U.S. STEM MBA Programs: An Overview STEM certification programs have proven application bonanzas for top business schools. STEM certification may have begun pre-pandemic as a way to alleviate uncertainty in the visa process, but the programs have proven to be a robust inducement for MBA applicants, particularly from foreign countries. According to Poets & Quants,…
Berkeley Haas MFE (Master of Financial Engineering) Application Tips
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 749 applications while only…
London Business School Master’s in Finance Application Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines [2022 – 2023]
The LBS Master’s in Finance (full-time program) essay questions, taken together, convey the adcom’s interest in two interrelated points: (1) how you envision and plan your future career; (2) your knowledge of and interest in the LBS Master’s in Finance program. Showing fit is particularly important because this is a rare MiF program that targets…
What It’s Like to Apply for a Master’s in Finance or MBA in 2021 [Episode 413]
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…
Deferred MBA Programs and Other Options for MBA Hopefuls With No Work Experience
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…
MIT Sloan Master of Finance Application Essay Questions, Tips & Deadlines [2020 – 2021]
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…
A Glimpse into the MIT MFin Experience of an International Student
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…
What Do You Need to Know to Get Accepted to a Master’s in Finance (MFin) Program?
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…
Exploring London Business School’s Master’s in Analytics and Management [Episode 297]
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…
B-Schools That Rank for Landing Jobs in Investment Banking
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…
Masters in Finance Interviews: What You Need to Know to Ace Them
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…
Masters in Finance Alternatives to Consider
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…
Researching the Right Masters in Finance Programs for You
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…
The Berkeley MFE: One Tough Program with Amazing Opportunities for Grads [Episode 279]
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…
How to Portray Experiences in Your Masters in Finance Essays
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…
How Your Undergrad GPA & Test Scores Affect Your Masters in Finance Application
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…
Distinguishing Yourself as a Masters in Finance Applicant
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…
Know Your Career Goals for Your Masters in Finance Application
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…
How to Get Accepted to Masters in Finance Programs
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…
MIT Sloan Master in Finance: How to Get In! [Episode 231]
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…