This week we are pleased to welcome Heidi Pickett, Director of the MIT Sloan Master of Finance Program. Heidi worked in financial services for 20 years before becoming Director of this program in 2011. She fills us in on what the program is looking for in an applicant, how to figure out if the program is a good fit for you, and the application process. Listen in for the inside scoop!

Could you give an overview of the MIT’s Master in Finance program highlighting its distinctive features? [0:28]

The program was launched in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis, in direct response to the crisis. Our finance faculty felt that there shouldn’t be fewer people in the finance function, but better trained people. It’s geared toward early career finance professionals and grounded in finance theory, models, and applications. Modern finance was invented here at MIT, and the tools and models developed here and used throughout the world are taught by those who created them.

The MIT Sloan MFin comes in a 12-month and an 18-month option. What are the differences? [1:53]

The 12-month track is our original and primary track. The degree requirements for both programs are the same, but the 18-month track is ideal for those that would like to take more time and take advantage of more courses, not just at Sloan but across MIT. The 18 month program also allows for an internship to gain practical experience, which is a great opportunity for people who haven’t worked full time in finance.

I understand that this is a program geared to early career applicants. Is that correct? [2:51]

Yes. Not all MFin programs are geared to early career applicants, but ours definitely is.

What is the typical amount of work experience? [3:23]

The average is around 18 months, however full-time experience ranges from zero to three years max, with one caveat. We feel strongly about training people in the public sector as well (central bankers, official institutions, regulators, etc), so we do attract people from those types of organizations as well. Those students tend to be sponsored and return to their organizations after graduation and are usually outliers with 5-10 years of experience.

Let’s return to the 12- vs 18-month options. Other than the internship, is it just the love of learning that would motivate students to do the 18-month option? [4:51]

There are a few reasons people choose the 18-month option. The program is very rigorous and intense. Many students who have gone through the 12 month program have told us they wished they had another semester to allow for participation in the other things available, like clubs, leadership opportunities or running conferences. Others want the extra time to load up on additional courses, sometimes in finance, sometimes in other subjects.

How does the MFin differ from an MBA with a concentration in finance or a Master in Financial Engineering? [6:15]

MFin vs. MBA: The MFin is early career vs an average of 4-5 years of experience in the MBA program. You also get double the amount of finance courses, so overall it’s more quantitative.

MFin vs MFE: Intention. The MFin offers a broader range of subject matter, resulting in a broader range of opportunities upon graduation as opposed to a sliver of the market with the MFE. Students can customize their curriculum, and we do have a MFE concentration within the MFin program, so we provide the skill set to MFin students who are interested.

Any discussion at MIT Sloan about an eventual joint MBA/MFin? [8:14]

No, not at this point, and we don’t see a need. We have two strong programs, and student interests are different.

Can you describe the application process for the MIT Sloan Master in Finance? [8:44]

It starts with a pre-app through online chats or info sessions on campus or other locations around the world, in order to understand who we are, our program and culture, and make sure we are a good fit. Once the decision to apply has been made, applications are due the first week of January. The application includes an essay and three letters of recommendation (one academic, one professional, and the third either/or). Transcripts must also be submitted, and we look closely at the level of math courses as well as for some proficiency in a programming language, whether that’s R or Python or something comparable. We also have the video interview. And we look at GRE or GMAT scores. If an applicant is a non-native English speaker and did not attend four years at an English-speaking institution, we require the TOEFL or IETS as well.

Applications are reviewed, and interviews are invitation only. Interviews take place in person, either on campus or around the world with our team.

Any advice for answering the essay questions? [10:59]

We look for the applicant’s own voice, a passion for finance, an understanding of the preparations thus far (coursework, research, work experience), and then what they want to do when they graduate. Goals don’t need to be precise, but realistic and well thought through, with an understanding of the range of opportunities that will exist after receiving the degree.

What’s the purpose of the video question? [13:23]

Finance is not just numbers or knowing how to run a model or create a program. It requires communication skills – specifically the ability to communicate clearly the complex issues being worked on to everyone in the room. We promise strong communication/presence skills to our employer partners and it is part of the MFin experience, so we use the video data point as another part of the application before meeting in person to see how applicants can present themselves in 60 seconds.

One needs good quantitative skills to succeed at MIT Sloan, and good communication skills to succeed in a finance career. What other personal qualities are important? [14:38]

A strong grounded sense of ethics. The ability to recognize when to ask questions or voice concerns. Having the conviction to raise issues and understand implications of actions with access to such powerful tools. With lessons learned from the financial crisis, we want our graduates to go out into the world doing things in an ethically and socially responsible way.

What kind of careers will graduates go into? [15:43]

Pretty traditional. About 1/3 go into investment management, maybe 20% into consulting, and a large portion into investment banking. Also a small portion goes into venture capital, private equity, CFO rotational programs, or even starts ups.

What’s a cool story about an MFin grad? Or one that you are particularly proud of? [17:23]

We have a 2010 graduate who works for a large asset management company in the US but is very focused on social impact investing. He recently came back to campus and spoke at our sustainability summit about new forms of capital to solve the world’s problems. It’s really neat to see someone using their financial skill set in a way that also aligns with MIT’s mission of solving the world’s problems.

What question would you like to answer that I didn’t ask? [18:56]

The long term value of the degree. It not only pays off when you graduate, but generates returns throughout your lifetime, providing skills that will help you adapt to global markets that change rapidly and become more complex.

Related Links:

• MIT Sloan Masters of Finance Admissions

Related Shows:

• Contemplating a Career in Data Science/Business Analytics?
• Insights into MIT Sloan MBA Admissions with Dawna Levenson
• A Transformational Year: The MIT Sloan Fellows Program

Subscribe:

The post MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In! [Episode 231] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The LBS MiF essay questions, together, convey the adcom’s interest in two inter-related points: (1) how you envision and plan your future career and (2) your knowledge of and interest in the LBS Masters in Finance program. It’s particularly important because it’s a rare MiF program that targets more experienced finance professionals (most such programs target early-career applicants). Given this unique focus, it’s important to deliver throughout the essays mature, informed insights and perspectives derived from your experience in your particular area of finance. And cite reasons for attending the program beyond the fact that it’s there –the adcom clearly is looking for engaged applicants who are well-informed about the program and ready to participate in its academic and social life.

Question 1: What are your career objectives and what steps are you taking to achieve them? What alternatives are you considering? What geographical region do you hope to work in? (maximum 500 words)

Well, this “question 1” is actually four questions! That said, all the sub-questions are focused on one thing: goals.

Your career objectives are holistic: both what you want to DO, and what you want to ACHIEVE (what impact you want to have through your career). The “achieve” part may be brief, but it animates and gives purpose to the whole essay (indeed, the whole application). The “do” part should be specific, in terms of position(s), industry, possibly company(ies), and, in this section, geography as well. The alternatives are essentially your “Plan B” – if the alternatives are primarily for the shorter-term goals, note how/why they’re another viable path to your long-term goals. If the alternative is for a longer-term goal (it’s not unusual for someone, reasonably, to consider starting a venture way down the road), make sure it’s coherent with the other elements. Be thoughtful about this alternative section, but don’t spend a lot of space on it.

Not least, identify the key steps you are taking toward your goals. Of course, attending LBS is one such step. I do suggest noting other steps too (at least one more), as it builds credibility for your seriousness in “doing what it takes” to get where you want to go. In mentioning LBS and any other steps, briefly note why – how they will contribute to your achieving your goals.

Question 2: What specific areas of London Business School life are you most excited about getting involved in and where do you believe you will add value to the School Community? (maximum 300 words)

This essay allows you to do two important things:

• Demonstrate understanding of the LBS community overall
• Highlight interesting and/or impressive aspects of your life and experience

Really focus on the LBS community in this essay. In discussing the areas you’d like to get involved in, select 2-3 and try to include something beyond work – perhaps there are sports or social clubs, or a volunteer initiative, that you’d like to join. Of course, it’s fine to mention professional clubs and organizations as well. How you’ll add value can include these activities, but it can also be broader, to include what you’ll bring to the table based on your experiences and unique perspective. But interesting facts alone don’t show how you’ll add value; you need to include your insight to make it meaningful.

If you would like professional guidance with your LBS MiF application, check out Accepted’s MiF Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the LBS MiF application.

London Business School Full Time MiF Application Deadlines:

London Business School Part Time MiF Application Deadlines:

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

By Cindy Tokumitsu, has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA, master, law, PhD and medical programs, with special emphasis on MBA and EMBA and other business programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Get Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application, a free guide
• MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In!, a podcast episode
• What Should I Write About? Making a Difference

The post London Business School MiF Application Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

You know what you want: a Master’s in Finance (MFin, also sometimes MSF).

That goal raises questions, perhaps the most important one being: What does the Master’s in Finance adcom want to see in you, the applicant?

And that leads to two additional critical, practical questions:

• How do you determine what MFin programs are best for you, and what programs you are qualified for? This is about “fit.”

• How do you wrestle with the complex and time-consuming application process? This is about resourcefulness and organization.

These questions represent the basics of MFin applications, and the purpose of this post is to provide you with a clear, comprehensive, usable overview of the MFin application process.

What Masters in Finance Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants

Here are some of the qualifications that the adcom will be seeking:

• Quantitative skills overall

While MFin programs don’t usually require applicants to have specific quantitative coursework, it is essential to provide evidence of quant capability. University of Texas/Austin’s Master’s in Finance website puts it nicely. They say that they are seeking: “mathematical aptitude and demonstrated ability to handle quantitative material.” This can be done through transcripts, test scores, and sometimes work or internships.

• Your undergrad transcript

The adcom will likely first glimpse at two pivotal elements of the transcript: your overall GPA and your major. For most MFin programs, you don’t need to have a quant or finance major, but the adcom will look for evidence of quantitative ability in your transcript. The adcom will also consider the rigor of your coursework and your undergrad institution. They’ll “read” your GPA – does it trend up or down, does it rise or fall in certain types of courses, etc.

• Test scores

Whether you take the GMAT or GRE, the quant score will be critical – especially if your transcript isn’t super quant-heavy. A low quant score will be problematic, so prepare and prepare some more! Since many MFin applicants are non-US citizens, let’s not forget the language tests: TOEFL or IELTS. Some programs have minimums for these scores, so check each school’s criteria carefully.

• Understanding of and genuine zeal for finance

“Finance” sounds kind of sexy (Money! Power! Influence! Fast pace! High stakes!), and the adcoms want to ensure that applicants truly understand the industry in its nitty-gritty, grueling reality and are making an informed decision to pursue it. For applicants to post-experience programs, their resume provides this proof. For early career applicants, evidence of this understanding can come from coursework in finance, internships, work experience, even informational interviews, and self-directed reading.

• Amount of professional experience

There are basically two types of MFin programs. Most MFin programs target early career applicants, which means anywhere from zero to two years of full-time work experience. While such programs usually do not explicitly refuse to consider older applicants, they rarely admit them, and instead often direct them to the MBA program (I have seen this firsthand). Some MFin programs, such as London Business School, target people with more experience, in LBS’ case, 3-8 years. Either way, the programs usually provide specific information on the experience level they seek on their websites.

• Quality of professional experience

While early career programs do not require actual work experience in finance, they do want to see hands-on exposure, ideally via internships, to the field. Among internships, some are better than others – blue chip firms over unknowns, investment banking or asset management over accounting, etc. But it all helps. For applicants to programs for people with experience, your work should be of an appropriate level and show that you are a high performer.

• Personal qualities

MFin graduates will be in the finance business, and that means they must be able to work in teams, communicate, take initiative, and sometimes lead. They should be ethical, civil, engaged. Beyond those basics, the adcom is looking for a range of personalities – they don’t want only gregarious and assertive Type A’s. If you’re reserved and bookish, great – show that this quality gives you unique awareness and perspective (maybe even wit). Let your real personality shine through. To the extent the application allows, portray your outside interests, to show you have a life beyond finance.

• Prospective contributions to the program

This contribution can relate to your specific finance exposure and what you learned from it, your life experiences, your cultural heritage and how it shapes your perspective and values, your passions and involvements – the adcom wants a diverse range of people who will, in some way, enhance the social and academic environment; who will enrich their classmates’ perspectives and experience in the program.

• Career goals

Last but certainly not least. Most MFin applications will ask you to describe your career goals, often your immediate post-program goals. This means specifics, details: what area of finance, what kind of company, what position. Your goals should be realistic and yet appropriately ambitious. Also, briefly clarify why you want to do this. Your goals discussion will provide critical evidence to the adcom that you understand the industry, are focused professionally, and stand a good chance of succeeding. (You could also note how your goals align with the given program’s recruiting, if relevant.)

How to Find the Right Masters in Finance Programs for You

There are lots of MFin programs out there. Here is a straightforward process to efficiently narrow them down and zoom in on those that are right for you.

• Identify what you need and want in a program

Some people are more flexible than others, for myriad reasons. Identify your “must haves,” which may include a specific strength or focus (e.g., risk, analytics, etc. – which often align with other currently important disciplines), a geographic region, or recruiting by certain types of companies. “Wants” come next: they are the qualities that attract you, but you can live without (would love a major city, would settle for a suburban campus; would love an Ivy brand, would settle for top-20).

• Evaluate your competitiveness

Key pillars of your competitiveness are GPA and undergrad transcript, test scores, and experience/exposure to finance (see the preceding section). Look at the student profiles on websites of various MFin programs and see how you compare in these dimensions. This exercise will give you an idea of your relative competitiveness. You can then determine what schools for you would be reaches, on-pars, and safeties.

• Research schools

Look at curriculum structure and content, recruiting stats, clubs and activities, school culture, etc. Get a sense for what excites you, and what if anything turns you off.

• Make your list

Integrating the info from the three steps above, make your list of target schools. People who want to attend an MFin program no matter what should include some reaches, on-pars, and safeties. Others may find the MFin only worthwhile if they attend a top-ranked program, and they will reasonably have only reaches.

And now for the real heavy lifting…

Putting Your Masters in Finance Application Together

Each of the various application components gives you space to further distinguish yourself, convey messages you deem strategically beneficial, and – like the whoosh of a magic wand – turn facts, figures, and information into a living, breathing human being. One the adcom wants to admit.

Here we go – my advice below largely pertains to MFin applications, as general advice on these elements is available elsewhere.

Resume

For early career applicants, if internships are your main exposure to the field of finance, spotlight them and provide some detail about what you did. For experienced applicants, be sure to show your impact and contribution to your company and industry. For both groups, add detail in experiences that reflect unusual or interesting aspects of finance, which will enhance your potential to contribute to the program.

Essays

On the surface, many MFin applicants will seem similar in terms of academics, experience, and goals. Here is your chance to tell your individual story of how you came to finance. It needn’t be dramatic or exotic – it’s unique because there’s only one of its kind. Even a very short goals essay can be used to that effect, giving your application a personal voice. In discussing goals, also mention your vision, what you want to make happen. And don’t hesitate to “show the love” for the program with thoughtful points about how it supports your goals.

Recommendations

Early career applicants will likely use a mix of professors and internship or work recommenders. To avoid generic recommendations when using professors, discuss with them why you are applying to an MFin program and what your goals are. For experienced applicants, select recommenders who will discuss your contributions to the field/industry and your unique perspective, as well as your impacts and strengths.

Interview

Usually this step means you’ve cleared one bar, as most MFin programs do a “first cut” for interviews. So, go in confident! Before the interview, further research the program and the areas of finance most pertinent to you.

Keep an eye out for more, shorter posts that dig into some of the topics mentioned in this overview. Contact me at Accepted if you are interested in consulting with me as you apply to Masters in Finance programs.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Fitting In & Standing Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• 16 Grad School Application Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make, a podcast episode
• Why Should I Apply to Graduate School Now?

The post How to Get Accepted to Masters in Finance Programs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Your undergrad GPA and GMAT or GRE score are pillars of your Masters in Finance (MFin or MSF) application. What can you do to integrate these elements – whether high, average, or low – effectively in your application? Follow these 4 steps to evaluate your scores for your Masters in Finance application.

1) Understand How Masters in Finance Adcoms Evaluate Your GPA and GMAT/GRE

The GPA and GMAT/GRE test scores are viewed holistically by the adcom, but it’s still important to understand how these elements complement each other in the evaluation process.

• GPA: While the overall GPA is important, the admissions committee seeks strength in quantitative courses. So, if you are a history major with a 3.75 GPA overall but 3.1 in your few quant courses, the adcom may question your quant ability. If you’re an econ major with a 3.2 overall, but A’s in rigorous quant courses, the 3.2 will be mitigated by the quant grades – the adcom will not doubt your quant ability. If your overall GPA is low but trends up, the adcom will likely weight those later years more (especially if they include tough quant courses). On the other hand, a significant downward trend may require an explanation and be hard to overcome.

• GMAT/GRE: You should have a strong quant score in either test. “Strong” for the most competitive programs means above 90%; and it’s above 80% roughly for others. The verbal score matters, but it needn’t be fabulous. For test prep, focus primarily on getting your quant score as high as possible.

Remember, a very high quant score or grades can somewhat mitigate less than desirable results in the other. (If they’re both low, perhaps you should reevaluate MFin plans, at least at top programs.)

2) Evaluate Your GPA and Test Scores

Given the above, evaluate your own GPA and test impression. Determine relative strengths and weaknesses. Is it overall great, overall worrying, a mix of both? Is it “okay” all around? Each of these scenarios presents its own challenges (yes, even “overall great”) for your masters in finance application strategy.

3) Determine Mitigation Steps if Necessary

You can’t change your GPA, but if it needs mitigating, first, as noted above, go all out in test prep, and score as high as possible. The following actions may help:

• Consider taking a relevant online course or two and earning A’s. While you may not have time to finish it before applying, you can mention it in optional essays.

• Similarly, participate in the CFA program. The Level 1 test includes some quantitative content along with other directly relevant material; a “pass” will not prove you are a mathematical genius but will contribute to a profile of quantitative competence.

• Make sure multiple parts of your application reflect your ability to use sophisticated quantitative methods during internships or jobs.

• Ask recommenders to describe your quantitative strengths and capabilities.

4) Use Your Grades & Test Scores to Guide Your School Research

Compare your GPA and test scores to those of admitted students in MFin programs. Not all schools thoroughly detail this information, but if you examine “student profiles” in school websites, you will see where your GPA and scores place you competitively.

View our Masters in Finance Application Package for step-by-step guidance through the admissions process. Work one-on-one with me or one of the my expert admissions consultant colleagues…and get ACCEPTED to your top-choice MFin program! 

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Fitting In and Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• How to Get Accepted to Masters in Finance Programs
• Should You Take the GMAT or GRE Exam?

The post How Your Undergrad GPA & Test Scores Affect Your Masters in Finance Application appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Whether you’re applying to an early career Masters in Finance program (MFin or MSF) or one for experienced finance professionals, you’ll be writing a goals essay. It may be 100 words or 750, or anything in between – but I haven’t yet seen a Masters in Finance application that doesn’t ask for goals.

Make your goals appropriate for the program

Most MFin programs target very specific professional experience levels, e.g. 0-2 years, 2-3 years, 3+ years. And, obviously, career goals (at least the short-term ones) will be different for each of these groups. This experience level is key because the adcoms want to admit people who will get hired, and their recruiters target the same age/experience level they do – it’s symbiotic.

Two points on understanding what MFin programs are looking for:

• Most MFin programs targeting 0-2 years of experience are seeking upcoming or recent college grads. If you’re transitioning into finance from another career at, say, age 30, you may have 0 years of finance experience, but most early-career MFin programs are not interested in you. They know their recruiters are looking for the youngsters.

• Know the type of finance company you want to work for and make sure your target programs attract recruiters from such companies. Finance career tracks in corporate finance, retail banks, investment banks, asset managers, and hedge funds differ. Your goals essay should demonstrate knowledge of your area of interest within finance, and of the program’s related career services.

Information to include in your Masters in Finance goals essay or statement

“Financial analyst in a major company” is not good enough. Specificity is essential for 2 main reasons:

1. Credibility: Specificity shows you are serious and have taken the time to plan and prepare for your future career.

2. Differentiation: Many MFin applicants have similar goals, but your motivations, your experience, and your perspective all are uniquely yours.

So, which details should you include?

• For short-term goals, include: Desired sector within finance, type of company (mentioning 1-2 examples is fine), ideal position, expected scope of responsibilities, why this position appeals to you, and what you hope to achieve in it. Geography may also be relevant.

• For long-term goals, include: Your target position or level of responsibility (e.g. you hope to become a CFO but it’s that scope of accountability that’s important, as companies don’t always adhere to the same titlest/structure) and desired impact (think legacy). This is obviously and appropriately less detailed than your short-term goals – it should indicate a clear and logical direction rather than a detailed plan.

Balancing short-term and long-term goals in the goals essay question

To get this balance right, be guided by the actual essay questions. For example:

• If a question asks for short-term goals, don’t write most of the essay about your long-term dream (I’ve seen this).

• If it asks about goals without specifying short- or long-term, you must decide how much to allocate to short-term and long-term. My advice is to allocate more space to and be more detailed in short-term goals. And then sketch a longer-term career vision.

When to present a “Plan B” goal in your Masters in Finance application

You don’t have a crystal ball, and the adcoms know that. You don’t have set goals in stone, and if you have a backup plan, or a Plan B, that’s okay. Consider the following:

• For the short-term goal: It makes sense to have a Plan B when you are new to finance and/or know your ideal short-term goal might be hard to achieve. Briefly sketch a viable Plan B that will also take you to your long-term goal.

• For the long-term goal: It’s perfectly reasonable to envision two possible future paths once you’ve gotten traction in your finance career – e.g., considering both advancing in a company and starting a venture. In such a case, focus on one (of greater interest now) and cite the second as an attractive second option.

Both these Plan B scenarios show you to be thoughtful, in tune with uncertain reality, and resourceful.

Goals issues for early-career (0-2 years) Masters in Finance applicants

You likely have interned in some finance environment(s), but your professional experience – where you are accountable for significant outcomes – is limited. Your key challenges are:

• Understanding the substance of your target post-graduation role(s): For example, how can you show you’re making an informed decision if you haven’t had firsthand exposure to these roles?

SOLUTION: Research, including ideally informational interviews, to get the nitty-gritty, and include the resulting insight in your essay.

• Just getting a good first job seems daunting: Articulating a long-term plan feels absurd at this early point!

SOLUTION: Have some fun mentally sketching out a career path that you like and present it in that tentative light. E.g., “At this point, I’m excited to consider eventually doing X or Y…” You don’t have to say that you’ve got this all worked out.

Goals issues for experienced applicants

You have other challenges:

• Incorporating your experience into your goals: It’s not always intuitive or easy, especially if your experience and goals diverge (maybe you’re in sell side and want to shift to buy side).

SOLUTION: Identify and portray relevant skills, industry perspectives, and types of knowledge you’ve gained that will benefit you in your future role.

• Matching your target short-term position to the level recruited for: Out of early-career territory, there is more variability in recruiting practices.

SOLUTION: Research the program’s career services and recruitment stats. If you don’t see the stats on the program’s website, contact career services or admissions and ask what types of positions their recruiters typically look to fill.

Upcoming posts will dig into other aspects of applying to Masters in Finance programs. Contact me to learn more about how Accepted’s one-on-one admissions advising can help you achieve your educational and career goals.

Cindy Tokumitsu, has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• From Example to Exemplary, a guide to writing outstanding application essays
• 16 Grad School Application Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make, a podcast episode
• How Your Undergrad GPA & Test Scores Affect Your Masters in Finance Application

The post Know Your Career Goals for Your Masters in Finance Application appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

You’re qualified for a Master’s in Finance (MFin or MSF) program. Great. But that’s only the starting point. Given how competitive MFin programs are, most people they reject are qualified – often highly qualified. Given these circumstances, distinguishing yourself is essential.

Yet many applicants are similar in various ways. If you do not have a natural, immediately identifiable differentiator, how do you convince the adcom to admit you over accomplished others from your educational background, geographic region, and/or industry? How do you set yourself apart and shine?

Sometimes, rather than running from the element of similarity, it’s better to go deep into it. Provide the personal, detailed, insightful perspective that only you have and that represents value to your future classmates.

Let’s explore the main types of similarities and how to address them.

Geographic and/or Ethnic Background

It’s no secret that certain geographic and ethnic groups are over-represented in the MFin applicant pools and student bodies. The biggest group is East Asians with China a large part of that – in many MFin programs, East Asians comprise 50% or more of the class. This group is followed in much smaller percentages by South Asians, with of course India being the largest segment. The Europeans are the next largest group, but it is pretty small compared to the East Asians, with Russians a significant segment. Beyond these groups, there is a sprinkling of South, Central, and North Americans; Africans; and Southeast Asians.

Here are some ways to stand out if you’re in the biggest 1-2 groups – not all points will be relevant to all people, but at least some will resonate for you.

• When mentioning your country in essays, don’t use country name (China, India); instead, cite the city or region and if possible a telling detail or two to enliven the discussion and “picture.”

• Weave in your cultural background in a meaningful and relevant way, e.g. indicating how it influenced your thinking on the proper role of finance in society. Don’t just write theoretically or in generalities, but rather provide a brief example to illustrate your point.

• If your goals involve returning to your country, address what you hope to achieve and contribute there, in specific terms, and why.

Educational Background

You majored in Economics, right? Like maybe 70-80% of MFin applicants. No? Then, let me guess… It was Statistics, or Finance, or Mathematics. Scanning MIT’s 2018 class, these majors account for 100% of the students with some variations (okay, Applied Mathematics). And I did discover a couple of unusual second majors: Political Science, Philosophy…

The message seems clear: your educational background won’t help you stand out; it’s just a qualification.

Not so fast. You might get more mileage out of those hard-earned A’s in your econ (or math or stats) major than you think.

• What initially intrigued you about your major? What was unexpected for you about this course of study? How did it change your perspective or thinking? Answers to these and similar questions will let the adcom see you in a deeper light (and they might even see something fresh in econ too!).

• In what ways did your major required self-directed, independent effort and/or how did it involve teamwork? How did you do in these capacities? Addressing such questions with examples may showcase your individual interests and strengths, and if you identify a weakness – say you realized you needed to improve your collaboration skills – it shows welcome maturity and resourcefulness as well.

• Did you formally or informally tutor others less talented in math or econ? How did succeeding (or failing) in the effort make you feel? What did you learn? This avenue of discussion may add a rich facet to your application.

Internships and Work Experience

If you’re an early-career applicant, chances are you’ve interned in the same types of organizations and similar/same roles as other applicants. If you’re applying to programs for experienced applicants, you have a similar challenge but less so, because your career has required you to develop an individual track record and the perspective that goes with it.

Here are tips for making the most of your experience for both groups:

• Early career applicants: Use the “zoom lens” – in essays, talk about specific projects and what you learned. Give anecdotes and details. For interns, the titles and tasks may be the same, but the people you interact with, the organizational culture and dynamics, the way you respond to given opportunities and challenges, will be inherently unique.

• For experienced applicants: Avoid “did-this-did-that” discussions in essays. Rather, portray how you did significant things, your thinking behind a bold step, why a significant impact was meaningful and resonated to you. Detail how your influence ripples out and how you absorb, digest, and implement important lessons.

And… remember those poli sci and philosophy double-majors? If you’re a Chinese applicant who majored in Economics, interned at Morgan Stanley, AND are an expert bread maker or tango aficionado – please, somehow, somewhere, let the adcom know! Such counter-stereotypical elements tend to be instantly memorable…

Previous and upcoming posts will dig into other aspects of applying to Master’s in Finance programs. And feel free to contact me at Accepted if you are interested in consulting with me or my Accepted colleagues as you apply to MiF programs.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA, EMBA and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose, a free guide
• Focus on Fit, a podcast episode
• Standing Out By Showing You Have a Unique Perspective [Fitting in & Standing Out]

The post Distinguishing Yourself as a Masters in Finance Applicant appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Your professional experience probably isn’t all that different from that of other Master’s in Finance (MFin or MSF) applicants. And you worry it won’t stand out. Maybe you feel it’s not interesting or dramatic enough to captivate adcom readers.

DON’T WORRY!

Only you have your experience; in a sense, you are your experience. So, it is inherently unique. That is why your experience should form the core of your essays.

And all of your MFin essays – your personal statements, statements of purpose, and goals essays – should include your actual experience. The more your real experience forms the muscle, bone, and sinew of the essay, the more individual, distinctive, and interesting the essay will be.

Which experiences should you present in your Masters of Finance application?

Different people will present different types of experiences. Follow these tips to choose the best experiences for you:

1. Be strategic about the selection of experience to bring into your essays.

   I often suggest to my clients that, when possible, make the essays, and the experiences portrayed in them, do “double duty,” e.g., a given story might underscore your ability to handle a quantitatively demanding role and simultaneously spotlight your teamwork skills or deftness in managing up or willingness to mentor a less quant-savvy colleague.

2. For early-career applicants, delve into your internships. 

   Select experiences/stories that show you effectively navigating the organizational arena and interacting effectively; perhaps displaying leadership (formal or informal). In addition, mine senior thesis research projects, club participation roles, volunteer and extracurricular experiences, etc. for experiences that are both relevant and distinctive.

3. For experienced applicants, bring in professional experiences showing you adeptly handling current challenges. 

   And show that you understand the realities in the finance world and have integrated that knowledge and experience into your toolkit, perspective, and/or goals.

4. Provide anecdotal evidence of leadership.

   This applies to experienced and inexperienced applicants. Demonstrate your leadership skills, even though it’s not usually explicitly required by MFin adcoms.

5. Use stories that contain relatively recent experiences. 

   Recent experiences reflect the current person who is applying (some people are fast out of the starting gate but don’t have staying power), and they give the adcom a sense of the talents and attributes you will bring to the table.

6. Discuss an older experience only in certain situations.

   If you do decide to share an older experience, (a) make sure that you ALSO have a recent one or two, and (b) link it to the present somehow, e.g., show you’re applying a lesson learned, or a quality gained, or insight developed.

7. Use experiences that show you conversant and engaged in a given area within finance. 

   MFin applicants come from and are interested in a range of industry segments – and this is fine, so highlight your specific area of expertise!

How should you present experience in your Masters of Finance application?

Imagine sitting at a café (or a bar ) and recounting to a colleague or friend an interesting recent experience you had. You don’t cite every detail but rather convey just the details relevant to that particular conversation, and you supplement the facts of the story with brief reflections or elaborations of what you were thinking or feeling at a pivotal moment. You slow down when approaching the turning point. You wrap up with a brief comment or look back (“I learned a lot, but I really hope I never have to go through that again!”).

Well, that is the approach you’ll take in presenting experiences in your essays – simply narrate the story as you’d tell it to someone. Adapted, of course, for length and relevance.

Managing length and relevance in your storytelling

The story of an experience may comprise a whole essay, a paragraph within an essay, or a sentence or two within a paragraph. To incorporate experiences within a goals essay, which I encourage you to do, most likely it will be the last situation. And yes, you can tell a story in one sentence: “After weeks of preparation, a cancelled flight caused our team to miss the presentation in Kuala Lumpur, but to my dejected teammates’ surprise I found telecon resources at the airport and we did the presentation from there!”

The ABCs of narrating a story:

• Attract the reader’s interest by setting the scene, which includes where, when, what, why, and who (or at least most of these elements).

• Be a storyteller: tell the story as it occurred.

• Conclude the story by relating results, changes, and outcomes that stemmed from the story.

Three additional tips to make your experience as interesting, exciting, meaningful, vivid, and memorable as possible:

1. Be specific. I’ve seen many sentences like, “On the highest profile project involving the most complex systems at the global client organization, we achieved ground-breaking outcomes that satisfied all stakeholders.” Well…

   • What project specifically, and what makes it “high profile”?

   • What complex systems exactly?

   • What global client organization? (if you can’t name the client, at least indicate industry)

   • What specific outcomes? What was the actual impact?

   • What stakeholders exactly – who are they?

2. Clarify what’s at stake. The higher the stakes, the better.

3. In a story, something changes; the starting point is different than the ending point. Frequently the main character has evolved (sometimes you and sometimes your team, department, and/or organization). Make sure to spotlight this development.

Learn more about applying to Masters in Finance programs by reading these additional MFin-focused posts.

Looking for one-on-one advising to help you through the MFin application process? Check out our Master’s in Finance Admissions Services for more information on how we can help you get ACCEPTED.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA, EMBA and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• From Example to Exemplary, free guide to writing outstanding application essays
• 4 Pillars of a Splendid Statement of Purpose, a short video
• What is an Accomplishment?

The post How to Portray Experiences in Your Masters in Finance Essays appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The Masters in Finance degree is one of the most up and coming specialized masters programs in the business world.

Listen to the recording of our conversation with Anthony DeAngelis, owner and founder of Masters in Finance HQ, for the low-down on his company, the MSF degree, and the world of finance.

00:03:35 – The bored (but not boring!) beginnings of MSFHQ .

00:06:03 – What do financial analysts really do?

00:13:37 – Different types of MSF/MiF programs and what kind of candidates they are looking for.

00:16:40 – Can liberal arts grads go the finance route?

00:19:30 – A word about the schools that require work experience.

00:21:28 – Plenty of work to go around in the finance industry.

00:23:47 – Guidelines for the MSF vs. MBA vs. Financial Engineering Degree decision.

00:27:58 –Financial services are rebounding. What does the future hold?

00:34:56 – What’s changed the most at MSFHQ.

00:36:45 – Advice for people considering the MSF.

*Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com.

Related Links:

• MSFHQ
• Accepted.com Services Section (SUMMER Sale ends on July 15!)
• What is a Masters in Finance?

Related Shows:

• The Facts About Financial Services
• Which Schools are Good for PE/VC and VC-Backed Entrepreneurship 
• Business, Law and Beyond: An Interview with John Engelman
• Case Interview Secrets and More with Victor Cheng

Subscribe to Admissions Straight Talk:

The post Masters in Finance: What You Need to Know appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Being amazing is just a qualification for the Princeton University Master in Finance program. But if you qualify, get admitted (about 30 out of 600 applicants do), and choose to attend (about 25 out of that 30), I believe you enter heaven.

 • All your classmates are not just extremely bright and passionate about finance; they also represent experience from across the industry – and they are chosen in part because they can communicate their insights from that experience.

• There is 100% recruitment for summer internships at the most desirable institutions, and almost 100% post-graduation employment (2014). These internships/jobs span the globe—Mexico City, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and various cities in the US as well as NYC.

• A curriculum that is intensive and deep; following the core you can either develop your own study program or pursue 1of 3 course tracks: Financial Engineering and Risk Management, Quantitative Asset Management and Macroeconomic Forecasting, and Financial Technologies.

• Career “boot camps” where alumni, industry experts, and academics help you formulate a career path that is meaningful to you and productively employs your skills, talents, interests.

• World-renowned faculty (think Alan Blinder, Paul Krugman) from multiple disciplines who don’t just teach sophisticated skills but who engage passionately in ideas, thereby helping you become a thought leader in the field.

So what’s the ticket to heaven?

Academics – A high GPA and a transcript that reflects a strong quantitative component – many applicants have degrees in subjects such as mathematics, economics, and engineering, but it is not required and they have admitted people from a range of disciplines (though there are certain math requirements). A grad degree is “a plus but not required.”

Standardized tests – Both GMAT and GRE are accepted; the median quant GRE score is 167 and the average quant GMAT score is 49.5. That said, a high quant score doesn’t make up for weak quant coursework. If your undergrad school was not taught in English (or if it was taught in English in a non-English speaking country), either the TOEFL or IELTS is also required.

Interviews are by invitation only, and selected applicants will be notified. Others are discouraged from seeking interviews.

Experience – Professional experience is not required; however the adcom wants to see some practical industry exposure via internships at least – they note that potential employers look for this experience. So the program is open to new graduates who have had an internship or two – but make sure you have something substantive to say based on your experience; your competition will.

Qualitative factors – You may be surprised that in the adcom’s eyes it is the qualitative factors that “set applicants apart”! The adcom specifically looks for strong communication ability, expecting its students to contribute within a highly intelligent cohort and to become leaders in the industry. More than anything, it seeks passion for finance. Even if you’re a quant geek, don’t think there’s a formula for this passion – it must be expressed through application contents holistically. The adcom members will know it when they see it.

Finally, be sure this is the right degree for you. As the website states, it’s not the right program for people pursuing corporate finance or investment bank M&A; but the MiF “is becoming the preferred degree in the trading and asset management areas of the I-bank.”

By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com.

Related Resources:

• The Facts About Financial Services
• Where Does Wall St. Hire: U.S. B-Schools Sending Grads into Financial Services
• What is Passion in Admissions?

The post Princeton University Master in Finance: Is It Right for You, and Are You Right for Princeton? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

HEC Paris Business School just announced the launch of its new MBA-MIF program in a press release Monday. The 20-month program (16 months for the MBA and 10 months for the Masters in Finance) will provide students with an integrated curriculum, allowing for different tracks for students with different skills and experience levels. Within the MBA component of the program, students will be able specialize in entrepreneurship, strategy, or general management, and combine that with the finance specialization in the MIF component. Students will receive “early intensive training in finance, thereby enhancing preparation for banking and consulting interviews.”

Upon completion of the dual degree program, students will receive an MBA and an MSc in International Finance.

According to Jacques Olivier, HEC Paris Professor of Finance and Program Director, “The financial crisis has challenged business schools to find new ways to equip their graduates with the right set of knowledge, skills and values. HEC Paris has designed the MBA-MIF dual degree for young professionals who wish to acquire not only the general management education and leadership skills from a leading MBA program, but also advanced technical knowledge in finance to differentiate themselves from their peers. This unique combination will allow dual degree students to fast-track onto senior management positions within finance and consulting.”

See the HEC Paris website for more information on the MBA-MIF program.

For advice on how to get accepted to HEC Paris, please see our HEC Paris B-School Zone.

Related Resources:

• Which Business School Will Get Me to Wall Street?
• Vault’s 2015 Banking Rankings
• The Facts About Financial Services

The post HEC Paris Launches New MBA-MIF Program appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Practicality is the essence of MIT’s Master in Finance program. It’s just one year, as opposed to numerous MFin programs that are 1.5 to 2 years, and, as the website notes, it was developed “as a direct response to demand in the financial industry.” In spite of the short duration, the program offers flexibility to tailor it to your needs. Moreover, it’s an “early career” program – students’ pre-program experience averages 0-4 years, according to the website, with about 50% coming directly from undergrad.

Here are some additional distinguishing elements of the program:

• Its location in the business school deepens its opportunities; you’ll take some courses with MBA, PhD, and Sloan Fellows students, giving you direct access to people with deep experience and networks across many industries and functions. You can also participate in certain clubs such as Venture Capital and Private Equity Club.

• The flexibility extends to the option to take some courses at the School of Engineering and/or School of Science.

• The practical nature of the program includes a Finance Research Practicum, which addresses real-world situations and problems.

• The opportunity to build strong, enduring relationships arises from the extensive small-group work, which also prepares you to succeed in an increasingly interconnected and team-focused work environment.

• Career development is an ongoing focus from the first semester, with a “Career Core” curriculum. There are also career treks and opportunities to explore industry segments.

• About 88% of 2013 graduates received employment offers as of October 2013, notes the Employment Report.

• It’s a truly global program, with 84% of students from outside the US.

Now, what does it take to win access to these delectable resources and opportunities? With an acceptance rate of around 10%, a lot.

• Solid academic achievement and test scores, with average GPA of 3.7 (in programs spanning various disciplines, from economics and math to engineering and business to humanities and science), GMAT mid 80% range 700-770, with quant 48-51; GRE quant mid 80% range 161-170.

• Prerequisite quantitative coursework – if you click on the link, scroll down and take the self-assessment!

• Most desired personal qualities are ability to collaborate, willingness to think/look outside of the proverbial box (a classic MIT value), and high motivation (use your essays to demonstrate these qualities).

• While many students have no official professional experience, the adcom wants to see at least a related internship, so that students come with some practical exposure.

• Interviews are selective (about 30%) and by invitation only; every accepted applicant is interviewed (about 30% of those interviewed are admitted).

• Good news for internationals: a TOEFL score is not required!

By the way, on the program’s website there is an extensive and thorough discussion of recruiting, careers, etc. in the FAQ – I recommend perusing it.

By Cindy Tokumitsu, author and co-author of numerous ebooks, articles, and special reports, including Why MBA and Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One. Cindy has advised hundreds of successful applicants in her fifteen years with Accepted.com.

Related Resources:

• MIT Sloan B-School Zone
• Princeton University Master in Finance: Is It Right for You, and Are You Right for Princeton?
• The Facts About Financial Services

The post MIT Master in Finance – Is It the Right Fit for You (and Vice Versa)? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

LBS has announced a new master’s program in finance. The new Master’s in Financial Analysis (MFA) will be a 12-month intensive program aimed at recent graduates from quantitatively-focused fields, who want a rigorous grad program that will prepare them for careers in the finance sector.

The first class will begin the new program in the fall of 2016. The MFA curriculum will focus on six areas: Corporate Finance (including M&A and Capital Structure); Asset Management (incorporating topics such as credit markets, practical asset allocation, market efficiency and anomalies, liquidity, long-short investing or slow-moving capital); Accounting (focusing on Accounting and Securities Analysis and Valuations); Financial Markets (financial institutions, personal finance); Financial Econometrics; and Global Markets and World Economy.

Students will also develop their soft skills, such as communication, commitment, and commercial awareness. The program will balance coursework in London with international fieldtrips.

LBS’s Masters in Finance has been ranked number 1 by the Financial Times for five years running. Drawing on the school’s strengths, as well as the manifold advantages of studying in London, the new Masters in Financial Analysis program will provide an intensive, 1-year option for students near the beginning of their careers.

Related Resources:

• London Business School Master’s in Finance Application Essay Tips
• Master in Finance: What You Need to Know
• The Facts About Financial Services

The post LBS Launches New Finance Master’s For New Grads appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

When looking to fill investment banking positions, top firms tend to direct their searches towards cream of the crop universities. Here are the top b-schools you should be looking at to give yourself the best chance of getting hired after graduation, according to the latest eFinancialCareers findings.

* For a complete list of the top 35 ranking MBA programs, see this table.

The eFinancialCareers article explains that the table is based on the number MBAs who have gone to work in a “front office” investment banking role upon graduation. (This includes corporate finance, equity research, or sales and trading.)

Thinking about pursuing an MoF? The top 30 Masters of Finance programs for investment banking recruiting look totally different. You can find that list here. 

Related Resources:

• Which Business School Will Get Me to Wall Street?
• The Facts About Financial Services [Podcast]
• 4 Tips For Applying To B-School With Finance Experience

The post B-Schools That Rank for Landing Jobs in Investment Banking appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Over the last ten years we have seen a lot more options in graduate management education. I’ve highlighted some on previous shows like the recent shows we have had on the CEMS Masters in International Management or UVA’s MS in Global Commerce or MIT’s MS in Business Analytics.

Today it’s my pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk Jamie Wright, Senior Recruitment and Admissions Manager at London Business School – Early Career Programs. She has been working with London Business School’s early career programs since 2009 and became the Senior Recruitment and Admissions Manager in 2012. She’s joining us today to discuss the expanding and evolving menu of early career options at London Business School. Welcome!

Can you give us an overview of the three early career options? [2:10]

Our flagship program is the Masters in Management (MiM), which is a one-year general management degree focusing on the fundamentals of business (finance, economics, marketing, entrepreneurship, leadership, etc), all with an aim to help students pursue careers in business. Most grads go into finance or consulting, but we’re seeing more of an interest in industry roles (tech, entrepreneurship, healthcare, etc).

The Global Masters in Management is a two-year degree. Students spend the first year in London, then go to Shanghai and spend the second year at Fudan University. At the end of the program, they receive two degrees: a MiM from LBS and a masters in International Business from Fudan University. Students gain insight into how business is done in both Europe and Asia.

The newest program is the Masters in Finance Analytics (MFA). It’s a specialist degree within the early career program, intended for students from heavily quantitative backgrounds (math, tech, finance, engineering).

Is knowledge of Chinese required for the Global MiM? [4:39]

It’s not required. We’re seeing people with various ranges of skills in Mandarin (some have studied abroad). We do offer language courses through the program, so it’s a great way for students to develop their skills together.

What is the difference between the MiM and an MBA? [5:50]

On average at LBS, MBA students have five to six years of work experience, which they are expected to bring into the classroom. Most early career students have internship experience, but not that same exposure to the business world.

Both programs address business fundamentals (the MBA program in the first of two years).

If I’m a potential applicant, how do I know when I’m better off going for the MiM or the MBA? [7:40]

It’s a very personal decision. Some companies and industries prefer MBAs, and it can be difficult to gauge at the early career stage if you’ll need an MBA someday in order to advance in your career.

If you have a dream job right out of college and you see the potential for promotion, it might be worth pursuing that and then going for the MBA later. But if you don’t quite know the direction you want, and you want to explore the recruiting landscape, or if you need to develop your business acumen or your soft skills, the early career programs can be a great support.

What if I did a MiM and then realized later that I need an MBA – could I go straight into the second year of the MBA program? [10:40]

There’s not currently a way to do that at LBS. But we are starting to see MiM grads go on to MBA programs in the US and Asia – to gain new networks, different faculty insights, and a new perspective. They’ve already had a European perspective.

How is the MFA different from the Masters in Finance at LBS? [11:40]

They’re aimed at people at two different points in their career. The MFA is for individuals who have less than one year of experience. And the Masters in Finance is for experienced professionals – on average, six years of work experience. They’re expected to bring that experience into the classroom.

How is the curriculum different? [13:00]

The MFA is more introductory. The curriculum is based around five pillars: corporate finance, asset management, accounting, financial markets, and financial econometrics.

You mentioned that most MiM grads go into finance and consulting, while the recruiting is diversifying. What careers do Global MiM grads go into? [14:30]

Actually, the first class of GMiM students just went to Shanghai for the second year of their program, so it’s too early for employment information.

But we will be running webinars this year with students there to see what their life is like in Shanghai.

Can you share any success stories from MiM grads?
We see success in many different ways. [16:05]

I was in Poland last week to meet with alumni, and saw an alum who’d worked with Goldman Sachs in London, and moved to a private equity firm just opening a new office in Warsaw. So he’s drawing on his experience and starting a new venture at the same time.

We have a lot of interesting stories of entrepreneurs. About 30 companies have been developed by MiM grads in diverse areas: a high-end shoe company, online services, a mobile salon (which recently partnered with designers for London Fashion Week). It’s interesting to see the directions students are going.

Have grads had success getting jobs outside the EU, or in the UK if they’re not UK citizens? [19:05]

Visa issues can complicate the search, but we have a fantastic career center. You need to be flexible (regarding location and company).

Students who are most successful in the job search are those who understand that there’s a Plan A, and five routes to get there. And if it doesn’t work, there’s Plan B, and a lot of routes to get there. And that flexibility is relevant to location as well.

There are a lot of opportunities at LBS, and we encourage students to take advantage of them to explore their interests. We also have a great alumni community in 42 countries – there’s always someone to talk to. Lots of resources, lots of opportunities.

Are you concerned about the impact of Brexit on LBS’s ability to place students in the coming years? [23:10]

It’s definitely something we’re keeping an eye on. Our career center is talking to hiring managers and doing research. We don’t have a lot to go on at this point.

The two areas for us will be hiring practices and immigration. We will continue to keep an eye on this as it develops.

What are the early career programs looking for in applicants? [25:10]

Applicants for all three programs need to meet basic entry requirements: GPA, GMAT/GRE, English proficiency.

Beyond that, we’re looking for individuals who are motivated to excel in the community here, can demonstrate that they motivated themselves to succeed in their undergrad careers (both inside and outside of the classroom); people who are engaged; people who are ambitious, and have pushed themselves to excel both in and out of the classroom. That out-of-the-classroom engagement can be professional, community service, sports, music – we’re looking for people who are passionate and have pursued those passions.

Do you have any preference when it comes to the GRE or GMAT? [27:35]

For the MFA, the CFA level 1 can substitute for the GRE or GMAT.

There are some industries (such as consulting) that prefer the GMAT, so if that’s your goal, it is worth going for the GMAT.

For the MFA, because we want students from very strong quantitative backgrounds, we look closely at applicants’ undergraduate programs.

What do you wish applicants understood? [30:00]

The main thing we’re trying to do is connect the dots: how your undergrad experience led to the MiM/MFA and how that will lead to your career, your rationale for pursuing the experiences you’ve had, and how the masters will fit.

We want to get a sense of your story and your voice: who you are as an individual. Not the voice you think we want to hear at the business school – but your voice.

What can applicants expect at the interview? [32:10]

The interview is competency-based. The interviewer will have read your application in depth. You may be asked about your experiences – why you pursued XYZ internship, what your motivation is to pursue the degree and career you’re interested in.

Do you have any tips for students applying for 2017, or looking ahead to 2018? [33:50]

For current juniors: use the time to prepare for the GMAT/GRE. And take some time to do research on the programs. We have student ambassadors – speak to students and alumni about the programs.

For seniors applying this year: keep in touch with us. Send us your CV for review. Don’t get overwhelmed with the application – look at each piece one at a time. Prepare for the GMAT one section at a time. Take some time to reflect on the application questions, and think about whether this is the right program for you. The MiM and MFA have two essays, and the GMiM also has a video component.

And stay in touch with us – ask us questions. We’re happy to give advice.

If you have any concerns over whether the early career degree is the right path, we’re happy to talk with you! We ultimately want you to submit the best application you can. [38:00]

Related Links:

• London Business School Masters in Management
• London Business School Global Masters in Management
• London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis
• London Business School 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips
• London Business School Zone Page

Related Shows:

• The Scoop on the London Business School Masters in Management Program
• The CEMS MIM: A Truly International Masters in Management
• UVA MS in Global Commerce: 3 Continents, 2 Masters, 1 Amazing Year
• The Schwarzman Scholars Program: Leaders of the Future Unite

Subscribe:

The post College Students, Recent Grads Interested in Business: London is Calling! [Episode 180] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The Scoop on Berkeley’s Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) [Show Summary]

Dr. Linda Kreitzman, Executive Director of the Master of Financial Engineering Program at UC Berkeley – Haas is passionate about the program. On today’s podcast Linda will take us through specific aspects of the program and what makes it unique, what it takes to be successful in the program, and some of the expected outcomes for graduates. Listen in to the “Queen of Quants!”

Interview with Linda Kreitzman, Assistant Dean and Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering Program [Show Notes]

Our guest today, Dr. Linda Kreitzman, earned her Honours Degree in Political Science, masters degrees in English, French and Spanish and later on a Ph.D. in Economics. Most importantly for our call today, she became program Director of the Master’s in Financial Engineering at UC Berkeley – Haas in 2000 and Executive Director of the program in 2006. Poets and Quants recently named her the “Queen of Quants” and in the same interview she identified herself as her students’ “surrogate mother.” Let’s learn more about the Haas MFE from this ultimate insider.

Could you give an overview of the MFE program highlighting its distinctive features? [2:12]

It’s a one-year program that starts in March and ends the following March, with four academic terms. After 75% of coursework is completed, students go anywhere in the world for a paid internship. The program is ranked #1 in the country and has 50% faculty and 50% industry professionals who teach in the program. We admit students who have PhDs, masters or straight from undergrads. We have a pre-programmed set of classes that anyone can take before coming to the program, which helps us assess them. We believe success is not just what happens in the MFE but also post-MFE. We place each and every student, which is what we love to do.

If we find a student who is doing really well academically, we can recommend them for admission as early as their junior year, and then bring them on board and mentor them before they officially join. Any student at any university in the world can contact us about this.

I understand that you’ve been the Director from Day 1. Why did Haas decide to have an MFE? [5:30]

Haas’ decision to create the MFE came a little bit before I came on board in 2000, with professor emeritus David Pyle and dean Laura Tyson. There was a demand for financial engineers and students who could be very technical, with a stats programming skill set already, which MBA programs didn’t offer. There were other MFEs, CMU for example, but we were the first to launch an MFE at the business school, to make sure our students were not considered typical quants just doing number crunching, but that they had economic intuition and strong communication skills, which is what differentiates us from others. We wanted the ability to position our students in any field in finance or technology, not in the back room doing number crunching.

What makes the MFE different from an MFin? Or an MBA? [9:45]

The MFin tends to teach more the corporate finance side and is a general degree. With the MFE we are looking for people who already have strong programming, stats, math, and finance experience. We bring people who already have had corporate finance, and maybe already passed CFA level 1. Our program is much more technical, more data-science oriented. Also, the MBA program does not prepare students months or even years in advance but we do.

Obviously academics, specifically in advanced quant subjects, are important to the MFE. The average GRE/GMAT quant percentile is 93.2 and the average verbal percentile is 77.7. The average UGPA is 3.75. Beyond the stats, what is the MFE looking for? [11:16]

We are looking for people with strong logic skills, with a good understanding of financial markets (or willing to learn that), who are open to taking different courses to find their path, and willing to prepare before starting with us. We also are looking for someone who is humble, and can work well with others. 95% of the homework in the program is team-based, as you won’t work by yourself within a firm, so we provide that in the programming.

What about work experience? What role does experience play in the evaluation process? What kind of experience are you looking for? Is there a max amount of work experience? [14:00]

We don’t require experience. With young students just one three-month internship is good enough for us if they have a strong academic background. We have had great success with students straight from undergrad. We do look at the skillset but we do not want applicants to think work experience is necessary. For listeners, look at the bios of students in the MFE program and you will see a wide range of backgrounds, and some with very little formal work experience.

Can you describe the application process for the MFE? [15:58]

It’s a straightforward process. You answer questions, submit two letters of recommendation, and transcripts. For the questions, we ask about academic work where you may have solved problems or done research, and to talk about the tools you’ve used. We don’t expect you to tell us you have done very complex work, we just want to get to know you to help you prepare for the program. We also want to know why you want to do the MFE, and we also love it if you tell us you don’t know. It’s ok to say, “I love stats, I love math, I love AI, and I want to come and I’m flexible.” The other question is have you been innovative, and what are your strengths and weaknesses. Basically we just want to get to know you.

One thing that is important to note is that we work quickly – we give decisions back within 4-8 weeks.

What’s the purpose of the video question? [18:59]

We really want to see how they are able to communicate within a couple minutes of time, as well as how well they think on their feet.

What kind of careers will graduates go into? [19:24]

Our students go into all titles in finance. Some are managers, researchers, analysts, and associates. They go into M&A, trading, structures, data science, work for investment banks on the sell side or buy side, hedge funds, and fin tech as well.

What’s a cool story about a Haas MFE grad? Or one that you are particularly proud of? [20:14]

In 2012, we had a student Charles Gorintin who sang the same tune for pretty much the whole program – he wanted to be a high frequency trader for Virtue in Chicago. I set up the interview with them, and he did extremely well. His offer was expected to come in and so he asked me how he should decline an interview at 2pm when it was 10am that same day. It was two hours away and at Facebook. I told him he had to go. He begrudgingly went, and at 7pm he called and said he was going to accept an offer at Facebook. I just about fell off my chair. I thought maybe he would miss the market, but when I was in touch with him he would always say, “Don’t worry, I love what I do.” I am so proud of him because now he is back in France having launched a healthcare data science company. The moral of the story is come to the MFE, but be open, and we help you explore the paths.

What are the plans for the future of the MFE? I understand it will expand this year. [23:30]

We currently have 80 students and we will expand to 100, so we will have two cohorts, one that will specialize in data science. Those who want to continue their work in finance will be able to do that, but the reality is that banks are using data science. You don’t have to pick a specialization but can just pick the electives you want.
Your recent interview on P&Q said that you are angered when people tell you they want an MFE to get rich.

What are some good reasons for wanting to pursue an MFE? [25:19]

I am not angry, but rather annoyed or concerned when someone says they only want to do this to make money. There is no reason not to want to make money, of course, but there must be other reasons to go into this field – passion to make a difference, to apply your skill set, passion for finance, to understand the markets, to create things.

Why does it go March to March? [29:09]

It started because we thought we would make it a part-time program, and also for a bureaucratic reason as you can only have so many students on campus at a certain time. With the MFE I felt like you can’t have a summer internship because the students wouldn’t have enough of a skill set yet. As I started dealing with the companies I realized that a fall internship idea was extremely positive. Banks were telling me, “We have nobody to help us in the fall, so it’s great.” Students coming from the industry also were happy because they had gotten their bonus and it helped them pay for the program.

On a personal note, How does someone who P&Q notes has degrees in polisci, English, French and Spanish then move to the quant side of the world, earn a PhD in economics, and then become director of one of the most demanding quantitative programs in the world? Why the switch? [32:01]

I wouldn’t say it was a switch, as within political science I did do economics and statistics. I really love education and could have branched out and gone to industry, but it is pretty cool to be in my position because I get to work with the industry, students, and faculty, so it felt more a natural path for me. When Haas called me and wanted to interview I had already been teaching econ courses. I was going to join the industry but instead decided to launch the MFE.

There are deadlines but you get back to people quickly, so it seems kind of like a rolling admissions model. How does it work for you? [34:22]

It works efficiently for us. The reality is you want to have some deadlines to be organized and structured, but it is common for students to say they missed the deadline, so we need it open until the end of December. We also sometimes in January or March get individuals who apply for the following year and we may believe that they are right for entry earlier. We reserve the right to say you are ready to come within a couple months. We council students before they apply, and have discouraged applicants at times as well. We are a very forthcoming program so be in touch with us to talk about your background and interests.

What question would you like to answer that I didn’t ask? [39:52]

Why have I been in the program the last 18 or 19 years? To work at Haas with the other directors, I have to say it is really a cool place to work. The finance faculty are brilliant, kind, and they are very open to working together on curriculum issues. I am very fond of our team, and working with the students is exciting. You see them come in and help polish them. I believe we make a difference in their lives.

Related Links:

• Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering Program
• Get Accepted to Masters in Finance Programs
• Up Close and Personal with Berkeley Haas
• Meet The Queen Of Quants: She Runs Haas’ Master of Financial Engineering Program
• Accepted Admissions Consulting Services

Related Shows:

• Exploring the Haas MBA: An Interview with Peter Johnson
• From Military to Haas MBA
• MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In!

Subscribe:

Podcast Feed

Haas MFE Spring 2019 Application Deadlines:

All application deadlines are 11:59 PM Pacific time.

Application for Spring 2020 Opens December 2018

The post The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads [Episode 279] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

You want a Masters in Finance. And you know that finding the right ones to apply to will take some work, some research. Well, the web makes that research easy, right?

Sort of. You’ll certainly find a lot of programs and lots of info about those programs online. But how do you plan your search productively (given your limited time)? How do you organize your findings in a meaningful way so you can compare programs?

Here is a brief guide to help you make this research process productive, efficient, and even (hopefully) enjoyable.

Common Elements of All Masters in Finance Programs

All MFin programs have the following features:

• They are practical in purpose; their curriculums are meant to provide applicable learning.
• Recruiting is an important element and focus, for both you and the program (if their graduates do not obtain jobs, it reflects poorly on the programs).
• Networking opportunities likewise are a major benefit of all such programs; the connections you will gain can last a lifetime and will represent diverse segments within the finance industry.
• Most meet STEM requirements for U.S. OPT visa extensions.

Area of Difference: Curriculum

I DID just say they’re alike in their practical bent. But how they deliver that practical learning differs.

Many, if not most, offer core courses plus some tracks for different areas of finance. For example:

• The MFin program at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business offers four specializations: Investment Management, Corporate Finance, Risk Management, and Real Estate. The school specifically “encourages” you to pursue one.
• At the MFin program at the Olin Business School at Washington University, there are also four tracks: Corporate Finance and Investments, Wealth and Asset Management, Quantitative Finance, and Global Finance.
• At USC Marshall School of Business, there are a wide range of electives, but no set tracks; you develop your own path to specialization.
• In the London Business School Master of Financial Analysis MFA program (early career, as opposed to the LBS MFin which targets more experienced people), there is a curriculum component specifically on “personal and leadership development.”

What it means for you: Determine what kind of curriculum will best meet your needs and how much weight you want to give this factor and evaluate the programs accordingly.

Area of Difference: Career Services

I DID say that recruiting is important for all MFin programs. But how they prepare you for that recruiting differs. Most programs have not only interview training and resume preparation services, but also career exploration and counseling to determine your best path, along with tailored job-seeking strategies, etc. Other programs largely take what you bring to the table and help you polish it.

By the way, the best career services don’t help much if recruiters don’t represent industry segments you are interested in or regions you want to live in.

What it means for you: If you want extensive career services, prioritize programs that work with you from day one in this area. Also, you should examine the recent recruiting history at any program.

Area of Difference: Pedagogical Approach

While most programs use some mix of teaching methods, some veer strongly toward lecture or toward team projects. Some have frequent tests and quizzes, and some have a major project or option to do an independent thesis.

While all focus on finance topics, some contextualize them more with a holistic view of their role in businesses and organizations.

What it means for you: Know your learning style and preferences and seek out programs whose teaching methods align with them. It’s an often overlooked area.

Area of Difference: Special Opportunities

Some Masters in Finance programs provide special opportunities such as doing a thesis (like at MIT, for example). Other MFin programs give you access to the same clubs, research centers, etc. that MBA students enjoy, as well as the chance to TA for professors, etc. The LBS program cited above offers “global immersion field trips” which can be incredibly valuable at this early point in your career.

Some programs, such as MIT, offer both shorter and longer versions of their program, often with the option of a summer internship woven into the longer version. For example, you would take the 12-month MIT MFin program without an internship or the 18-month option with one.

What it means for you: A special opportunity can certainly make a big difference in your MFin experience if it’s the right one. Keep your eye out.

Good luck with your school search! And with the plethora of options to weigh, you might like some help with school selection – in which case contact us; it is a service we provide that can help you get off to the best possible start.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Fitting In & Standing Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In!, a podcast episode
• Focus on Fit, a podcast episode

The post Researching the Right Masters in Finance Programs for You appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

For some people, it’s the Masters in Finance (MFin or MSF), period. It’s the right type of program at the right time. Yet, the MFin has some overlaps and similarities with several other types of masters programs, and some people’s educational needs may be met by more than one type. In fact, I’ve known and worked with such applicants. Also, before you commit the time, energy, and money into applying to an MFin program, it’s wise to examine all the options to confirm it really is the best fit.

All that said: the program categories are not rigid. For example, Princeton and MIT’s Masters in Finance programs would fit as well if not better in the first category below (Heavy Quant Programs) than with other MFin programs. And many MBA programs have a concentration in some type of analytics and of course finance.

I’ll summarize the related programs below. You might conclude that indeed only the MFin is right for you. Or you might be surprised at an appealing option you hadn’t considered!

1. Heavy Quant Programs: Masters in Financial Engineering, Masters in Quantitative Finance, Master’s in Computational Finance, Financial Mathematics, etc.

   Like the MFin, these programs are often for early career people, but many span a somewhat wider range. The curriculums are obviously highly rigorous in quantitative and analytic dimensions. Usually, the application requirements include extensive mathematics coursework as well as strong programming skills. For the “top 20” such programs, the GRE quant score averages 168+. If you are interested in such programs, check each program’s specific requirements regarding experience level and quant/programming background.

   Consider this type of program if:

   • You want a swift entry ramp to a finance career that is quant-based, which could be anything from algorithmic trading to portfolio management to quantitative research and more.

   • You enjoy the intensive quant focus and have the math chops to handle it without getting overly stressed.

2. Analytics Programs: Masters in Business Analytics, Masters in Data Analytics, M.S. in Analytics, etc.

   This relatively new discipline is essentially the human component of the big data revolution, and these programs prepare students to identify, collect, sort, and analyze data, usually for other decision makers. They target varied experience ranges: many are for early career people, but some welcome a range of experience. They vary also in that some require significant quant and programming skills, others just basic familiarity – check this before you apply. Also, many such programs are under the b-school umbrella, and so may incorporate business-related components – even though the career path is analytical and technical, these professionals must usually work in teams and effectively communicate their findings and questions to non-technical functions.

   Consider this type of program if:

   • You want to hit the ground running in a substantive role where you’ll also learn immensely not just about the data you’re analyzing but also about the organizational decision-making it feeds.

   • You have an affinity for detail, sustained attention, and willingness to learn continuously as the tools and parameters of the function continue to evolve rapidly.

3. Master’s in Management Programs:

   These are typically 1-year, early-career programs (applicants should either be recent college grads or college seniors). They enable people interested in a business career but lacking a business education to acquire familiarity with business basics. They also, via recruiting, funnel graduates into entry-level business and management roles. They cover the basic business functions with a focus on management roles, as well as professional development needs such as leadership, communication skills, etc.

   Consider this type of program if:

   • You come from a non-business major and want to start a business career with some foundational knowledge and a sharpened professional persona.

   • You want that foundation to feature breadth over depth.

4. Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) Programs:

   There’s probably not much explanation needed here. MBA programs provide advanced business training for people who have some years of experience (usually about 3-7) and also have defined career goals (paradoxically, many still change their career focus during the MBA years, but that’s another story). MBA programs range widely in format and pedagogical approach: some are lecture-based, some are case-study based, and some use both. Some offer many concentrations, and some offer a holistic curriculum. Most have core required courses. Sometimes appealing MFin applicants who have more experience than the MFin program desires are recommended to the school’s MBA program, where they might take a finance concentration.

   Consider this type of program if:

   • You want to focus on finance but have more than 1-2 years of work experience and/or you are at a professional level where you can benefit from learning alongside experienced peers.

   • You have the experience and perspective to use the advanced resources of an MBA program productively in shaping and implementing a career plan.

   • You want to combine your study of finance with a more general business education.

And, this list is hardly exhaustive! Additional related programs include Masters in Risk Management or Financial Risk Management, Masters in Machine Learning, and many others. These are more specialized and beyond the scope of this post, but do search broadly if you have a specific interest within finance – you never know what type of program you may discover!

Last but not least, I’ve had long and extensive exposure to the ever-changing world of graduate finance education, and I’d love to help you on your journey! Check out Accepted’s wide range of Graduate School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services and choose the one that’s best for you. Learn more here.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Fitting In & Standing Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads, a podcast episode
• UCLA’s MS in Business Analytics: Prep for the Sexiest Job of the 21st Century, a podcast episode

The post Masters in Finance Alternatives to Consider appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Congratulations! You received an invitation to interview for a Masters in Finance (MFin or MSF) program. That invitation is usually competitive, so you should feel great that you’ve cleared the first bar! Now, how do you avoid potential interview pitfalls, and how do you make the interview work for you?

Let’s start at the beginning

First, let me note that there is a lot of great advice on Accepted’s website for MBA interviews, which have some similarities to MFin interviews (including some articles by me, like this one and this one ). Please review these resources as a starting point. In this post, I’ll address MFin interviews specifically.

Preparing for the MFin interview

First, ascertain whether the interview will be blind or not. In a blind interview, the interviewer has read your resume but not your application; if it’s nonblind, the interviewer is familiar with your whole application and may refer to it in the questions. Most MFin interviews are nonblind, but don’t take it for granted.

Knowing this information beforehand will enable you to avoid being redundant – you don’t want to cite the same examples used in your application, but you can use them in a blind interview, and for questions about goals, why-this-program, etc, if non-blind, you will need to find additional things to say so as not to simply repeat your application.

Typical MFin interview questions

Because most MFin programs are early-career, you will likely be probed about your academic experience and your quantitative coursework. Also, you may be asked about your undergrad experience overall, including extracurriculars. Present anecdotes and examples that show intellectual/academic engagement and show yourself to be a contributor to the academic and school community.

Many MFin interviews will test your quantitative skills indirectly. They won’t ask you to recite a formula or solve a problem, but may ask how you would approach a problem or to discuss the potential application of a theory or formula. Be prepared but not worried; everyone I’ve talked to who has faced such questions has said they are not “gotcha” questions, but rather probe your thought process and fundamental knowledge.

Standing out in the interview

Because many MFin applicants have similar educational, internship/work, and even cultural backgrounds, look for opportunities to differentiate yourself. This does NOT mean coming up with dramatic or exotic examples and stories. It DOES mean including telling details: how a common math course altered your perspective, or how an internship project cast a fresh lens onto some aspect of business (or life or reality)… No one has exactly your perspective and mindset and experience, so these are natural differentiators.

The MFin is fundamentally a business-oriented program more than a quant-geek program, so present yourself and communicate professionally. The adcom will be looking at you not just with their eyes but through a prospective recruiter’s eyes. They want their students to succeed in their internships and post-grad jobs, and that requires being able to interact effectively, work in teams, etc. So it wouldn’t hurt to show you appreciate this fact by discussing it and bringing it into examples and anecdotes.

Many MFin applicants (probably most) are not native English speakers. For you, this interview is also a test of your English communication skills specifically. The adcom wants to make sure you can comprehend professors, be understood in class, improvise in discussion, and converse appropriately with recruiters.

MFin programs have a lot of similarities. Before the interview, delve deeply into the program in question so you can talk confidently and in detail about what makes that particular program great for you. Show them the love. You needn’t wait to be asked: “Why do you want to attend XYZ program?” You can artfully weave in relevant points about the program into your conversation overall.

To summarize, it’s impossible to prepare for every question, so instead, prepare for “anything” by informing yourself thoroughly about the program, being self-aware, and turning your social IQ on high.

Get accepted to a Masters in Finance program

Do you need help prepping for your MFin or other graduate program interview? Work one-on-one with an expert advisor to get the tips AND the confidence you need to impress your interviewer and get ACCEPTED. Learn more about Accepted’s Graduate School Mock Interview Packages here.

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MFin, MBA and EMBA, and other graduate management programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Fitting In & Standing Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• Do I Really Need a Mock Admissions Interview?, a short video
• 6 Tips for Talking About Your Weaknesses

The post Masters in Finance Interviews: What You Need to Know to Ace Them appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Interview with Gareth Howells, Executive Director of the MBA, MiF & Early Career Programmes at London Business School [Show Summary]

Harvard Business Review declared in 2012 that being a data scientist is the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” Bloomberg Businessweek’s headline in May 2018 pronounced, “This Is America’s Hottest Job.” Let’s hear from the director of London Business School’s Early Career Programs about its response to surging demand for graduates in data analytics, its brand new master’s in analytics and management.

The Master’s in Analytics and Management Program at LBS: Everything You Need to Know [Show Notes]

Our guest today is Gareth Howells, Executive Director of the MBA, MiF & Early Career Programmes at London Business School. He graduated with a degree in Politics in 1995 from the University of Leeds. In 2004 he joined London Business School as Associate Director of the MBA Program, and has been at LBS in different and expanding roles culminating in his current position.

What is the master’s in analytics and management at London Business School? Can you provide an overview? [2:17]

It is our newest and most exciting program. We have four different early career programs which make up about 500 students, and we launched this new program last summer and are enrolling our first cohort for the Fall of 2019. There is a strong focus on analytics with a rigorous leading-edge curriculum and strong emphasis on experiential learning. The program is customizable as well.

Can you give us a bit of background on how it came into being and how it fits into the portfolio of early careers programs at LBS? [3:42]

We have 13 different degree programs at LBS, but early career programs are split into two groups. We have two general management and two specialized master’s – one in finance and this one in analytics and management. We came to this because data analytics is transforming the way the world does business. It is sector neutral. All businesses are switching on the power of data and responding to a data-driven world, and business school is nothing if it doesn’t create graduates and programs that speak to the needs of business.

We talked a lot to our recruiters who wanted this level of capability and we wanted to respond to that. There has been a real explosion of programs of this type. We wanted to leverage our own faculty, and London is the largest data center in Europe. There is a projected 250% increase in data jobs in the next five years so we wanted to meet those needs.

Business analytics master’s programs have been mushrooming around the world. What is distinctive about LBS’ program? [6:21]

We feel that the blend between analytics and management is unique. When we talked to recruiters, they said they see data scientists in an organization, mining the data and then handing it off to business managers to analyze. If you can develop those skills and capabilities in one candidate – mining data but then also translating the data, we would hire those students. We are trying to develop that skillset in one graduate as opposed to needing a data scientist AND a business manager. The curriculum is roughly 60% analytics, 40% management. It is a one-year program with an option to stay for a third term.

What kind of careers will graduates go into? [10:39]

We graduate 1200 students across all programs, and we have 200 recruiters on campus. With this new program, it is a specialist program with a wide variety of sectors and employers interested in hiring. We expect the consulting firms to be big recruiters, but the tech firms are roughly 20-25% of our pool as well. A lot of our graduate students from other programs are hired by many other sectors – accountancy firms, fintech, energy sectors, etc., and the universal feedback was that data analytics is transforming the world, but it’s sector neutral. We are excited about the wide variety of employers seeking and keen to hire from this program. We will graduate the first cohort in June/July 2020.

What are you looking for in the admissions process? [14:37]

There are a lot of similarities with all of our programs, and our application is quite detailed. First and foremost we are looking for dynamic and committed individuals wanting to make an impact – those who are intellectually curious, passionate, with a very high technical quant skill. We are typically looking for a quant-based undergrad background, but are open to different types of work experience. We are looking for a diverse class from around the world, and individuals with a global mindset. Since these are early career students, we are looking at potential as well. We have a series of essays where we try to understand more deeply the student’s motivation. We are looking at a minimum score of 600 for the GMAT. About 80-90% of our applicants take the GMAT, but the GRE is also becoming popular. We look at quant scores and once we’ve considered an application no one gets an offer without a face-to-face interview, which are conducted all around the world. We will try and interview you near your home town either by one of our alums or one of our staff/admissions managers. We sometimes do interviews by Skype. We ask for two references, transcripts, three essay questions, and an interview. Our target is to enroll 70-80 students in the first year.

What about relevant work experience? Is it optional? What is the maximum amount of work experience that you would consider? [19:38]

We typically get a blend. The max is two years, but our average tends to be one year. For the vast majority of students they have a series of different internships, though there are a few candidates with fulltime experience. When students go into electives there is a shared portfolio and they will be alongside MBAs, EMBA, and sometimes Sloan Fellows, since we want it to be a mirror of what the real world is like. Clubs are also for the entire set of students. The list of clubs keeps growing – currently we have 75 different student clubs that the school supports, including professional clubs, regional clubs, sports, and social clubs as well. We feel this is also a critical part of this program and the experience.

We put a huge emphasis on experiential learning as well. Two key parts of this program will be taking part in the London Lab program, where they will be with teams of 5-6 doing a live business consulting project based in London. We have a version of this for the current master’s in management program.

With global being so important to us, all students will also go on a Global Immersion Field Trip (GIFT), selecting among six different locations around the world, going away for a week with an immersive experience. Some recently planned trips for our other programs have been to Colombia, Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Cape Town to give students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in a completely different context. These two requirements are inclusive within the tuition fee and we’ve been running them for a few years.

What are the master’s in data analytics essay questions?[26:51]

We do have some minimum requirements, like having a quant background and some programming skills, but we will be getting hundreds of applications, many who will already meet the minimum requirements, so we need to get to know more about these students. The three questions are:

1. How does undertaking the program fit with their aspirations and goals? What do they want to do when they graduate – are they employable and can we help them?
2. What do they think their contribution will be to LBS while in the program? With such a huge emphasis on extracurriculars that we have we want to know how are they going to take advantage of them. We want active and not passive learners and are a community of over 2500 students in the heart of London. We want to have students who make an impact on each other and on the world of business.
3. Take us through a data-driven project you have been involved in. We want people who have some competency but more importantly a passion for analytics, the power and value of data. We ask for about 400-500 words. A big tip to anyone tuning in to this podcast: with some schools slashing essays you may think that we don’t read them, but we do. We need something that tells us more about the person and these essays often inform who we do interview and who we don’t.

Any discussion at LBS about a joint MiM/MAM? [31:17]

The short answer is no. With our MiM we have already increased the amount of analytics content, and students can still take their electives in analytics. It is about proportion. With the MAM we have a bigger diet in analytics and a slightly smaller bit on management. With MiM you have more management with some analytics. This is one of the most frequent questions we are getting – MiM vs MAM.

At the time the show airs, the next deadline will be March 4 and the last deadline is April 11, 2019. For Chinese applicants, the last deadline is Jan 24. Any advice for those interested in the MAM and still aiming for an application this year? [33:42]

First and foremost try and apply as early as you can. We’d rather people apply with a completed application rather than rushing it, of course. We want to know what the GMAT score is rather than you still be studying for it. Spend time and be thoughtful about the essays, but recognize the cycle is rolling on. After April 11th we will still consider late applications, but at that point the application really has to be super strong since we will have made the vast majority of our offers. We don’t want to be going above 70-80 students in this first cohort. Bottom line, there is still time, but with a later application after May 1st the chances of being admitted are reduced.

What about those planning ahead to apply next year? How can they prepare? [36:03]

Make sure that you do your research on the schools and the programs. Understand the differences. You’d be surprised that when we ask, “Why LBS?” how many people give quite generic answers. We understand people are applying to a number of schools, but we are impressed by people that have clearly done their homework and mention specifics about the programs, so do the research. Some people might just go to a rankings organization and apply to the top 5, but this decision should really be about fit. If you don’t get it right it is a costly mistake. Look at the essays and think about those. Too many people spend all their time focusing on the GMAT or GRE, and not enough on the essays. The tests are important, but it isn’t just about a high score, we take a holistic approach. Continue to embrace your internships, and be successful and be curious. Also, be excited about the work experience you are getting. Make the most of it.

What question would you like to answer that I didn’t ask? [44:11]

Not a question, really, but wanting more to reiterate that we put a huge emphasis on experiential learning, that London is our classroom, and global is in our DNA. Every school talks about being global, and they should, but our faculty come from 40 different countries and our students from 100 different countries.

We are really excited about this program and encourage listeners to take the opportunity to learn more about us. We run monthly events on campus to tour and meet current students, we have blogs, webinars, etc., and we would invite anyone to take a good look.

Related Links:

• London Business School’s Master’s in Analytics and Management
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose, a free guide
• Today London, Tomorrow the World! One Year MFA at LBS
• London Business School Master’s in Management (MiM) Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines
• London Business School 2018-19 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines
• Accepted’s Admissions Consulting Services

Related Shows:

• Early Career Management and European MBA Programs with Jamie Wright
• The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads
• UCLA’s MS in Business Analytics: Prep for the Sexiest Job of the 21st Century
• Contemplating a Career in Data Science/Business Analytics? MIT Sloan’s MBAn

Subscribe:

Podcast Feed

The post Exploring London Business School’s Master’s in Analytics and Management [Episode 297] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Your goal is to obtain a graduate-level finance degree. By choosing, applying to, and getting accepted to a top Master’s in Finance (MFin) program, you’ll be propelling your exciting career in finance forward. What are the steps you need to take to reach this goal? How can you identify your competitive advantage and then use it to beat out the MFin competition? What can you do to increase your chances of acceptance?

To achieve your goal of getting accepted to a top Master’s in Finance program, you will need to:

• Choose the best graduate-level finance programs for you to apply to.
• Understand how your GPA and test scores affect your MFin application.
• Write an exceptional Master’s in Finance statement of purpose that grabs the adcom’s attention.
• Ace your MFin interview.

To help you reach your admissions goal, we’d like to send you a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Master’s in Finance Programs. Written by business education admissions expert Cindy Tokumitsu, you’ll get the clear, concrete, actionable advice that you need to go from MFin applicant to MFin student.

Are you ready to prove to the adcom that you have what it takes to succeed at their graduate-level business program? Get the expert advice you need when you download The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Master’s in Finance Programs.

Get your guide:

The post What Do You Need to Know to Get Accepted to a Master’s in Finance (MFin) Program? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Learn how real students navigate their way through the business school admissions process and b-school itself with our What is Graduate School Really Like? series.

Meet Dave, a math buff, beekeeper, and recent graduate of MIT’s Master’s in Finance program

Dave, thank you for sharing your story with us!

Congratulations on your recent graduation from MIT’s Master’s in Finance program! What did you enjoy most about your graduate experience?

Dave: Without a doubt: the people. Whether it’s my classmates or the professors I bonded with, the MFin class is a diverse set of students from different backgrounds and with various career projects, and the faculty is always glad to share their experiences for career advice or personal matter.

I understand you hold a master’s degree in applied mathematics. What inspired you to pursue the MFin?

Dave: My past internships in the banking field convinced me to find a job in finance where I could apply my mathematical skills. What drove me specifically to MIT’s MFin is the fact that here at MIT, they teach ALL finance – whether it’s Financial Engineering or Corporate Finance. After about 5 years of mathematics, I wanted to loosen a bit on the math part to better understand some of the financial concepts I have to deal with.

You’ve spent time working in France, the UK, and Israel. Can you share a bit about your international work experiences?

Dave: I interned as a data-scientist in an early-age startup in Israel, Fanzone. This was my first hands-on experience to apply my mathematical skills to a particular problem – in this case designing an algorithm for carpooling solutions.

I worked as an M&A Analyst intern at Societe Generale in Paris. That was my first big dive into finance. This internship was demanding with the classic working hours in the M&A workplace but I learned so much about finance and this made me want to pursue a degree in this field.

Lastly, I worked as a Quant researcher in Credit Trading at BNP Paribas in London. It was the perfect experience to discover the technical part of the markets and work on some concrete pricing problems. Plus, London is a lovely city!

When and how did you apply for your international internship positions?

Dave: I applied for my international internship positions at the end of my bachelor/master’s degrees. The process was not very particular, I just applied online, then went to the superday, etc.

Looking back, what was your graduate school application experience like? Did you encounter any bumps along the road to grad school acceptance?

Dave: Stressful, obviously, but the MIT Sloan admissions team is doing a remarkable job to ease the process. I called them multiple times to make sure I was submitting the right documents, etc. I did not really encounter any bumps along the road. The admissions committee and the program officers held various webinars to make it clear about the ideal candidate they’re looking for, which was helpful.

During the admissions process, did you face any unique challenges as an international student?

Dave: The one challenge I faced as an international student was probably writing my SOP (Statement of Purpose). I was told by faculty and students that this was the most important piece of the application process so I wanted to nail it. However, the SOP writing is not an easy exercise, especially for an international student who never had to write one before. Finding the right trade-off between showing off skills and experiences and humility with this “American enthusiasm” was an uncomfortable moment for me.

Once graduate school began, what surprised you most about your program?

Dave: The incredible breadth of classes I could take.

Can you share examples of some of the more unique class offerings at MIT? Did you have any favorite classes?

Dave: There are some unique classes at MIT like How to make Hummus 101 or Poker Theory and Analytics. Being a math guy, I really enjoyed the math classes at MIT; they kind of helped me relax though finance classes at Sloan (yeah, I’m weird, I know). That being said, I did enjoy a lot all my business-related classes at Sloan. I’d say that my favorite classes had to be: The Finance and Science of Biotechnologies, which was a thrilling combination of biologists and finance people to tackle the big challenges of biotechnologies and healthcare finance related issues, and ​Fixed Incomes Securities & Derivatives, because of the enthusiasm of Prof. Deborah Lucas.

What extracurricular activities did you participate in before applying to business school? What activities did you participate in as a student?

Dave: I’m a beekeeper, so before applying to MIT I spent most of my spare time taking care of my bees or educating people at my former engineering school Ecole Polytechnique where I was the president of the beekeeping club.

Besides that, I took professional acting lessons, so the additional time I had I spent on the stage with friends acting some French plays.

Finally, I was on the rowing team of my former school.

While at MIT, I sometimes visited the beehives and rowed when the weather was great (so not a lot actually, haha). Having less time, I could not get as involved as I used to be with MIT extracurricular activities. However, MIT Sloan boasts a great set of clubs to socialize and talk about diverse topics in Finance. As far as I am concerned, I was the president of the Quantitative Financial Markets club, which means my friends and I organized talks and debates on this topic. It was a great experience, especially to share ideas with very techy people from the MIT Computer Science or Math Department, for instance.

What is an MFin Senator?

Dave: The Sloan Senate is an association of students elected by their program to make life at MIT Sloan the best possible. I was elected one of the Senators of the MFin Class to represent it during the Sloan Senate sessions held every few weeks. In addition to that, I sat in the admissions committee (each Senator has to join a committee) to enhance the diversity of applicants to MIT Sloan and make the application process as comfortable as possible.

What recruiting opportunities are available to MFin students?

Dave: ​Many opportunities:

• ​This year we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of the MFin program. The alumni network is getting bigger and is always prepared to help you regarding career topics.
• Many company events are held at MIT Sloan or the MIT main campus.
• Boston is a fantastic finance hub – especially for hedgefunds and fintech.

What industry are you working in at the moment? What are your long-term professional goals?

Dave: ​I’ve just graduated and was offered a full-time job at JPMorgan in Credit Quantitative Trading. To me, this is a great tradeoff between quantitative and qualitative analysis. My long-term professional goal would be to become a portfolio manager.

If you could share one message with students at the beginning of their business school journey, what would it be?

Dave: ​My advice would be “Don’t dream it. Just do it.” No Nike ad intended here, haha.

Soon enough, you’ll discover through your journey in business school that there’s nothing you cannot do if you put your mind and actions into it (the famous “Mens and Manus” MIT motto). As Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world” and the world needs now more than ever principled, innovative leaders to change the world. So just go for it and do it!

Do you have questions for Dave? Questions for us? Do you want to be featured in our next What is Graduate School Really Like? post? Know someone else who you’d love to see featured? Are there questions you’d like us to ask our students in this series? LET US KNOW!

You can learn more about Dave by checking out his LinkedIn profile.

Are you setting out on your own business school journey? We can help you reach the finish line! Check out our Master’s in Finance Application Packages to team up with an admissions expert who will help you join the ranks of thousands of Accepted clients who get accepted to their dream schools.

Related Resources:

• Fitting In & Standing Out: the Paradox at the Heart of Admissions, a free guide
• Accepted’s Master’s in Finance Tips, a collection of blog posts for MFin applicants
• MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In! a podcast episode

The post A Glimpse into the MIT MFin Experience of an International Student appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Here’s a question for all MBA applicants: what do you do if the product you are selling suddenly becomes significantly less appealing to your international markets? Evolving conditions have made your customers doubt your product is worth as much as you are charging, and fewer potential customers are taking the risk on your product. The answer that the top MBA programs identified: Reduce the risk and make the product more cost-effective!

I am speaking, of course, of the increasing number of American MBA programs that have earned STEM certification. As work visas to stay in the U.S. after business school and earn the salaries that international students need to pay off their student loans became harder to come by, international applications decreased. In fact, 48% of U.S. MBA programs reported a decline in international applications for their 2019 entering classes; 23% of U.S. MBA programs reported a significant decline (a 21% or more drop in international applications)!

To alleviate the uncertainty in the visa process, the American MBA programs have found a strategic differentiator: STEM certification. Graduates of certified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs qualify for STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training), a 24-month extension of a student’s F-1 visa to apply the skills they learned in their STEM degree studies in full-time employment in the U.S.

While some MBA programs – such as Chicago Booth, Wharton, Virginia Darden – now offer specific concentrations that qualify international students for STEM OPT, others – such as Berkeley Haas, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, and Rochester Simon – qualify MBA graduates of all majors in their MBA programs for this extension.

We’re going to do our best to keep this table current. However, please do not rely on this table; confirm the STEM designation yourself to make sure that the MBA programs you apply to really have that designation. And if you find out a school has attained STEM certification and is not on the list, please let us know by emailing blog@accepted.com.

If you would like to learn how to get into top MBA programs that offer STEM OPT eligibility and are a good fit for you, register for a free consultation with me. 

At Accepted, we’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

Related Resources:

• Navigate the MBA Maze, a free guide
• Highlights of Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2019 MBA Rankings
• International Application Volume Drops At U.S. Grad Schools

The post Top MBA Programs Get STEM-Certified to Attract Int’l Students appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

UC Berkeley Haas is perhaps best known for its highly selective MBA program, but this business school also offers a one-year Master of Financial Engineering degree for those applicants interested in computational finance focused on business and economics. 

Haas’s MFE shares the MBA program’s high selectivity – the MFE program received 565 applications for only 79 places in the class of 2019 – and its high post-graduation salaries – after graduating from the one-year MFE, last year’s graduates earned an average first year base compensation of $108,286, compared with Haas’s average two-year MBA graduate base salaries of $137,819. 

In fact, 100% of the MFE class received job offers, and 92% choose to stay and work in the US when they graduate. One reason for that high placement rate is the practical experience that graduates enjoy in their mandatory 10-12-week internships in the fall/winter (October to January), filling banks’ needs for interns in the wake of those MBA students’ returning to their programs following their summer internships. 

Another reason for that successful placement rate in the US is that this is a STEM program, so international students are eligible for up to 36 months of optional practical training in the US after graduating. Haas MFE grads apply the computational proficiency and complex financial modeling & strategy skills they gain predominantly to careers in asset management, investment banking and fintech. 

The MFE application contains several components, including listing all of courses you have taken in the required prerequisite areas (Finance/Economics: Corporate Finance, Macroeconomics; Math: Calculus, Linear Algebra, Partial Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis; Statistics: Advanced Statistics, Econometrics; and Programming: C++, Python, R, and Machine Learning). 

Here are Haas MFE’s essay questions, each with a 250-word maximum length, with my tips for responding in blue. 

UC Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering application essays

Haas MFE essay #1

Please provide a statement regarding your experience, if any, in applying your quantitative skills to problem solving in business or research settings. (250 words maximum per question)

The best way to answer this question is not by writing another list but by making these experiences come alive for the reader by sharing an example or two of the problems you faced and how you applied quantitative skills to resolve them. The best answers will show both quantitative skills and creativity in applying them to arrive at the best solutions. 

Haas MFE essay #2

Please discuss why you have decided to apply to the MFE at this time and what career path you intend to pursue post MFE. (250 words maximum per question)

If your answer is “To make a lot of money,” then stop right now. Sure, graduates of this program will be offered high salaries, but Haas is seeking applicants who are passionate about finance, not just about making money. Where is your passion? What questions or problems do you look forward to tackling with your MFE? Be sure to address the “at this time” element of the question by including how your previous experience has inspired and prepared you for these challenges. 

Haas MFE essay #3

Choose one of your volunteer activities and discuss. (250 words maximum per question)

One of Haas’s four pillars is Beyond Yourself; Haas is seeking students who are leaders in the community, supporting others’ success, not just their own. Use this space to show how you have contributed to a person, organization, community, and/or the world through a volunteer role. 

Supplemental information

These questions address additional aspects of your application and should be answered as succinctly as possible (250 words maximum per question).

Haas MFE supplemental question #1

What do you view as a particular strength of yours? What do you view as a particular weakness? Would friends or family share your view? (250 words maximum per question)

Haas students are self-aware; they have Confidence Without Attitude, so you are allowed to be proud of your strengths as long as you recognize your areas for growth. Use this space to share an example that illustrates a strength you have developed as well as your effort to address a weakness. 

Haas MFE supplemental question #2

If you have ever been placed on academic probation, been dismissed from a school, or received a failing grade (including non-graded courses for which you received an assessment of unsatisfactory or “not pass”), please explain. (250 words maximum per question)

Haas’s MFE program is challenging, so only those with strong academic records will thrive here. If you experienced a course or period in which you did not perform to that standard, here is your chance to explain why the admissions committee should not worry that this is indicative of poor future performance in their program. 

Haas MFE supplemental question #3

Do you feel that your academic record is an accurate reflection of your ability and potential? In comparison to your college friends and classmates, do you feel that you were particularly advantaged or disadvantaged? Please explain. (250 words maximum per question)

For every grade there is background, and Haas does want to understand it. If you faced challenges that most students do not – illness, physical challenges, family financial difficulties that you were helping with, trauma – you can share that detail here to lend context to your story. 

Haas MFE supplemental question #4

Provide an account of any gaps in your employment since your undergraduate degree. (250 words maximum per question)

Gaps of 3 months or more require some explanation. Show that you used the time between employments for your personal edification and/or the benefit of the community. 

Haas MFE video essay

Here you will be shown a question, have 20 seconds to think and organize your ideas, then have up to 2 minutes to respond (though you may stop the recording earlier than that). If you don’t feel your first response went well, you will be allowed to delete that attempt and redo the video. 

Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Haas is using this video to put a face and tone to your application, so while your words will matter, presence and poise matter also. You need to speak slowly and clearly, look openly at the camera, and speak as if there were a person sitting in front of you. I recommend placing a drawing of a smiley face or even a picture of the program’s executive director, Linda Kreitzman, next to your camera so you have an easier time imagining this personal engagement. 

UC Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering application deadlines

*Late applications will be accepted until November 7, 2020, 2:59AM ET

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Applicants typically hear admissions decisions within 4-8 weeks of applying. 

If you would like help with your Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering program, register for a free consultation with me. 

At Accepted, we’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top Masters programs and look forward to helping you too!

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application Essays, a free guide
• The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads, a podcast episode
• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Master’s in Finance Programs

The post Berkeley Haas MFE (Master of Financial Engineering) Application Tips [2020 – 2021] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

When I used to travel to applicant fairs to represent London Business School, I’d commonly be approached by candidates asking, “I want an MBA but don’t have any full-time work experience. Can I study at your school?” While the answer in that instance was “no”, the conversation never ended there. The discussion would then turn to the options for those who don’t meet the work experience requirement of most MBA programmes, but who have the desire to pursue graduate management study and start making their mark in the business world. Two of the most commonly pursued paths for candidates in this situation include pre-experience masters programmes and deferred MBAs.

Pre-experience / early career programmes

These terms are used interchangeably, but they both refer to those programmes that cater to recent graduates (‘recent’ meaning 0-3 years out of undergraduate). While this category started with the general management MiM (masters in/of management), the portfolio of programmes now includes masters in finance, innovation and entrepreneurship, and data analytics, to name but a few of the courses you might find available at business schools today. 

Applicants fitting into this category are commonly referred to as pre-experience or early-career candidates, and this market continues to grow; according to the 2017 Tomorrow’s Masters report by CarringtonCrisp, “67% of respondents were looking at a business master’s programme as an alternative to an MBA”. While pursuing a programme like a MiM doesn’t negate the need for the MBA later down the road (indeed you will find individuals who have both a MiM and MBA), these programmes are excellent options for recent graduates looking to start their careers in the business world. 

There are a myriad of reasons as to why a graduate may want to pursue their studies now versus waiting to pursue an MBA – they may be looking to specialise in a specific area, such as finance or marketing early on in order to enter a specific function. Or they might be looking to “convert” their liberal arts or science degree into a business career. Whatever the reason, these degrees provide graduates with an excellent foundation and help students build the skills, knowledge, careers support, and network to get a head start in their career.

Deferred MBA admissions

This may be slightly confusing considering the mention of MBA. What deferred admissions means is that you apply while you are in your final year of study (or just after) and before starting full-time work. If you are accepted, you receive a guaranteed seat to join after spending a couple of years in the working world. 

These programmes are a great option as they offer security (yay, no having worry about studying for the GMAT and writing your applications alongside your busy work schedule!) and add some clout to your resume (wow, already accepted to an MBA before even graduating? Impressive!). Of course as with anything there are pros and cons, so it’s important to think about whether committing yourself to a deferred programme makes sense with your career aims, or whether you will need some flexibility and the ability to change path in those first couple of years after graduating. 

Some programmes are open to students from any university (Harvard’s 2+2), and others are open only to the school’s undergraduate population (University of Pennsylvania’s Moelis Advance Access Program). There are also scholarship programmes, such as NYU’s William R. Berkley Scholarship Program, which not only provides early entry to their MBA, Tech MBA, or Fashion & Luxury MBA, but also full funding. Regardless of entry criteria or offering, these programmes are incredibly competitive, so you’ll need to prepare your best application.

Here are some other options currently on the market (as of March 2020) that you may want to take a closer look at:

• Stanford GSB: The Deferred Enrollment programme is aimed at students in either the final year of their bachelors or joint bachelor/graduate programme, or those currently in a graduate programme started immediately following undergrad/postgrad study.  
  
  Stanford cites deferred enrolment as a good option for those unsure of their long-term professional path and who feel they would benefit from full-time work experience before enrolling. And they indicate some industries – such as private equity, biotech, and management consulting – recruit only MBA candidates with pre-MBA experience in that field or with specialized knowledge, so conducting some due diligence into the recruitment practices of possible target industries would be wise. 
  
  As for applicants, they expect students (during the deferral period) to be “productively engaged…to pursue opportunities that enable you to build expertise, enhance your skills and knowledge, expand your perspective, and develop professional judgment and self-confidence.” So you need to do some introspection about what activities will allow you to develop and how you should be spending your time.
  
  
• Northwestern Kellogg: Hot off the press is Kellogg’s Future Leaders program, which opened admissions February 2020. This new deferred programme allows students to work for two to five years before beginning their MBA journey. Master’s and undergraduate students (excluding law, medical and PhD students/grads, who apply through the standard admissions process) can come from any undergraduate study discipline and have either graduated in the past year, be in their final year, or have gone straight into graduate study post-bachelors. 
  
  The usual admissions requirements exist – test scores, essays, letters of recommendation, interviews – for some, but not all candidates. Those already attending Northwestern will be exempt from taking either the GMAT or GRE, so that’s one application requirement that can be ticked off the list for those already wearing the purple N.
  
  
• Yale SOM: The Silver Scholar’s Program works slightly differently to some of the other deferred admission programmes on this list in that college seniors earn their MBA in a fast-tracked three-year format immediately following their undergraduate years. The programme structure is as follows: Year 1 – core curriculum. Year 2 – full-time internship(s). Year 3 – electives. The opportunity to develop academic skills alongside professional experience is a unique one. Perhaps even more unique is the fact that Silver Scholars learn alongside students from the regular MBA track. Access to knowledge and experience? Check!
  
  On Yale’s part, they say their Silver Scholars “are chosen for their combination of intelligence and common sense, maturity and curiosity, passion and compassion. Each has made a difference and distinguished him- or herself in a particular field of interest.” You’ll need to really make yourself stand out through the application process (which, by the way, is the same as the regular MBA track, just with a few differences). Remember, you’ll be studying alongside students with five years of experience. The ad com will need assurance that you have what it takes to contribute, and you’ll need to prove you do through your application.
  
  
• Chicago Booth: Initially open to only University of Chicago undergraduates, in 2018, Booth opened admissions to its Chicago Booth Scholars deferred admissions programme to students from any university. The programme allows candidates to apply before they graduate from college, defer and gain professional experience for two to five years before joining for their MBA.
  
  Booth cites “flexibility [as] one of the major differentiators”. In addition to the length of time accepted students are allowed in post-graduate employment, if students want to continue in employment instead of joining school full-time past five years, they’re able to consider Booth’s Evening MBA or Weekend MBA Program instead.
  
  Booth says candidates for the Scholars Program are “intellectually curious with personal maturity, competitive scores, and demonstrated leadership throughout college…and display a track record of quality internships, part-time jobs, and/or an entrepreneurial spirit.” In addition to demonstrating these qualities, Booth expects applicants to “articulate a potential career path and why an MBA is necessary in the near future…and show the ability to question the status quo, engage in the process of learning, and thrive in an academically rigorous environment.” Booth is looking for intelligent, independent thinkers with a considered career map. While of course career aims can change during the course of deferment, the ad com will want to see that candidates have taken the time to consider their career path, and how Booth fits in. 
  
  
• UVA Darden: Darden’s Future Year Scholars Program is open to final year college students, or those pursuing a 5^th year master’s degree, who can work for two to four years before starting their MBA studies. Darden entices candidates with possible merit awards at the time of admission, and additional opportunities for scholarship consideration when the admitted student matriculates. 
  
  Darden evaluates applications based on academics, extracurricular involvement, and personal characteristics. While the latter of these criteria is vague, they do say they are looking for students who “aspire to be future ethical leaders and managers in a global world”. Thought into why you have the potential to be this future leader, and whether your values align to theirs, wouldn’t go amiss.
  
  
• MIT Sloan: If you are an “ambitious and forward-thinking student”, Sloan’s MBA Early Admission Program might be right for you. Open to final year or recently (current academic year) graduated students, or those in graduate study without work experience (started immediately following bachelors), students are able to work for two to five years before joining the MBA.
  
  The admissions process is slightly different for Early Admission candidates, and with a different application calendar for non-MIT undergrads. Candidates are required to submit a 300-word cover letter demonstrating their fit. MIT is quite specific who they’re looking for. They want “thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world…people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative… who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to pre-empt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas.” A lot to think about and a lot to squeeze into a one-page cover letter, so do carefully consider how you fit these criteria. Additionally, candidates must submit a resume and 60 second video introducing themselves to the class. The video is a great opportunity to show your personality and bring the person introduced in the cover letter to life.
  
  And applicants who are current MIT students with a cumulative GPA of 4.2 or above are in luck, as GMAT/GRE will be waived for them.

If these options sound interesting, but you’re still unsure of whether it makes sense to study for a masters now or wait to pursue an MBA, check out this podcast episode where we discuss the differences in the degrees and points for consideration.  

While an MBA is the ultimate education goal for many, if you’re not yet eligible due to your lack of work experience, but know you want to pursue a business masters, you have options. Start researching and contacting schools to see what options are out there for you, and what can bring you closer to your dream of making an impact in business.

The important thing here to remember is that you CAN apply for an MBA with no work experience, but it’s not without its challenges. And Accepted can help! Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting Services and work one-on-one an experienced advisor who will help you create an application strategy that will get you accepted!

Related Resources:

• MBA Applicants: Make Your Work Experience Work for You, a free guide
• How an Admissions Committee Views MBA Work Experience
• 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

The post No Work Experience. Want MBA. What Should You do? appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The MIT Sloan Master of Finance program is significantly influenced by being part of both the Sloan School of Management and MIT more broadly. The culture and values of those two entities infuse the MFin program. Yes, being a quant geek helps, but the program’s adcom wants more: people who have a distinctive perspective, a sense of purpose, curiosity about and interest in using their quant chops to make a difference and build a better future, and the capacity become a leader within their area of finance. The written essays and video essays together will draw out those qualities and help the adcom identify the applicants who best fit the program.

MIT Sloan MFin 2020-21 application essays and video questions

Using relevant, verifiable details, such as awards, rankings, media references, etc., please respond to the three short answer questions below. (Each response should be 200 words or less.)

MIT Sloan MFin essay #1

Please discuss past academic and professional experiences and accomplishments that will help you succeed in the Master of Finance program. Include achievements in finance, math, statistics, and computer sciences, as applicable.

The challenge here is to avoid being merely redundant of your resume and transcript. And the solution is to identify accomplishments and achievements that are meaningful to you in some way AND will be relevant to your future path. Rather than listing, say 5 or 6 items, present 3-4 and (for at least 1-2) succinctly explain their importance to you – the quality of your insight is what will set this essay apart and show you to be an engaged, appealing candidate. 

MIT Sloan MFin essay #2

Describe your short-term and long-term professional goals. How will our MFin degree help you achieve these goals?

Be specific for your short-term goals: type of position, industry, what special experiences you’ll bring to the role (beyond an MIT MFin), possibly geography – and perhaps most important, WHY you want to do that role. Longer-term goals can be less specific and detailed, but motivation should be clear. Of course, link specific elements and qualities of the MFin program to your goals – it may seem obvious how it will help you, but you need a thoughtful discussion. This essay is core to portraying your fit with the program in terms of making productive use of its content and resources. 

MIT Sloan MFin essay #3

Please share personal qualities that will enable you to contribute to the advancement of our mission.

This essay is the other part of “fit” – where you will show that you understand and align with MIT and the program in terms of culture and values. Again, avoid lists of qualities. Select 2-3 qualities that enable you to contribute to the mission as indicated and present those qualities via anecdote – MIT is always interested in what you’ve actually done; just “talk” doesn’t convey credibility. An anecdote can be as short as a sentence sometimes (“When ABC happened, I did DEF, and realized GHI, which gave me the courage to XYZ…”).  And, please, avoid using qualities that don’t really add to the picture, like strong analytic skills, hard worker – the adcom knows that already!

MIT Sloan MFin video question #1

Please upload a one-minute (60 second) video introducing yourself to your future classmates and letting us know why you are interested in the finance industry.

The video should be a single take (no editing) and lasting no more than one minute, consisting of you speaking directly to the camera. You should not use background music or subtitles.

Don’t feel the need to be clever or funny or dramatic. Start with a brief intro – where are you from? What are you doing now? Then tell a story –  the story of how you became interested in the finance industry. Include a setting – when, where – and share that first spark of interest. Also, the question says “finance industry” but that is too broad for the video purposes; be more specific, i.e. what aspect of finance or finance industry. Are you interested in Investment Banking, Quantitative Finance, Corporate Finance, PE, VC, something else? Public Investment? Research? Delineate your interest in the specific area in the video. That will be both more credible and more interesting than “finance” broadly.

For process: write a script, practice a few times to feel natural, and test out the visuals. Then go for it! 

MIT Sloan MFin video question #2

All MFin applicants must submit a brief video statement in response to a simple, open-ended general interest question. The question is designed to help us get to know you better; to see how you express yourself and to assess fit with the MIT Sloan culture. It does not require prior preparation and will not be a technical question. The Video Question 2 is a part of your required application materials and will appear as a page within the application, once the other parts of your application are completed. 

Each applicant receives a randomly generated question and has one minute to prepare a 60-second response.

This is more like an interview, and the best way to prepare is simply to practice random questions in front of a video camera with the same specs, i.e., 1-minute prep time. The aim is to practice enough so that generating a strong, engaging reply is second nature by the time you do it for real.

Get professional guidance with your LBS MiF application! Check out Accepted’s MiF Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the LBS MiF application.

MIT Sloan Master of Finance 2020 – 2021 application deadline

Source: MIT Sloan Master’s in Finance website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Related Resources:

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application Essays, a free guide
• How to Get Accepted to Master’s in Finance Programs
• A Glimpse into the MIT MFin Experience of an International Student

The post MIT Sloan Master of Finance Application Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines [2020 – 2021] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Are you considering a Master’s in Finance or MBA degree? [Show summary]

Admissions veteran and Accepted consultant Dr. Christie St-John explores the latest in MBA admissions and provides insights for those applying for a master’s in finance.

Read on for must-know admissions insights! [Show notes]

In May of 2020, admissions veteran Dr. Christie St-John joined Accepted as an MBA and graduate admissions consultant. Today, I’m going to speak with her about MBA admissions and about master’s in finance admissions.

Dr. St-John was a guest on our old chats as Associate Director of Admissions for Tuck. More recently, she was on Admissions Straight Talk as Director of Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA Recruiting and Admissions, and most recently as an Accepted grad school and MBA admissions consultant. Today, Dr. St. John is going to share her expertise with you and me, once again, on this podcast.

You’ve been advising applicants as a consultant for about a year now. How has your perspective on the admissions process evolved since you moved to helping applicants, as opposed to evaluating applicants? [2:37]

I’m looking at their resumes and their essays much more critically because I know what is going to be said and discussed on the other end of it. While they may think they have wonderful essays that explain everything, sometimes they are too close to what they’re writing about, and the message is totally lost because they are leaving out important elements of it. That has really helped me get people on the right track to making their essays as detailed, yet still concise, as possible so that their best qualities will show up.

Let’s just talk about the resume. What are some of the more common mistakes that you see, or that you are now correcting, that you saw as an admissions director? [3:41]

A lot of times the candidates would just put down a job description, and that is not what we’re looking for. We’re actually looking for results. Showing that you have initiative, that you have actually had an impact, however small, on the organization you’re working with. That’s what the admissions committees are looking for. In many, many cases, members of the career management staff will also be on the admissions committee. You can believe that’s what they’re looking for because their job is to get you a job. If you don’t have the experience or the qualifications or any sort of leverageable skills that they can help you with, they are probably going to nix your acceptance because they can’t help you. The whole point of you’re going to a school is to be helped to find a job. You need to be a bit more self-aware of what you know how to do, and what you don’t know how to do as well, when you’re coming up with your long and short term goals.

What about the essays? What are you looking to improve? [4:55]

The first thing is to make sure they’re actually answering the question that’s asked, because that is quite often the main issue. They’re thinking, “I’ve already done it. This is similar to what I did for X school. I’m just going to cut it and paste it and put it in here for Y school.” Sometimes that might work but, for the most part, no. Each school knows what they want. It should be obvious in the question the way it’s asked. If you’re answering something totally off the mark, you get points off for that.

There’s no right or wrong answer, but there is an answer that makes sense to the question. When it says, “Tell me about your short-term goals after the MBA,” and you say, “My short-term goal is to get an MBA,” that’s not after the MBA. You need to have reasonable goals. You cannot reform the entire education system or the healthcare system of the United States, or any other country, by yourself. Have realistic goals.

Do those goals have to be a little bit ambitious too? [6:09]

It’s always good. That’s another thing that admissions committees will look at. They’ll look at your transcript, not just for the grades, but to see if you took some classes that were quite challenging. Have you taken on responsibilities at work or outside of work that have challenged you and helped you grow? That’s very important. We don’t want a list of extracurricular activities just to have a long list of things. We want to see that you’ve actually been involved and invested in the organizations you’re working for.

Many applicants will soon be resigning themselves to the fact that they may need to reapply next cycle. What’s your advice for MBA reapplicants? [6:50]

Sit back and look at your application with a very critical eye and find what you think is the weak part. You’re probably going to guess it. It could be that you have not expressed your goals in a realistic manner. It could be that your GMAT is just way short of the average, or it’s right at the average, and with the over abundance of applications this year, being at average just doesn’t cut it in some schools. It could be that you are talking about going into an industry that the school doesn’t do, so it’s not the right school for you. That’s one of the things that you have to be really aware of when you’re selecting your schools: if they’re going to give you what you need. Just because they’re ranked number one, two, five, 10, or whatever doesn’t mean that they’re going to be the best school for what your goals are, but there is a school out there that is right for you.

Who should take advantage of the test waivers, and who should take the test? [8:05]

I was just reading an article the other day that shows that your undergraduate GPA is not necessarily the best at forecasting how you will be doing in school, but the GMAT is. If you have really high grades and you’ve gotten lots of quant classes, I don’t think a school is going to think twice about waiving your test score, or if you have an exceptionally long amount of work experience. But if you have a lower than average GPA, and you have not had any quant classes, you’re really shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t take the test because you need the extra oomph that the test will give you to be able to get in the school. If you’re below average, you’re not going to get the top schools. Even some of the lower ranked schools are picky about it because they don’t want anybody to enter the program who’s going to fail the first semester. That’s really depressing for everyone. Study, get really good test guides, and pay for test prep with someone. I recommend one of the regular test prep companies rather than a private tutor, because sometimes private tutors may not know what the GMAT really is. But study for it and try to do the best you can. If you can’t do the GMAT, then do the GRE at least. Show them that you have the ability to do the quantitative work.

How should applicants plan for the increased competition we’re experiencing this year? [10:01]

It has been considerably more competitive. The number of applications has gone up from 41% to 67% or something like that. It’s about a 26% increase in applications in two out of three schools. That’s a lot. It doesn’t matter where the school is or its ranking. They’ve gotten more applications, and they’re being pickier. Again, look at your application with a very critical eye, and look at your essays. Are they really saying what you’re thinking about? Does your resume actually show what you’ve done? Do you have enough leadership or extracurricular activities to make you a well-rounded human being? Do you have instances of initiative? There’s so many things to look at. If your grades are really low in quant classes, go out and sign up for something on Coursera or at your local community college. Do something to make your application improve. I remember once we had a candidate who applied four years in a row and didn’t change a thing about her application. Not the essays, not her test scores, nothing. She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t getting in.

What are some of the different kinds of master’s in finance degrees out there? [11:28]

I was really surprised when I started looking into all this, because some of them are 10 months or nine months. Some of them are 18 months. There are a couple that have an internship track, and others have just an academic track, so you don’t have an internship. Others will help prepare you for the CFA, which is pretty important I think. Others, you will be sitting in on MBA classes. That’s going to give you a different network as well to speak to and a bit more of a challenge. I think that for the most part though, the MS Finance programs are really focused on theory and technical skills, as opposed to the MBA, which gives you a much larger view of business since you learn all the functional areas. MS Finance is just focused only on finance and statistical modeling and things like that.

When you’re looking at those programs, find ones that have a capstone project so that you actually apply what you’re learning. This is always good to put on your resume to convince an employer, “I’ve done this. I know how to do this.” If you want to take the CFA, make sure your program is affiliated with the CFA so that it’s preparing you to do that.

What careers do master’s in finance holders typically pursue? [12:52]

Anything from investment banking to financial analysts. They’ll start out as financial planners, some of them will go into the stock trading area, commodities trading, corporate finance, obviously. They’re not going to start out on the same level as an MBA, but they will catch up pretty fast. The difference is that the master’s in finance programs, of course, do not always require work experience. The schools would like for you to have a couple of internships, at least, but it is not required. Whereas with an MBA, you do need work experience.

What do you think applicants should look at when they’re researching master’s in finance programs? [13:46]

That’s what I tell all my clients: I say, the first thing you need to do is look at the career report. How many people are getting jobs and where are they going? Because that’s in there. And if you don’t see the companies that you’re interested in on that report, there’s probably a reason. They don’t recruit there. Then after that, go look at the curriculum. What exactly are they doing in the curriculum? And then go start looking at other schools, because you will just be terribly frustrated. What’s sad is that the students will end up taking it out on the career management office, saying “They didn’t find me a job.” The career people really try very, very hard. If you end up in a school that doesn’t do what you think you want to do, the career people will, if they are ethical (and they all are as far as I know), try to make you see the reality of life. That you cannot just step into a VC job or a PE job if you have no finance experience at all. It’s just not going to happen. They will try to help you make parallel movements so that you will eventually get there. They will be the first thing you have coming out. That’s why they’re good at what they do.

What kind of academic background should someone seeking their master’s in finance have? [15:30]

I’ve been looking at the requirements for a lot of different programs this year. If you’ve never seen accounting, if you’ve never taken statistics or even Algebra II, you’re going to have a really rough time. You need to get at least that accounting class, statistics class, Excel, you need to know Excel and Algebra II minimum to be able to pass finance classes. There are a lot of free courses online. I would suggest hopping on a Coursera class and learning about Python. More and more schools are wanting to know if you’ve got these technical skills: Tableau, and Python, and Sequel, and SAS, and SP. But if you can do those on your own, or if you’re still in school and you can take those at school, do it. They will enhance your resume for certain. You’ll also be able to get through your work a lot quicker if you know how to do it.

What about work experience outside the classroom? What are most master’s in finance programs looking for? [16:39]

Most of them are designed for candidates coming right out of undergrad. Again, they would like for you to have a couple of internships so that you’ve at least worked in an office atmosphere and know what finance really means. Most programs do tracks or have companies visit, and they will go over the different jobs that they’re looking for, so you get a better idea of it. But if you’ve actually worked, even if it’s only for a couple of months, it gives you a leg up in the recruiting process, as well as understanding why you’re studying one particular thing in a class.

You mentioned that one of the distinctions between the MBA and the MIF is that for the MBA, you are expected to have significant work experience, for the master’s in finance, you’re not. Also, the MBA is a broader degree, where you’re exploring multiple areas of business functions. A master’s in finance is strictly finance. Are there any other significant differences? [17:30]

Not that I can think of. The salaries coming out will be slightly different. They’ll be higher for the MBAs and the MSFs. But at the same time, for any graduate business degree, an article I just read showed that it was about a 75% increase from what someone with an undergrad degree coming in the same job would have. 

Every so often we come across somebody who did the MIF and then they decided they still wanted the MBA. Do you think that’s justified or a good idea? [18:23]

I’ve long been a proponent of the MBA. I think it’s the best degree that anyone can have. But I know at Vanderbilt, if you went through the MSF program there, then you could come back in about a couple of years, once you got some work experience, and it would only take you three semesters to complete the MBA program rather than two years because you’d get credit for all the undergrad programs. But generally that will only happen if you are attending the MBA at the same school you did the MSF. It’s possible that they might give you some credit for classes, but most MBA programs do not accept transfer credit.

What do you wish I would’ve asked you? [19:33]

Are all the different specialized master’s degrees cannibalizing the MBA? In a sense they are. But in another sense, I know that the current generation wants to get through school and get out in the workplace as fast as they can. A lot of them don’t see the need for going and getting work experience first. “I’m ready to do this now, let me in!” The specialized master’s degrees give them that. A lot of times they are seriously only interested in doing data analytics, or finance, or marketing. They don’t really care about the rest of it. Why shouldn’t they have that option? The MBA will always be there, but I think it’s going to be a little bit different. We may see people coming into the MBA classroom who have specialized master’s degrees, and they’re going to give the people coming in without that a run for their money. It might be a little more competitive. 

Related links:

• Accepted’s Master’s in Finance Tips, a collection of blog posts for MFin applicants
• A Glimpse into the MIT MFin Experience of an International Student, an interview with a Master’s in Finance student

Related shows:

• Application Trends to Watch in 2021, and a Look Back at 2020
• Is an MBA Worth It, or Is the Sky Falling Down on the MBA Degree?
• An Insider’s Look at MBA Admissions
• Why These GMAT Experts Approach Test-Taking With Empathy
• MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In!
• NYU Stern’s New Online Masters in Quantitative Management
• The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads

Subscribe:

Podcast Feed

The post What It’s Like to Apply for a Master’s in Finance or MBA in 2021 [Episode 413] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.