Importance of communication skills for MFE

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inferno

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Hi Everyone,

I know it's a cliché to ask questions like "How important is business communication skills for MFE?". Obviously it is very very imp. and I am very sorry if this topic is already discussed somewhere.

Still, I would like to know about the programs which put a LOT of emphasis on biz. com (one example being UCB).

Is a TOEFL 105 with S 22 good enough?
 
TOEFL score is irrelevant.
Many programs are beginning (albeit late) to put an emphasis on networking, presentation, etiquette. Some have a formal course, others have a seminar or hire consultants.
CMU has a presentation course. Baruch MFE has a consultant who works with their students
See https://www.quantnet.com/threads/ask-ellen-job-hunting-and-career-development-advice.10689/

Ellen also works with the U Washington CF program.
NYU also have some consultant who works with their students in some capacity.
I suspect other programs would have and begin to have something similar in nature.

It's just natural progression that MFE programs are starting to get a professional makeover just like MBA programs.
 
Hi Andy, thanks for the quick reply.

What I was more interested in is:
How imp. is comm. skills for MFE admission?

I should have been more clear.

If a recommender writes in a reco that the applicant needs to improve his/her biz. com. skills, is it a bad thing? Otherwise, the recommender would give a very very strong reco.
 
inferno said:
How imp. is comm. skills for MFE admission? I should have been more clear.
Click to expand...
It's important. That's why many programs are doing phone interview nows whereas before, they just rely on GRE V and TOEFL score. Make sure your recommendation letters reflect your communication/experience in English.
 
but even more important is the role communication skills play in recruiting. mfe admissions officers still allow people in with sub-par communications skills and these people flounder in the interviewing process. gone are the days where simply passing would land you a stellar job.
 
Hmmm, I sniff the potential for a course in communication targeted towards MFE applicants (just like the C++ course). It could focus on the use of English in the context of math finance and coding (i.e., not just be a generic course in Business English or Business Communication).

What comes to mind is the talk C.P. Snow gave decades ago, titled "The Two Cultures." On the one hand you have execs with no real coding or math background and on the other skilled coders and quants who can't fluently translate their work, their results, into persuasive and succinct English. People are needed who can straddle both these worlds.
 
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