A reader was kind enough to provide a student review of the University of Rochester Master in Finance program. I hope it helps shed some light on the program for any of you who are interested in applying.
Q) Why did you pick the University of Rochester Master in Finance program?
A) The executive director of admission flew to Beijing to meet with me. I really liked the personal attention smaller school like Simon can put into their students and the bond between current students and alumni. Beyond that, it’s its reputation in the academic world of finance. I fully believe it gave me the technical skills I need for a career in finance.
Q) Who would you recommend an MSF to in general and a Rochester MSF to specifically?
A) I think I would recommend a master in finance to some groups of people. For international students like me who wants to come to the States and get career exposure to the finance world in New York, getting an MSF is a good choice as long as they are mentally prepared to jump into an unfamiliar professional world. As for Simon MSF, one needs to be even more active in job search and networking because of the location of the school and lack of traffic in terms of attracting recruiters.
Q) How was recruiting, job placement, on campus, etc?
A) The job placement is picking up. International students have always been able to locate themselves great positions back in their home countries because of the soft skills and technical skills they’ve got from the school. But in terms of finding a job in the States, basically it’s every man for himself. Fortunately, most of the alum are willing to help out if they can because they went through the same process while looking for jobs themselves. Campus recruiting is more helpful for MBAs.
Q) Any comments in general about the program. Feel free to talk about Rochester, the school, things you liked and disliked.
A) In general, I’ve got what I was looking for from the school and had a great time there. Life is really easy in Rochester. It’s really nice to have a relaxed neighborhood when you are struggling between school work and job search. Travel is easy too. We are three hours drive away from Toronto and one hour flight away from NYC. Dean Zupan of the Simon School is probably the most dedicated person I’ve met. He will always be a role model for many years after my school life.
Here is a link to the University of Rochester Masters in Finance program
