COMPARE Rutgers University MQF vs NYU Tandon MFE

[Jay YK Kim]

Hi

My name is Jay Kim and I've got admissions from Financial Engineering MS program of NYU-Poly and Quantitative Finance MS program of Rutgers Business School. Both of programs are very attractive, yet those two seem to be very different to me.

MQF in Rutgers appears to be higher ranking and qualified rigid program, but the review and the information on the website imply that the curriculum is somewhat inflexible.

MFE in NYU-Poly is ranked lower according to 2011 Quantnet Ranking of Financial Engineering Program, but the variety of electives is very attractive. I'm aware of the merging but I'm can't be sure about whether I could possibly expect some benefits from the merging.

I'm am little bit more attracted to NYU-Poly simply because I was born in NYC. I was born in Manhattan but I went to Korea when I was 3 and spent most of my life in Korea, which means that I'm pratically a Korean. (I have US citizenship, though.) I've always wanted to go back to where I was born. In terms of tuition, NYU-Poly is much better choice because I've got 30% scholarship from NYU-Poly. But I just can't stop thinking about the programs' ranking, so I'm not very sure which program to choose.

I am thinking about getting jobs in US right after I finish my graduate education, but haven't decided which specific area I want to do.. I also have desire to have job in Korea, but that will be after I make some career experience in US, so maybe when I become 30s? Not really sure about it..

Could anybody give me some advices which program is possibly more recommended? And I would be grateful if anybody can give me any advices.

Thank you

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Are you the type of students who will needs a lot of help in networking, interview and career services?
Or are you the go-getter type who will go out and knock on doors to create opportunities for yourself?
Do you know precisely the type of courses you want to take or why? Or do you need a roadmap?

As a domestic student, you have a huge leg up on job opportunities as it eliminates a hiring obstacle but you still need to get in the doors and manage to interview as well or better than your classmates.

 

[Jay YK Kim]

Thank you Andy. As I gave up Korean citizenship and decided to make myself an American, I guess there will be many problems and I should be working double-hard. Maybe triple-hard I have to admit that I'm not much close to the go-getter type for now.

Could you possibly recommend which program is better off than the other? Or is it totally up to my personal preference in this circumstance? I searched and found the exact same question on this website, but I only found out the fact that there are three different MFE program in Rutgers and the program which I have been accepted is not actually the program which has been ranked top 10, although MQF program also seems to be qualified program.

I suddenly became a lot confused and having trouble with comparing two programs.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

I can't possibly know which program is better for you. If possible, try to visit the two programs in person and get a feel about them.
Each program has something going for it and I know people running the programs do try to make it better. I talk to programs often to be informed so I can provide up to date data when needed.

 

[Jay YK Kim]

Thanks again Andy. I appreciate your help!
Unfortunately, I cannnot visit any of those programs because I'm in Korea right now..

It seems that I have to make decision based on the information I have gathered so far and my preference..

 

[rajeshkhanna]

I would like to know which program is better for an international student with no work exp.My biggest criteria for either of these programs is career placement and also the nature of those placements.

 

[utkarsh dalmia]

Have you spoken to current students? That'll give you a much better idea. Anyway, I'd say go to Poly. Location advantage, low fees, integration with NYU (not sure how much this will help, but people say this has caused things to change and it's becoming a better program), finally i think the curriculum is also very flexible.

 

[rajeshkhanna]

I have heard that nyu poly admits a lot of students which makes it difficult for job placements.

 

[utkarsh dalmia]

Rutgers has three programs. Even that'll be competitive. Both programs do not publish any kind of admission/placement stats. Again, best thing is to talk to current grads and decide which one is the better fit.

 

[Huijun Zheng]

Hi,
I just got ad from NYU Poly MFE and Rutgers MQF,and I'd really appreciate some advice on the selection.
The most important factor that I take into consideration is employment and placement of its international graduates in the US. I called the admission office yesterday and they told me the placement rate is 89%. But I could not get further details~

Here are something more I know about these two program:

a. The reputations compared b/n these two.

One being Rutgers(Big name , business school course, NY/NJ location) and NYU-Poly (Big NYU brand, NYC location but a big program)

From my personal experience-
Rutgers... I've been an exchange student there and I really liked it(the academic education is good,and career service is nice); and when I was in NYC its reputation is fine too.
NYU Poly... honestly I can't find many ppl who have heard of it(I realized it after inquiring a few friends working in NYC)...Hopefully someone could give me some facts about this.

b. ROI
Rutgers- higher tuition; Poly- higher living cost(Newark v.s NYC). so the cost would be similar after calculation.

Please do give me some advice!

 

[Huijun Zheng]

@Andy Nguyen Could you give me some suggestion?

 

[l_l_c_p]

++LPM

 

[JLevin]

An important question that anyone should ask themselves when accepting a degree (whether it be a bachelors, masters or phd) is: if I do well in this, will I be able to do what I want to do?

What DO you want to do? Do you just want to get a job, or are you looking at something in particular?

In either program, you could try your hardest to attend networking events/industry talks of other universities too.. e.g. Columbia's, Baruch's, Rutgers', CMU's, NYU's. These I bet help a lot in getting a foot in the door (and just understanding industries). I'm not going to say I know a huge deal about Rutgers' or Poly's programs, but it seems like Rutgers will have a more rigorous training. So maybe that's your trade-off. Convenience or knowledge?

I'd choose Rutgers..

 

[Huijun Zheng]

btw... I heard from Goldman Sachs HR in Beijing office that Poly has a bad reputation there... I wonder if it is the same worldwide.

 

[JLevin]

Hmm.. well I wouldn't join NYU Poly's Program assuming that recruitment doesn't know the difference between it and NYU Courant's Program. Neither Rutgers nor NYU Poly has that golden reputation; and it isn't what you would join either program for..

J

 

[Huijun Zheng]

True... Can't get in the top ones then I can't have that kind of high expectation. after all GS only recruit from the those very best.

 

[Sonny D]

I would put the Rutgers, Poly, and CMU programs all at the same level and the true courant Math of Finance one above any of them. With that said, since the poly one is new, and you can drop the poly on your resume, I think it would have a slight advantage (I went RU undergrad, and Courant grad, my wife went poly (before NYU) undergrad and CMU grad. She agrees with my answer).

 

[l_l_c_p]

Sorry I couldn't get the comparison of NYU-Poly, Rutgers and CMU . Can you please elaborate on what do you mean by same level. Is it the same level from industry , pedagogy or job-opportunity perspective. And I didn't get what do you mean by "since the poly one is new, and you can drop the poly on your resume, I think it would have a slight advantage" .

Please help me understand , I know I might sound very noobish ..

Thanks
LPM

 

[Huijun Zheng]

I would put the Rutgers, Poly, and CMU programs all at the same level and the true courant Math of Finance one above any of them. With that said, since the poly one is new, and you can drop the poly on your resume, I think it would have a slight advantage (I went RU undergrad, and Courant grad, my wife went poly (before NYU) undergrad and CMU grad. She agrees with my answer).

Hi Sonny,
Thanks for your reply.
I have a similar question as LPM- CMU doesn't seem to be at the same level as Rutgers& Poly~~...

And it seems that many HR already know clearly the differences between Courant and Poly, so I suppose even if I passed the resume scan(dropping "Poly"),later at interviews they would still ask about it...can't hide it from there.
So my question would be:without "pretending" to be Courant, can Poly graduates be accepted by those top financial institutions? I heard that Poly is one of the target companies NY CITI bank and Big 4 recruit from...don't know if it is true.(Honestly as international student I simply want to find a decent job and don't have very high expectation about job positions.)

 

[sidg]

Rutgers biz school is definitely a better option! Poly is low on reputation.