Stanford Financial Math 2009 admission stats

[Tigga]

Students Entering Autumn 2009:
Applications Received: 312
Number of Admission Offers: 19
Number Enrolling: 13
Women: 23%
Men: 77%
Countries Represented: 6
Average Age at Enrollment: 26
Undergraduate Institutions Represented: 11
Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.79
Graduate Institutions Represented: 5

Graduate Degrees Held
Masters: 38%
PhD: 0%

Majors
Computer Science: 12%
Economics: 14%
Engineering: 37%
Finance: 6%
Mathematics: 25%
Natural Sciences: 6%

Geographical Location of Undergraduate Institutions
U.S.: 2 students
International: 11 students
Asia: 6 (China: 2; Hong Kong 1; India: 3)
Europe: 2 (France)
Middle East: 1
North America: 2 (Canada)

Source Financial Mathematics: Student Profile - Stanford University

 

[atreides]

wow..that's about 6% admission rate. I would be very curious to read the profiles of the admitted students

 

[Andy Nguyen]

There you go Financial Mathematics: Students - Stanford University

It's hard to tell who is who and doing what/when. It seems like it lists all their grad students. Can't really tell the 2009 profiles are included there.

 

[atreides]

We strongly recommend that current Stanford students apply after mastering the majority of material covered in the prerequisites, and after completing two of the required or elective courses.

Internship
We also recommend that students with no exposure to the financial industry secure an analyst internship prior to the start of the program (and preferably before applying so they can indicate this on their application). Securing an internship in a leading financial firm prior to application serves as a reliable indicator of future success on the job market. It also further helps focus one's career path to get the most out of the many different growth and learning opportunities available at Stanford. One can usually apply for internships directly through a company's website.

If applicants have not completed such an internship, they should provide other evidence for future employability in this area or, alternatively, indicate their aspiration to continue on to a PhD and that they have a strong enough academic record to back this goal

This is from the Stanford website....if a prospective student can secure a quant analyst internship on their own before joining the program, I'm having a hard time understanding what extra value the degree will add to applicants who can go it alone. My impression is that folks pursue an MFE to break into quant finance, why would I give Stanford a wad of cash if I can do it on my own?

Probably the students they admit are those who will be successful anyway regardless of whether or not they get an MFE from Stanford or any other institution. I guess this is what most of the good programs do.

 

[MichaelDameron]

This is from the Stanford website....if a prospective student can secure a quant analyst internship on their own before joining the program, I'm having a hard time understanding what extra value the degree will add to applicants who can go it alone. My impression is that folks pursue an MFE to break into quant finance, why would I give Stanford a wad of cash if I can do it on my own?

Probably the students they admit are those who will be successful anyway regardless of whether or not they get an MFE from Stanford or any other institution. I guess this is what most of the good programs do.

Completely agree. What the heck do these programs expect? I would love to attend Stanford's program, but have zero financial experience. I'd be better off wagering the application fee on the Yankees game tomorrow than sending it to the applications committee.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

The text on that page has not been changed since ....way for it....2005

Internet Archive Wayback Machine

So I don't think they update their website to reflect what we live in 2009. Make me wonder how much up-to-date or accurate the info many programs have on their websites.

 

[const451]

It's the prerequisites page has not been updated, which is a good thing. Why 2005, it looks like since 2008, no?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

I referred to the Internship section which is essentially verbatim since 2005.
By the way, how do you provide evidence of "future employability"? If one does, then Stanford wouldn't have to do anything to help with career services which essentially why many people apply to MFE in the first place.
What I take from this page is that apply to Stanford if you have a job lined up after the program or you plan to continue on to a PhD and you need to provide evidence of your ability for both.