COMPARE University of Chicago MS in Financial Mathematics vs Columbia University MSOR

[fifasuperstars]

I think UChi is a better program in terms of learning skills you need in any career involving mathematics or finance, many of which are not quant. Regarding the above post saying UChi has less outstanding classmates, please keep in mind that all programs may have one or two less than stellar individuals who get through the admission process. It is not reflective of how well the program is structured.

While MSOR is in NYC, you will be competing with Columbia's MFE and MathFin graduates, so location does not provide you with a massive advantage. I think if you get your core skills and knowledge down pat, you will be able to work anywhere you want as long as you work hard for it.

 

[Marcus Zheng]

Xuzhi, I think MSOR is better for you cause:

1\ Lots of MSOR graduates end up working in consulting & operation positions so if you dislike quant jobs the MSOR provides more flexibility.

2\ Most UChicago graduates are not as outstanding as you and I believe you deserve a better program than UChi one. (I mean you are from the best department of the best univ in China so you should consider a same level graduate program. Uchi is a good univ but the location ... too bad)

Thank you for your advice. By the way, do I know you in private? You just called me by my legal name and you seem to know where I took my college study.

 

[Marcus Zheng]

I believe UChi provides better graduate education than Columbia and, I believe Marcus would found more classmates who are not as good as him in MSOR. I know some really outstanding guys in MSOR but the majority, unfortunately, are students who possess poor soft or hard skills. Columbia OR is like Columbia Stats -- if you know what I mean. They are almost sure cash cows for Columbia U.

I believe U Chi is underestimated since it gains its fame mainly in academic.

Sure, I do agree that UChi MSFM has better sources on education, so I determined to go there. But I am a bit confused after talks with Columbia students: they say that the class size doesn't matter THAT much because as long as I have the essential hard skills throughout core courses, I would benefit more by networking in NYC. Do you agree with that? Or you think the class size do matters?

Thanks!

 

[Marcus Zheng]

I think UChi is a better program in terms of learning skills you need in any career involving mathematics or finance, many of which are not quant. Regarding the above post saying UChi has less outstanding classmates, please keep in mind that all programs may have one or two less than stellar individuals who get through the admission process. It is not reflective of how well the program is structured.

While MSOR is in NYC, you will be competing with Columbia's MFE and MathFin graduates, so location does not provide you with a massive advantage. I think if you get your core skills and knowledge down pat, you will be able to work anywhere you want as long as you work hard for it.

Thank you!
So you suggest me to go to UChi, learn more, and then try to land a job in NYC if I want?

 

[fifasuperstars]

Thank you for your advice. By the way, do I know you in private? You just called me by my legal name and you seem to know where I took my college study.

Maybe a crush that is attending MSOR and hoping that you do as well? hahaha

 

[JLevin]

Xuzhi, I think MSOR is better for you cause:

1\ Lots of MSOR graduates end up working in consulting & operation positions so if you dislike quant jobs the MSOR provides more flexibility.

2\ Most UChicago graduates are not as outstanding as you and I believe you deserve a better program than UChi one. (I mean you are from the best department of the best univ in China so you should consider a same level graduate program. Uchi is a good univ but the location ... too bad)

Can't really agree with point 2. I don't honestly know how "outstanding" UChicago graduates are, but do you? Where's the reasoning/evidence behind this? And Chicago is a bad location? Huh? :s

Maybe it's comments like these on forums like Quantnet's that give UChicago a (probably undeserved) bad reputation.

 

[Kael]

Maybe a crush that is attending MSOR and hoping that you do as well? hahaha

lol, I got admit to MFE but I decline it. I like your idea

 

[Kael]

Can't really agree with point 2. I don't honestly know how "outstanding" UChicago graduates are, but do you? Where's the reasoning/evidence behind this? And Chicago is a bad location? Huh? :s

Maybe it's comments like these on forums like Quantnet's that give UChicago a (probably undeserved) bad reputation.

Cause UChi admits lots of students from less renowned univs from China, but it really doesn't matter.

 

[Kael]

Thank you for your advice. By the way, do I know you in private? You just called me by my legal name and you seem to know where I took my college study.

Good luck in UChi. I do know you in private lol.

 

[Marcus Zheng]

Good luck in UChi. I do know you in private lol.

I haven't decided to go to UChi yet!
May I ask your name??

 

[TehRaio]

New York has a bigger financial sector than Chicago, but Chicago comes 2nd in the US.
Not sure why people dismiss Chicago. like, I wouldn't consider being a graduate from the most prestigious MFE in Chicago such a bad thing...

 

[Marcus Zheng]

New York has a bigger financial sector than Chicago, but Chicago comes 2nd in the US.
Not sure why people dismiss Chicago. like, I wouldn't consider being a graduate from the most prestigious MFE in Chicago such a bad thing...

I am so confused just because it is NOT a bad thing lol
Yes Chicago comes 2nd in the US, but I heard that if I do not with to work as a trader/ quant trader, NYC is a much better place for me. Do you agree with it? Or you have different idea?

Thank you!

 

[Kael]

I am so confused just because it is NOT a bad thing lol
Yes Chicago comes 2nd in the US, but I heard that if I do not with to work as a trader/ quant trader, NYC is a much better place for me. Do you agree with it? Or you have different idea?

Thank you!

As I mentioned above in #2, MSOR is better for you if you DISLIKE quant and would like to work in consulting & operation positions. UChi is good and only good at quant fin especially in mathematics (they added c++ courses until 2013, correct me if I am wrong).


MSOR is less focus on financial engineering and you have to take OR core courses so some people don't like it because they want to be quants. The dilemma here is not MSOR(as a MFE program) VS UChi(as MFE), but MSOR (as Operation Research Master) VS UChi(as MFE).

However, I might be biased cause I really love NYC.. To be honest, if you won't work as a quant and look for go back to Asia, then the time you'll spend in US is limited. If I were you, I would rather stay in NYC than Chicago for 15 months.

 

[bigbadwolf]

To be honest, if you won't work as a quant and look for go back to Asia, then the time you'll spend in US is limited. If I were you, I would rather stay in NYC than Chicago for 15 months.

You are right. Chicago is one big hick town. It cannot match NYC in sophistication. NYC is where the action is -- both in a general sense and financially.

 

[JLevin]

I guess the description of what you want to do is a bit too broad.. maybe if you're not sure on your career path, you shouldn't be launching into a masters (which I think is usually used to focus the direction of your career).

I'm guessing Columbia will work better if you're going back to Asia

 

[ELarkins]

Xuzhi,

UChicago prepares our students to enter roles other than trading and quant trader; our graduates also obtain positions in risk management, consulting, data analytics, and quantitative research and analysis. As a suggestion, perhaps you should defer a year and work in the industry to understand what technical skills you will need to have and to build your network. Please note, while it's okay to enter these programs with some career confusion, you seem a bit all over the place and that means it will take you longer to realize what you "do not" want to do.

 

[Mais]

Xuzhi,

UChicago prepares our students to enter roles other than trading and quant trader; our graduates also obtain positions in risk management, consulting, data analytics, and quantitative research and analysis. As a suggestion, perhaps you should defer a year and work in the industry to understand what technical skills you will need to have and to build your network. Please note, while it's okay to enter these programs with some career confusion, you seem a bit all over the place and that means it will take you longer to realize what you "do not" want to do.

I second this. There are so many things University of Chicago does than prepares you for quant. I do not think it is wise to disregard MSFM because it is better at preparing you for quant, when it is overall better at preparing you for everything. MSOR has only very few core courses, so you have to know exactly what you want to do to get the most out of MSOR. At your stage I suggest taking a year off to understand your passion, or take advantage of UC's better program.

 

[Marcus Zheng]

Xuzhi,

UChicago prepares our students to enter roles other than trading and quant trader; our graduates also obtain positions in risk management, consulting, data analytics, and quantitative research and analysis. As a suggestion, perhaps you should defer a year and work in the industry to understand what technical skills you will need to have and to build your network. Please note, while it's okay to enter these programs with some career confusion, you seem a bit all over the place and that means it will take you longer to realize what you "do not" want to do.

Thank you Edonna. You have been really helpful!!

 

[Marcus Zheng]

I second this. There are so many things University of Chicago does than prepares you for quant. I do not think it is wise to disregard MSFM because it is better at preparing you for quant, when it is overall better at preparing you for everything. MSOR has only very few core courses, so you have to know exactly what you want to do to get the most out of MSOR. At your stage I suggest taking a year off to understand your passion, or take advantage of UC's better program.

Thank you!

 

[Marcus Zheng]

You are right. Chicago is one big hick town. It cannot match NYC in sophistication. NYC is where the action is -- both in a general sense and financially.

Haha yes, I would go for Columbia if their program is as good as Uchi's because NYC is really attractive-- especially to foreign students