COMPARE UCB MFE vs Carnegie Mellon University MSCF

[Michsund]

I would biasly recommend going to the MSCF program especially if you wanna go into data science. The program starts off with a semester long course in data science along with our two machine learning courses. You would be competitive for most data science roles after the first semester of cmu. Many students have been going that path in the program and you can reach out to them for any questions you might have.

 

[Sabah]

Hi,

Thank you all for your invaluable advice.
I have finally decided to go to UCB!

 

[quantMSCF]

Hi,
I'm an Italian guy with an undergraduate degree in Economics and Management and I just got admission to CMU in New York, while I'm still on hold status for UCB. CMU wants a quick answer and I'd like to have your opinion about the 2 programs, considering I've been admitted to New York and that being Italian, I'd like to keep open the option of moving back to Europe one day, even if the US market is my goal. Then, given my undergraduate studies + all quant prep I've done in these months (Coursera ML, C++, PDEs etc.), which program could be a better fit for me? Thanks!

 

[YankeesR]

First thing you should do is email Berkley and let them know you have new information, that is, you have been accepted into CMU and ask tactfully if it is possible to review your hold status again.

 

[quantMSCF]

First thing you should do is email Berkley and let them know you have new information, that is, you have been accepted into CMU and ask tactfully if if it is possible to review your hold status again.

Done and waiting for an update. Apart from this, do you have any thoughts? Thank a lot

 

[YankeesR]

If it were me, a future applicant? I would wait until I hear back from Berkley and try and gather as much information as I can, but I wouldn't wait long. If it came down to it and I was running out of time on CMU's decision, I would take CMU. I'm not going to risk losing out on a guarantee at a top 5 program over the possibility that a hold gets converted to an acceptance at another top 5 program, and this is irrespective of other differences that I would deem irrelevant only when compared to this main factor. (full disclosure though, I will be applying to Berkley soon.) They are both excellent schools and I believe both have curriculum that offer great flexibility in your future career, as going into tech after one of these programs is a real possibility as well, but for more fine tune details about the programs you are better off hearing from alumni or someone currently attending Berkley or CMU. They could speak more freely to how the programs are viewed internationally and give you a better idea of what to prioritize when making your decision. This will be more reliable as opposed to anything else I can give insight on. My opinion is strictly based off one factor, that is, I value these schools fairly equally and would not wait long on one for the other.

 

[noether-skolem]

If it really came down to it and you haven't heard from UCB by the deadline for CMU, I'd suggest accepting CMU. If you get admitted to UCB after paying the deposit for CMU, it'd be a tougher decision whether you could justify losing the deposit, but I think it's better than losing the offer from CMU and not getting accepted by UCB.

I did a similar thing, I paid Columbia's deposit before hearing back from Princeton/CMU/NYU, and it turned out all three of them rejected me.

 

[binomial-torrent]

CMU, but both are very solid. Citadel has been hiring from Berkeley recently it seems

 

[Michsund]

CMU, but both are very solid. Citadel has been hiring from Berkeley recently it seems

Cmu had 3 interns for citadel this year, 2 in Chicago and 1 in Hong Kong

 

[Michsund]

I’m a cmu nyc student so one thing I would have to say is to consider that our program is 1.5 years vs uc Berkeley is a 1 year program. I think that a 1.5 year program has its advantages in helping you digest the material and would definitely consider that when choosing the two schools.

 

[YangXu]

i'm a ucb student, i suggest you connect berkeley's office immediately about your admission by cmu, it's really useful (from my experience)
For choice, both are very good, you'll not regret your choice

 

[binomial-torrent]

Cmu had 3 interns for citadel this year, 2 in Chicago and 1 in Hong Kong

i think the hard part isn’t not having a PhD or IMO medal, it’s that PhD’s and math olympiads tend to do better in the brainteaser type interview questions

 

[potentialquant]

i think the hard part isn’t not having a PhD or IMO medal, it’s that PhD’s and math olympiads tend to do better in the brainteaser type interview questions

I don't think PhD's tend to do better on brainteaser interview questions. The brainteaser questions are rather rudimentary and typically involve K-12 or first year undergrad math knowledge to solve, much of which is a distant memory and not used throughout a typical STEM PhD. Without preparation, I can confidently say that I would do better on brainteaser questions coming out of high school and college than coming out of a PhD.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

i think the hard part isn’t not having a PhD or IMO medal, it’s that PhD’s and math olympiads tend to do better in the brainteaser type interview questions

Olympiad == learning tricks?

 

[binomial-torrent]

yes that is a part of it. calmness under time pressure as well

 

[Craftsmanjj]

Consider the current pandemic, UCB is a better choice. UCB will start next March and the situation may become better. From what I know, CMU doesn't accept deferral and the fall semester will be fully online.

 

[mspinoza]

Why did you choose UCB over CMU and have you been happy with your choice?

 

[fjfc]

Hi,

I have been fortunate enough to have been admitted to UCB MFE and CMU MSCF programs. I am looking for any advice that would help me make an informed decision regarding which program to choose. Any suggestion would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Hello! Congrats on the admissions, I hope you are doing really well in the program! I will be applying to enroll on 2022. Due to the early start date of UCB MFE, how where you abll to hold and admission letters for both UCB and CMU? As the decission date for CMU is in march and the UCB starts classes in march. Kind regards

 

[kktallam]

Hey everyone!

I hope that you are starting to receive the decision emails that you have been waiting for. I know it can be super stressful but remember that there is always a path forward. In terms of my own decisions, there are two completely different paths my graduate journey could take, and I am having a very hard time deciding what might be best. Hopefully my struggle might help some of you decide as well.

I've been fortunate enough to receive admission offers for the CMU MSCF program with a 15k scholarship (Which would be 1.5 years Full-Time) and UC Berkeley's MFE program (Which would be 2 Years Part-Time). From what I have been reading online, both are top institutions, but I was wondering which program would give me the best ROI and would be better for my career?

Some background on me, I am in the final year of my undergraduate degree (non-target school) with a triple major in Math, Statistics, and Applied Science Engineering and I have completed two internships in portfolio management. I also completed the level 1 CFA Exam. My goal is to ideally get a job in Quantitative Portfolio Management at a HF or AM firm. If that doesn't work out, then I would also like to explore prop-trading or HFT.

I received and accepted a full-time offer from the Fortune 500 insurance company to work in their CIO which would only be in-person 2 times a week. But they gave me the option to convert it into an internship if I wish to pursue my masters. So, I see two paths:
1) Convert my full-time job to an internship and go to CMU MSCF full time in New York (Commutable from my current place).
2) Work full-time and go to Berkeley online part-time for 2 years.

Here's where I'm torn: On one hand, CMU's MSCF program offers a full-time immersive experience, allowing me to focus entirely on my studies and delve deep into the material without the distractions of a full-time job. I really like CMU's focus on Machine Learning and the computational aspect of thing. Also, I will be able to network with more industry professionals in NYC. On the other hand, Berkeley's MFE program offers the flexibility of part-time study, allowing me to continue working full-time while pursuing my degree (And I will be making the money to pay off the degree as I work). I will also gain experience and promotions as I complete my degree. However, I just feel like I won't be able to utilize Berkeley's resources to their full potential.


If you have insights into either program that might help my decision, I would greatly appreciate any advice or perspectives you can offer. Which program in general do you think I should go with? Any input would be super helpful!

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[Grumpybear]

Damn son