Hi:I graduated with a BS in CS from one of Top 10 CS undgrad programs two years ago. Since then I haven been working in the Enterprise Software industry. Mostly Writting MFC/COM program in VC++ , VB and Java. Although my job is secure and well paid, I am looking for some thing more cross-displine instead of pure CS, FinMath seems to fit that quite nicely. Couple questionS for all you experts are: 1. Does Top program such as CMU, Columbia, UChicago, Bekeley, NYU take people with CS backgroud.2. I am solid in Math and Stat, and taking several Math refresher course locally at Berkeley.However my exprience with finance is lacking. and my current Job doesn't really relate to finaicial industry directly.(although our product is used in Financial firms frequently). Will this hurt my chance for acceptance, is there anything I can do about it. 3. Can a master in FinMath/FinEng with some industry exprience help one's chance in applying for PHD later on. Thanks!-FLOAT

Hey, Float.I will try to answer your question as best as I can despite my limited knowledge.1. Does Top program such as CMU, Columbia, UChicago, Bekeley, NYU take people with CS backgroud?I am attending CMU's MSCF program. There are plenty of students in my class who have CS background. Some students come directly from pure CS fields. 2. I am solid in Math and Stat, and taking several Math refresher course locally at Berkeley.However my exprience with finance is lacking. and my current Job doesn't really relate to finaicial industry directly.(although our product is used in Financial firms frequently). Will this hurt my chance for acceptance, is there anything I can do about it. To do well at this type of program, one has to be strong in math, stat, cs and finance. Let's face it. Very few students are proficient at all 4 areas. There will be one or two areas that one is relatively weak at. If you are strong in all 4 disciplines, you don't need this program. In your case, the weak area seems to be finance, but it is OK. You can pick it up during school. My classmates who did not have any finance background are doing well. 3. Can a master in FinMath/FinEng with some industry exprience help one's chance in applying for PHD later on?I don't know much about this since I am not interested in doing PHD myself. However, I heard that about 2,3 students graduating from the MIF program at Berkeley last year got accepted into the PHD program at Berkeley.Hope this helps.Good luck in your application.

floatmoon,I would say that in an MFE program, finance is actually the least important prerequisite. If you are strong in math, stat, and cs, finance will come very easy to you. However that said, you should have a strong interest in finance and be able to show it on your applications.I am the complete opposite of you. I come from a finance/economics background and I am very weak in cs; I would trade skills with you any day (I'm starting an MFE program in the fall).

I graduated from CMU's MSCF. From my experience, classmates having already had a PhD easily got a job as a quants.But if you're not expertized in math or stat, plus if you don't have a long enough experience in finance industory, it looked very hard to get a job.But if you are interested in getting PhD, I don't think academics care about your experience in finance industory much.

Hi monkIn your experience was it hard to get jobs or were there no jobs at all?ThanksA

Thanks for all the reply, I know that economy is tough, even with the master in FE, it might not be that easy to find a good position.But I can't decide my career base on current economy. I probably will go for the three below. 1. BerkeleyLike their faculty, better chance to move on to PHD, close to where I live. 2.CMUStrong overall, great CS environemnt.3. ColumbiaStrong overall, close to wall street. -floatuwcse@hotmail.com............................................................................................................................................................................................"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong stumbled or where the doer of the deed could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again. Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." --Theodore Roosevelt