Insights & Strategies for Applying to MFE & Master's Programs

Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 2:00 PM PDT. Hosted by Fiona Taft.

In this session, Fiona Taft walked through applying to MFE and related quantitative Master's programs, including Master's of Finance and Computational…

What this session covered

In this session, Fiona Taft walked through applying to MFE and related quantitative Master's programs, including Master's of Finance and Computational Math programs. She covered the ideal candidate profile, leading MFE programs in the U.S. and the UK, and the components of an application strategy. The session closed with questions on choosing a location, application rounds, and differences between top programs.

Key takeaways

Fiona said there is no single ideal background; programs look for candidates from mathematics, statistics, economics, operations research, math-heavy sciences such as physics and engineering, and data science or computer science.
She said many programs look for GPAs over 3.7, some 3.5, and that candidates in the 3.0 to 3.4 range have other levers they can pull to become competitive.
She recommends taking the GRE even when a program lists it as optional, aiming for the 80th to 90th percentile on the quant section, which can help offset a lower GPA.
For academic recommenders, she advised choosing a professor who knows you through seminars, office hours, several courses or research, rather than one from a large lecture course who will not remember you.
She pointed out that Baruch and Princeton have their own quantitative and finance assessments rather than relying on the GRE, so applicants to those programs need to prepare for them.
She advised reviewing each program's placement report to see where prior classes went for internships and full-time roles and which firms recruit from the program.
She warned against submitting applications the day before or the day of a deadline because of possible technical issues, and suggested working weeks if not months in advance.

Questions covered

Answers are edited for clarity.

What should drive the choice between an East Coast and a West Coast program?

This is a really personal choice; some people want a school in a city center and some don't. Think about your career objectives and look at each program's placement report to see where alumni have landed. If you want to work in Seattle, you probably want to target the UW program. For a big bank in New York, such as Societe Generale or BNP Paribas, you may want to target New York, but Berkeley, UCLA and UChicago also have great results for New York and the East Coast.

Does applying in Round 1 versus Round 2 matter?

It can, depending on how many rounds a program has; some have 2, some 3 and some 4. Typically lots of applications come through in the first round. If a program has 3 rounds, I always recommend the first or second round. You never want to apply in the last round, because there are very few spots left after that.

Is there a real gap between the top programs, or does it depend on buy side versus sell side?

I'm not sure what you mean by a real gap, as in whether any program is better than another. I think it really depends on your career objectives, what you're looking for, and which firms and roles you're targeting. It's kind of a subjective answer.