Columbia MFE Columbia MFE Application Discussion

[Andy Nguyen]

@AlexandreH
Not impression, they just told me that when I asked. I met Adina and she pretty much confirmed the fate has been decided for most if not all applicants.
If you are hoping for an interview, don't. By the end of today, a lot of Pending in our Tracker will turn color, and I'm afraid there are more red than green.

 

[Justin Leung]

any reason why they have a record high applications this year?

 

[AlexandreH]

Thank you Andy. Actually, I have no expectations at all (neither + nor -). Do you know if they will give admit without interviews?
The reason I don;t have high expectations for Columbia is that I have made a lot of changes in my applications since, from essays to grades among other things. Having its deadline earlier than the other programs means that.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

any reason why they have a record high applications this year?

Good question. I have been talking to the dept representatives for past few months and when we met again yesterday, we both surprised at the number this year. One explanation I was offered is that the dept has done a much better job with selling their program on their website. They have put 4 separate tracks for the MSFE program which help to widen their appeals to people without hard core technical skills.

In a nutshell, these electives courses are what they have been offering all along, but now when packaged and labeled in a way that people can associate themselves to, for example, people without programming skills see they can do Finance and Economics track while more technical/engineering background people can choose to do Computational Finance.

When you offer people choices, you get more sales. This is a very smart decision by Columbia this year and it clearly pays off in the record application number. While I don't believe this single change is the sole reason, as someone who run a website, I surely can agree that a better representation of data would only help.

 

[Oliver ZHOU]

Andy, can you please shed some light on the reason why MSOR won't accept MSFE rejects this year?

 

[Justin Leung]

Good question. I have been talking to the dept representatives for past few months and when we met again yesterday, we both surprised at the number this year. One explanation I was offered is that the dept has done a much better job with selling their program on their website. They have put 4 separate tracks for the MSFE program which help to widen their appeals to people without hard core technical skills.

I guess another factor is that some borderline people apply for MFE thinking if they cannot make it, they have a chance of being directed to MSOR.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Andy, can you please shed some light on the reason why MSOR won't accept MSFE rejects this year?

Because they don't have to. With an increased number of application across the board, they can use those spaces for students who wanted to go into MSOR in the first place.
And now they can avoid all the bad press about "MSOR recommendation" like in years past.

When you have 1,000+ applications for MSFE alone, you have more flexibility on how you want to shape the incoming class.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

I guess another factor is that some borderline people apply for MFE thinking if they cannot make it, they have a chance of being directed to MSOR.

It could be one strategy which ultimately back fired this year.

 

[jaih]

Anyone spoke to the admissions office today??

 

[lonely]

does any one know about University of Boston program? How tough is it to get in etc.

 

[AlexandreH]

@lonely, wrong thread. This thread is full of disappointed and over-anxious Columbia University's applicants...
I would recommend you open a new one or check the existing ones. And shouldn't you be looking for Boston University and not University of Boston?

 

[garry]

hi everyone
they have started changing the status of applications...one of my friends ( not on quantnet) just had his status changed to Rejected....
pls check urs and let other ppl know

PS: mine is still pending...

 

[garry]

has anyone called them yet?

 

[jaih]

My status just changed. Its a reject

 

[iniesta]

what if they have a lower than expected yield? ie. admit 100, only 20 actually enroll

 

[roni]

what if they have a lower than expected yield? ie. admit 100, only 20 actually enroll

Then they are screwed. I don't think they put people on the waitlist.

 

[achilles]

someone in the tracker just updated his status to waitlisted ...

 

[roni]

Guys, just take it easy ! don't worry too much about the rejection.Mine is still pending but I'm expecting the rejection email.
We have just experienced the cruelty of the world of finance :\
You can imagine how competitive the market itself is.
Nothing is over, apply to other schools or improve your application and apply next year.

Good luck with everything !

 

[bdkplus]

what if they have a lower than expected yield? ie. admit 100, only 20 actually enroll

This shouldn't be a problem. They could propose some msor students a change to mfe program.

 

[jaih]

I wish one of you ll are indeed given a chance. Wish ull luck