Hi all, I'm hoping some of you could provide me with feedback on my application to an MFE program for Fall 09 - particularly the MSCF from CMU. I'm 29 and have been working as an R&D Mechanical engineer involved in computational fluid dynamics simulations in a Silicon Valley MNC for the past 4 years since my graduation. I graduated with a 1st-class honours Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from a university in Singapore and was 2nd in my class (I was the reserve Valedictorian). I was awarded several Dean's lists and was the top student in one year of my course as well. Being an engineering student, I have the usual grounding in maths and statistics and am confident in my quantitative abilities. I don't have any idea of Stochastic calculus and other particularly "Quant" fields but am extremely excited to read up on them. I have decent grounding in C/C++ from my studies as well; but that definitely needs some brushing up. Actually I really like programming and write little scripts in Autohotkey (yes, nothing like C++, I know) in my free time to improve my digital life on the PC. Besides the reputation of the CMU program, I am actually drawn by its heavy programming nature. I like to code (but I don't want to become an IT quant though!). I recently took the GRE and got AWA-6.0/Verbal-690/Quantitative-800. My main concern is my total lack of financial training and experience. My school work and professional life has been extremely technical. I have neither worked nor interned in any financial institution and this will be readily apparent in my application. I do not even play/invest in stocks and the like mostly because I lack the knowledge. Will this stick out like a sore thumb? I hope to get some grounding in reality about my chances. Besides the desire to increase my earnings, I am genuinely interested in the intellectual aspect of quantitative finance. I am enthused by the prospect of understanding how quant phenomena work. Everything seems to click for me with quantitative finance - I enjoy maths and programming and would very much like to beef up my knowledge in finance. Thanks in advance.

Actually your profile is not very different from many people who work in this business.The majority of people doing a MFE do not have any meaningful banking experience.

you are now 29, so you will start by 30, then you will be done by 32, then you only have 8 years of work until retiring by 40.

QuoteOriginally posted by: mityou are now 29, so you will start by 30, then you will be done by 32, then you only have 8 years of work until retiring by 40.Who retires at 40 these days?

Who retires at 40 these days?Not me...Actually I encounter people who got out young, (though none at 40), and they fall into two distinct types.Some just work, but in a radically different area at something of their choosing. They typically seem happy at this.Others quit to play golf, or some equivalent non-activity. They are borderline clinically depressed, not just pissed off. If you have the personality type that drives you to get serious money quickly, then you typically have a low boredom threshold. 31 is not too old to start in this game, a decent % of people do not finish their PhD until nearly 30.

Thank you Dominic, mit and sjcon for the replies. I interpret the situation as "a decent chance but will be competing with countless others just like me" since I have nothing that really shines in my CV. Would you guys recommend anything I could potentially do to beef up the finance portion of my CV in the few months till I send in my application? I intend to try for the first or second round which is around the end of the year. Another of my minor concerns would be my age since I'm essentially flipping my career around and uprooting myself halfway across the globe. In an ideal world, I'd be one of those undergrads who already knew what they wanted to do with their career but one can only wish and hearing DCFC's comment on age is good. Btw, I have no intention of retiring by 40 - not so presumptious... yet!Incidentally, Dominic, I'd like a copy of your Guide and have already sent you my CV.