone know whether the final decision for waitlist candidates is rolled out week after week until May 10 or all in one go at some particular date around May 10?

 

[kombuchalover]

Actually makes me also wonder how competitive the job market will be after graduation. We'll have to compete with these all these selected students, plus many more talented undergrads for a few open quant positions. Cracking the top hedge funds would be almost impossible unless everything is 100% perfect.

I will tell you with 100% certainty that it is almost impossible to get a job at a “top hedge fund” 90% of these people that are top students graduating from these top programs are ending up at banks, asset management firms etc. and not at hedge funds. Most people don’t get a job at a hedge fund ever, and if they do, they get the job at the hedge fund a decade later after a bank trained them. Just letting you know because as you’re wondering there legitimately is very few opportunities for anyone at a hedge fund let alone new grads without a phd.

 

[LeoMessi]

I will tell you with 100% certainty that it is almost impossible to get a job at a “top hedge fund” 90% of these people that are top students graduating from these top programs are ending up at banks, asset management firms etc. and not at hedge funds. Most people don’t get a job at a hedge fund ever, and if they do, they get the job at the hedge fund a decade later after a bank trained them. Just letting you know because as you’re wondering there legitimately is very few opportunities for anyone at a hedge fund let alone new grads without a phd.

Interesting point. To shed some light on the career paths of past graduates, could we conduct a poll here on QuantNet asking students from previous years to share their job experiences, post-university? We could find out how many here got into (1) High-Frequency Trading Firms (2) Proprietary Trading Firms / Market Makers (3) Hedge Funds (4) Asset Managers (5) Investment Banks after their masters. Most universities don't publish granular data at this level; it's very generic.

 

[rodeo]

I will tell you with 100% certainty that it is almost impossible to get a job at a “top hedge fund” 90% of these people that are top students graduating from these top programs are ending up at banks, asset management firms etc. and not at hedge funds. Most people don’t get a job at a hedge fund ever, and if they do, they get the job at the hedge fund a decade later after a bank trained them. Just letting you know because as you’re wondering there legitimately is very few opportunities for anyone at a hedge fund let alone new grads without a phd.

Yeah this is 100% accurate, very few people even get into prop trading or asset management from what I've seen on Linkedin etc. I saw your enrollment into NC State. Would love to get your view on why you're choosing to go there. Any way to connect?

 

[redoctober]

Does anyone know whether the final decision for waitlist candidates is rolled out week after week until May 10 or all in one go at some particular date around May 10?

Looking at last year it appears that admits from the waitlist happened on a rolling basis. Some got admitted as early as only 1 week after getting waitlisted. This year could be different though.

I’m curious if anyone knows what the waitlist conversion has been historically?

 

[mr_spectre]

The Rd2 deadline was 21st March.

I think we will be evaluated with them and their decisions might start rolling out in mid-April.

 

[Zihao_Liu]

Does anyone know whether the final decision for waitlist candidates is rolled out week after week until May 10 or all in one go at some particular date around May 10?

It would be rolling for sure

 

[vol_whisperer]

Does anyone have a vague idea on how waitlist candidates are generally accepted/rejected ? Does the admissions committee have a sorted list of preferred candidates or applicants are reviewed again or maybe is it random from the waitlist batch? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated !!

 

[thedoloninja]

I applied in second pool - anyone know when we should expect to hear?

 

[redoctober]

I applied in second pool - anyone know when we should expect to hear?

Round 1 didnt hear anything for a month after deadline so I’d expect the same for R2

 

[atharvab]

I applied in second pool - anyone know when we should expect to hear?

Same for me. I mailed them and they're like after mid-April.

 

[vol_whisperer]

Did anyone hear back anything today? It looks like someone just posted an update on tracker.

 

[thedoloninja]

Did anyone hear back anything today? It looks like someone just posted an update on tracker.

Not me

 

[poilot]

Waitlist -> Rejected (Apr. 12)

 

[thedoloninja]

I think they just send batches out every Friday?

 

[jkinder]

My checklist went from 2 to 1. Not an international student though, havent heard or seen anything else. Applied rd2

 

[kombuchalover]

My checklist went from 2 to 1. Not an international student though, havent heard or seen anything else. Applied rd2

You might get a decision I think. You should post your stats on the tracker for the result!