Hi, I am PhD candidate and have three working experience in IT.I am now applying for MSc of Mathematics and Finance. I want to know what will be expected in the reference letter for application ofsuch a program. As you know, a reference letter is different fordifferent purpose by emphasizing in different aspects. My academicsupervisor does not know much about Quant.Any ideas?

A rough guess: they are looking for people who can 1. handle the maths involved and 2. preferably go on to a high profile, successful careers (i.e. be a good advert for the program)Your reference needs to convince them of this:1. Mathematical ability (are you doing a quantitative PhD?)2. do you actually want to work in financeetc

QuoteOriginally posted by: peterwA rough guess: they are looking for people who can 1. handle the maths involved and 2. preferably go on to a high profile, successful careers (i.e. be a good advert for the program)Your reference needs to convince them of this:1. Mathematical ability (are you doing a quantitative PhD?)Yes, I am, but not Math or Physics. My PhD work is something like statistic modeling.2. do you actually want to work in financeHow to express this from the point of view of my academic supervisor?etcby the way, I want a reference letter from the group leader I worked for, is it too old?it is 2 years ago. Do I need to emphasize the programming skills from this letter?

"completing things" is good. Works without having his hand held too much.Comes up with creative soluitions, works hard.Must be said however that at many places it wont get read beyond HR checking "X did not usually set fire to the furniture, exhibited no signs of excessive drug usage, and he really did study here during the dates shown".

Hi, DCFCsorry I do not quite understand your words. Do you thinkI want to quit PhD and go for a MFE? Actually not, I meanI want to go for a MFE after PhD because I plan to finishPhD in the next 9 months, at that time the study of MFE will start. by the way, with a second reading of your post, seems thatI understand what you said. //shyQuoteOriginally posted by: DCFC"completing things" is good. Works without having his hand held too much.Comes up with creative soluitions, works hard.Must be said however that at many places it wont get read beyond HR checking "X did not usually set fire to the furniture, exhibited no signs of excessive drug usage, and he really did study here during the dates shown".

Perhaps I should use what managers say to clarify what I say.Why PhDs are good:It proves you are at least mildly smart.You have a wider range of techniques for problem solving and analysis than a MSc or BScYou can finish something without a teacher hassling you.You can work without supervision.Up to MSc level, 99% of your learning cycle has been:Teacher says stuffYou read about it in a bookYou answer questions based upon books pointed out to you and notes from teacher.The questions are designed to use only stuff you have learned, and usually have tractable answers.In a PhD you are in the "real life" situation that there may be no answer, and it probably isn't based upon a the course book.Get past that and you will have proven you're hard enough to cope in the situation where you've no bloody idea what you're doing and there is no one to ask.Banks want that charactersistic, as well as enough brains to dig yourself out of such a hole. Demonstrate those and they will shovel money at you.Of course money may not be important, and you want to do banking entirely out of love and respect for giant multi national enitities.

Thanks a lot, your answer is very helpful. Although your tone is like a manager butI think your suggestions are also useful in my MSc application. I mean I am not looking for a jobbut for an admission into a top MFE program.QuoteOriginally posted by: DCFCPerhaps I should use what managers say to clarify what I say.Why PhDs are good:It proves you are at least mildly smart.You have a wider range of techniques for problem solving and analysis than a MSc or BScYou can finish something without a teacher hassling you.You can work without supervision.Up to MSc level, 99% of your learning cycle has been:Teacher says stuffYou read about it in a bookYou answer questions based upon books pointed out to you and notes from teacher.The questions are designed to use only stuff you have learned, and usually have tractable answers.In a PhD you are in the "real life" situation that there may be no answer, and it probably isn't based upon a the course book.Get past that and you will have proven you're hard enough to cope in the situation where you've no bloody idea what you're doing and there is no one to ask.Banks want that charactersistic, as well as enough brains to dig yourself out of such a hole. Demonstrate those and they will shovel money at you.Of course money may not be important, and you want to do banking entirely out of love and respect for giant multi national enitities.