I'm currently a BBA student at EM Lyon Business School, top 4 French business school "Grande Ecole", specializing in finance. I’ve had several internships in Private Equity, M&A and Project Finance.
My ideal long-term goal is to work in NYC ideally as a fundamental analyst or L/S Equity Analyst or something related but not as quant nerdy (sorry xD) in a hedge fund such as millenium or D.E Shaw & Co.
The type of role I’m targeting is not quant-heavy or dev-oriented, but more aligned with fundamental equity, analyzing companies, following sectors, and building investment theses based on financial statements, catalysts, and macroeconomic context. Think of a role closer to investment-driven decision-making, not one spent coding or modeling derivatives pricing all day.
I’m now exploring which U.S Master’s degree would best position me for this kind of career. I know that some of the top programs, like the Master in Finance at MIT (which seems very flexible and not full oriented for maths) or Princeton (major valuation & macroeconomic analysis), or more technical ones like the Master in Financial Engineering at Baruch College or Carnegie Mellon—have excellent reputations and strong hedge fund placements. But I’m struggling to figure out which type of program fits best.
A classic MSc in Finance seems very relevant and could also open doors to investment banking or private equity, which are still very much part of my plan. But I also know that hedge funds tend to value candidates with quantitative credentials, especially in the U.S., so I’m wondering whether a more technical/quant program is becoming the norm—even for fundamental roles.
In short, I'm trying to understand whether I should:
Any advice, especially from people who’ve worked or recruited in hedge funds, investment banking, or asset management, would be incredibly helpful.
Thanks in advance
My ideal long-term goal is to work in NYC ideally as a fundamental analyst or L/S Equity Analyst or something related but not as quant nerdy (sorry xD) in a hedge fund such as millenium or D.E Shaw & Co.
The type of role I’m targeting is not quant-heavy or dev-oriented, but more aligned with fundamental equity, analyzing companies, following sectors, and building investment theses based on financial statements, catalysts, and macroeconomic context. Think of a role closer to investment-driven decision-making, not one spent coding or modeling derivatives pricing all day.
I’m now exploring which U.S Master’s degree would best position me for this kind of career. I know that some of the top programs, like the Master in Finance at MIT (which seems very flexible and not full oriented for maths) or Princeton (major valuation & macroeconomic analysis), or more technical ones like the Master in Financial Engineering at Baruch College or Carnegie Mellon—have excellent reputations and strong hedge fund placements. But I’m struggling to figure out which type of program fits best.
A classic MSc in Finance seems very relevant and could also open doors to investment banking or private equity, which are still very much part of my plan. But I also know that hedge funds tend to value candidates with quantitative credentials, especially in the U.S., so I’m wondering whether a more technical/quant program is becoming the norm—even for fundamental roles.
In short, I'm trying to understand whether I should:
- Stick with a Finance program focused on valuation, markets, and investing fundamentals = A Mfin/MiF
- Or go for a more quantitative degree (Financial Engineering / Financial Math), to strengthen my profile and show technical depth—even if I don’t plan to be in a quant role
Any advice, especially from people who’ve worked or recruited in hedge funds, investment banking, or asset management, would be incredibly helpful.
Thanks in advance
