The University of Rochester Simon Business School New York City MSF program is one of the best, NYC based Master in Finance program currently out there. The program is flexible for working professionals and the school offers a masters in management for those with less experience. I’ve been talking about the program for a couple years now, but am pleased to provide all of you with the first student perspective. I think student reviews are the best way for someone to get an idea of what to expect and look for and I am always happy to have another one to share. Hope this help!
Why a Master’s in Finance? Why the UR Simon Business School part-time MS Finance program in NYC?
I decided on UR Simon Business School’s part-time MS Finance program in NYC for four main reasons: 1) Reputation; 2) Highly structured 13 month program with an international leg; 3) It was in NYC which is where I live and 4) Saturday and Sunday program vs. Friday and Saturday or night classes meant I did not have to miss 1 out of 10 days in the office or leave the office early to get to night class.
Pros/Cons (if any) of the degree/NYC program?
Pros:
1) Rigorous program focused on framing, analyzing, and communicating problems – this reinforced a repeatable system to solve any complex problem;
2) Number crunching was a big part of it, but the professors stressed the importance understanding what the numbers meant – the intuition and being able to communicate the meaning of the numbers held the most weight;
3) Our cohort stuck together throughout the program. Every class is with the same classmates and our group teams were consistent throughout. This created an environment to build meaningful relationships in the NYC business community.
Cons:
I wouldn’t change a thing. This is the right program for a working professional in the finance capital of the world. You can keep your job, meet other working professionals and learn from top finance educators and researchers.
Who would you recommend the program to?
Someone who is looking for a new challenge, looking to boost their financial acumen and looking to expand their network of like minded professionals in NYC. I have classmates that leveraged their Simon degree by pivoting into a new field of finance as well as advance their career with current employers.
Anything else you’d like to share? (Recruiting, residency weeks, alumni, etc.)
Recruiting – I recommend open house weekends where you can speak with the program directors, professors and current students over lunch. This will also provide an opportunity to get a taste of the classroom dynamics through joining the group for a lecture (I sat in on an Options & Futures class that was focused on “The Greeks”).
Residency Weeks – The program has two residency weeks where the entire cohort (my class was 26 professionals) travel together. The first week was in Rochester at the University’s main campus and the second was in various locations across Switzerland. Both residency weeks incorporate course and academic lectures, campus tours, group dinners, company and trade organization visits, team building exercises, networking events, group assignments and free time to relax or explore the surrounding cities.
Alumni – The Simon Business School alumni network is everywhere. Fellow alums are down to earth and willing to meet over coffee, lunch or at various events. The same can be said when you combine Simon with the greater University. I have discussions with Simon and UofR alums at least twice a week. Plus the school tries in a major way to provide NYC alums different opportunities to connect.
Here is a link to the University of Rochester Simon Business School NYC MSF
