[Program Fitting]Finance IU and Vandy

http://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=74702.15&nav=messages&webtag=bw-bschools
Q:
"While Vandy does have almost 2 levels more sophisticated courses than Kelley, Vandy goes to experiencial and higher academic finance. "
Can you expound on this? I am also choosing between Vandy and IU for finance and would like to get a better understanding of what you mean. Thanks

A:
When you compare both programs and match the courses one by one, you'll see Vandy is slightly more complete while Kelley is a bit speed up and focus more on Investment banking (yellow ones match almost perfectly, red ones are absent). The program logic when you see the course number sequence, Vandy builds quite from the ground and Kelley also solids on the fundamentals while rushs a bit to IB.
Both have very long course lists while Kelley is slightly shorter. Vandy goes more on academic and Kelley goes more on hottest topics of IB. So you can see the general ranking Kelley is higher but Vandy is more a standard in Finance.

(please see the original link, the format here is unclear.)
Vandy
Investments
Corporate Valuation
Corporate Financial Policy
International Financial Markets and Instruments
International Corporate Finance
Equities Markets
Bond Markets
Derivatives Markets
Financial Institutions
Real Estate Financial Analysis
Real Estate Investment & Development
Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets
Mergers and Acquisitions
Venture Capital/Private Equity
Risk Management
Financial Data Analysis
Derivative Securities Valuation
Active Portfolio Management
Special Topics, Corporate Governance
Special Topics in Accounting: Federal Income Taxation of Mergers and Acquisitions
Asset Pricing Theory
Corporate Finance Theory
Empirical Methods in Finance A
Empirical Methods in Finance B
Advanced Finance Theory
Independent Study in Finance
Research Seminar in Corporate Finance
Stochastic Processes

no banking
--

Kelley, IU
BUS-F 506 Commercial and Investment Banking
BUS-F 520 Asset Valuation and Strategy
BUS-F 546 Corporate Financial Strategy
BUS-F 570 International Financial Markets
BUS-F 571 International Corporate Finance
BUS-F 529 Equity Markets
BUS-F 528 Fixed Income Investments
　
BUS-F 505 Financial Intermediation
BUS-R 590 Independent Study in Real Estate
BUS-R 510 Real Estate Investment
BUS-R 530 Real Estate Finance
　
BUS-F 517 Venture Capital & Entrepreneurial Finance
BUS-F 525 Corporate Financial Risk Management
　
BUS-F 526 Derivative Securities
BUS-F 550 Applied Portfolio Selection
BUS-F 548 Corporate Governance and Restructuring
BUS-F 540 The Firm in the Capital Markets
BUS-F 508 Real Options in Capital Budgeting
　
BUS-F 507 Short-Term Financial Management
BUS-F 560 Special Topics in Finance
BUS-F 551 Special Projects in Investments
BUS-F 590 Independent Study in Finance
BUS-F 590 Independent Study in Finance
　
BUS-F 553 Special Projects in Investment Banking
BUS-F 554 Special Topics in Investment Banking
BUS-F 535 Security Trading and Market Making

no M&A
no derivatives

[Program Fitting]选校的矛盾，请大家说说意见呀！

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=315888&star=1#2858190
Q:
个人背景：大四即将毕业。专业电子，辅修商科。生活在business环境，有实习但没有全职工作经历。目标回国，从事公司理财或个人理财。打算今年秋出国，现在选校焦点集中在两所学校上，想问问大家的意见。UCSD MBA 2年（2万奖每年）和USF旧金山大学 金融分析 1年（6千奖）。UCSD MBA刚办几年，校友资源比较少，而且自己没有全职工作经验，不知道能否吸收。USF实在不知道这个学校到底如何，在国内貌似名声不大好。但有亲戚在那比较方便。以后可以考CFA，或者回国工作几年再申请top的MBA。但不知道USF还值得花那么多钱去读。大家的意见呢？Thank you！

A:
the study itself is a huge risk before your real work experience
since it'll be too late when you work a couple of years afterward and figure out you're in the wrong way
go to work first will be more realistic
you won't learn much now anyway
no much meaning to choose between them

[Career Explorer]美国top20的MBA，毕业后想从事金融行业，难度有多大呢？

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=315958&star=1#2858174
Q:
以下是引用lecherous在2008-4-7 21:33:00的发言：
估计很多CDer都有这样的疑问，不好意思又挑起了一下。说实话，出国读个MBA，其实跟博士完全是两码事，前者是去花钱，一百多万；后者是去赚钱，一百多万。不得不慎重。
假定一个没有金融背景的人，只在比较有名的500强外企做过几年工程师，在美国读了个top30MBA，今后从事金融业的机会大么？
进IB如何？不是说什么GS，MS，ML等超级大牛，而是二三流的银行/证券公司的IB部门。
那么如果又换一下，如果是top10呢？二三流的IB还是很难进吗？

A:
need to find out why an engineer wants to do finance
these are 2 different planets
you must find out the passion deep in your blood
or you'll lose both of them
it needs to be something in your personality, characteristics, and your professional background
find out your irreplaceables
do you keep your account everyday?
do you invest by yourself and make money? how do you manage your portfolio?
can you excel at numbers? can you speak to those numbers and listen to them?
do you know the specific trends in the industries? how do you know and why?
which stocks will surge in next 3 months? which ones will free fall?
how do you crunch those surging ones to balance the free fall ones?
what will you do if your finance door is close?
and the last thing
why and how can you get in top 30 or even top 10 if you don't know yourself well enough?
need to find out all these answers
MBA is terminal degree
it's the end when you finish it
Ph.D serves for totally different purposes
but there's 99% no overlap

[Career Explorer]各位大侠们，这年龄还值得出国吗???????????????

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=315999&star=1#2858132
Q:
32了，明年入学的时候都33了
现在的情况是，收入税前20万左右，有房无女朋友（刚分）
家里高压让尽快找女朋友，GMAT刚准备一个多月，如无意外 TOP 20 很有希望
这种情况下还值得折腾吗，各位神仙给给意见啊。复习的时候突然开始很怀疑这个选择

A:
it's still a decent age
and you might find a good gf abroad
but you can't know about top 20 only after a month of GMAT
score is only 20%
while it's very true like Littleca said
what's your MBA motivation and why it's relevant to your career

[Program Fitting]也是关于Offer的选择，广纳良言！IU, WUSTL, W&M (v)

Q:

目前有三个Offer：
Mason (William & Mary): 两年一共接近5万的奖+4k GA, 基本上学费花不了太多，虽然是个不错的大学，但MBA实力不太强，所以准备拒掉;
Olin（Washington University) 15k/Yr:
Finance这个concentration比较强，而且有部分奖学金可以减少经济压力;
Kelley (Indianan University) 无奖：
整体MBA排名高于Olin，Corporate Finance也不错，而且氛围比较好，Bloomington环境可能好于St louis。
我之前一直做finance，毕业以后也还是会继续做这个方向。目前的想法是post-MBA第一选择是consulting firm做financial service, 二是还像以前一样，在公司里做finance。最近一直也在和朋友讨论选择Olin和Kelley，总得来说是一个档次的学校，但又各有些优势，所以希望了解这两个学校的CDer提供点建议。多谢！

A:

Olin虽然与Kelley排名档次接近

但Kelley的综合实力还是全国性名校

Olin虽然奋力往全国性商学院迈进

但目前还是停留在区域性学校

即使Olin财务课程完整

Kelley的财务也是还是竞争力稍微强大

主要差别在于学生素质与雇主亲睐

可以看学校公布的就业状况

Kelley的就业率比Olin稍为全国性

虽然两所学校的财务与顾问比例相当接近

财务工作三成五

顾问工作一成

但Kelley在这两项的薪水都较Olin高

尤其顾问业Kelley薪资较Olin高出一万五

而Kelley就业率虽多在中西部

但其他区域仍均匀分布

反观Olin虽也多在中西部

但其他区域就显的较为稀疏

W&M的课程训练很扎实

但停留在区域性

并没有往全国性发展

因此排名有一些差距

原则上financial service不会在consulting firm里

而会在Financial service companies

consulting firm要的几乎都是纯consultant

而consultant中的其中一项关键工具是financial tools

[Program Fitting]选校求助：brandeis 60%TW vs Purdue maybe no money

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=315046&star=2#2853918
Q:
更新一下，收到了purdue的GA（每周工作10小时，据说每年给$6200但是要扣税）和每年$6000的奖，好象基本每个录取的都给了这种奖，加起来相当于38%的免学费，但是个人更偏向于boston的氛围啊，还是比较注重享受的人-_-，在伤心咖啡馆上面看到purdue因为太荒凉了在chicago好象国际学生比较很难找到工作，怎么办呢？是选择排名还是地理位置啊？

A:location对MBA只会有两成影响
其他七成都在学校声誉,课程与软硬件资源,师生竞争力与扎实训练
即使地点再好
学校差连面试机会都没有
不是说Brandeis不好
而是他顶多是区域性学校
排名及各项资源都相差Purdue甚远
Purdue是全国性甚至国际知名的学校
相当同意CD_ADDICT
不要因为省小钱而亏大钱

[Career Explorer]牛校mba可否帮助转换职场方向 (v)

Q:
小女子刚刚拿到美国金融硕士，不幸赶上金融风波，金融工作无着，面临人生道路选择，恳请各位，尤其是有相似经验的大侠们不吝赐教：
选择一：在美国随便找份工作，拿两年工作经验，转而申请牛校MBA，出来进入金融领域工作疑惑：1.美国MBA牛校是否重视你是否在有名的公司工作？他们如何判断你有潜在的领导才能？ 2.如果我MBA前的经验和金融完全不相关，比如教育、或者在实验室工作，那么即使拿到了牛校的MBA文凭，找金融工作的时候是否依然不具备竞争力（比如你的同学具有相关背景的）呢？
选择二：回国，尽量找份金融类型的工作，拿两年经验，转而申请牛校MBA，出来进入金融领域工作疑惑：1.美国MBA牛校是否平等看待不同国家的工作经验？还是具有倾向性？ 2.各位拿到牛校MBA OFFER的大牛们在签证的时候，是否有过被拒的经历呢？因为听说工作过两三年，单身的女子，是被拒的重点；又听说，拿到牛校offer的牛们鲜有被拒的，于是非常的迷惑。
多谢指点，跪谢啊跪谢

A:
這裡有幾個假設可能會有一些問題
讓我們一個一個來看
首先是選擇一成立的可能性不大
申請牛校主要的錄取關鍵是看在個人生涯的邏輯性
申請時學校會看為什麼申請人有金融碩士卻做了一個不相干的工作
即使是Fortune前百大之類的大公司
還是要解釋為什麼會選擇這樣的工作
抉擇的邏輯及工作內容對申請人的未來目標有何密切關聯
疑惑一裡所講的領導潛能是可以從後天培養
但需要申請人自行證明有領導能力
並須清楚定義出個人領導特性為何 跟學校的領導訓練如何接軌

疑惑二是樓主目前的主要關鍵
就是生涯方向選擇需要細部釐清
目前有一個有點危及的狀況是樓主可能本身對金融並沒有太大興趣
若是因為這樣 會建議儘早找出興趣後轉行
因為對金融若缺乏興趣卻硬要走 多半狀況是沒多久就倦怠
這樣只會是短期工作 不是長期生涯事業
這部份可以私下談
或許可以幫您從生涯經歷跟脈絡找出激情

若是回國工作再申請
問題也是回到能否解釋出來由
為什麼要回國而不在美國
又這對您的長程規劃有何關聯
而為什麼會需要MBA

MBA人人都能念
但要念牛校要能夠解釋出生涯目標的邏輯性
並由生涯經歷中證明方向清晰
因此簡歷會是重要的參考依據
只有清晰地展現穩定的成就路線
明確定義出未來目標後
發現需要MBA並詳細解釋需求內容
學校才會因為能夠為學校及申請人都創造極大價值
而錄取申請人

[Program Fitting]帮忙选校： BU， KELLEY， PURDUE

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=315366&star=2#2853858
Q:
拿了几个弱offer，头痛中， 大家看看1. BU，基本免学费，自己出生活费 2万/年2. Kelley，没奖3.Purdue， 免学费，GA什么的给了一堆，反正邮件里说每年800块就够了，基本不花啥钱最喜欢kelley，但是没钱，贷款的话可能不好签证，所以去的希望不大。比较头疼的是bu和purdue，似乎purdue排名高些，但是BW和usnews上的就业数据两个学校差不多，bu甚至更好一点。有没有人了解具体情况出来解释一下？本人背景：4yrs w/e, IT，希望转行做consulting

A:
这两间给奖是有原因的
Kelley是三间里最强的学校
而且是非常强
排名虽然只差几名可是在业界名声差很多
同学前后左右都是天才
训练也最扎实严谨
课程编排环环相扣
是策略管理类学校的经典
要进consulting大概只有这间的扎实度才进的去
即使签证有风险也要冲冲看
真的不行再考虑其他
它们还是会给奖的

BU课程很基本 比较适合入门级
BU靠地利进顾问业都是老美
还没听说有华人只留学BU就进consulting (如果有还请告知小弟)

Purdue课程比较学术
不少是研究类课程
没有那么商业
出来能找到工作的还是Kelley的高步调训练比较有用
出来要是能在美国工作
两三年就会赚回来
很值得的
其他两间出来大概九成要回国
现在美国工作不好找

[Program Fitting]Olin vs Notre Dame

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=314945&star=2#2850921
Q:
Olin with half-tuition scholarship, still need RMB 200,000 per year
Notre Dame with 35,000 USD, need RMB 100,000 per year.
I plan to focus on Finance or Marketing for MBA and work in U.S. or Canada after graduation.
Thank you for your advice!

A:
Olin's program is more for advanced managers that the program is more sophisticated and extensive
http://www.olin.wustl.edu/MBA/Academics/index.cfm?sid=48&tid=59
Notre Dame is more for entry-level that the curriculum and concentrations are quite fundamental and have major improvement opportunity
http://www.nd.edu/~mba/academics/twoYear/concentrationTracks.shtml
you can see Notre Dame's program is not that complete
even the most demostrative marketing is short of some key elements
such as the most critical core in marketing are missing: market research and consumer behavior, CRM, Channel Management, Pricing, and marketing communication.


Although St. Louis City is not good in terms of security
they have the segregation program that many white St. Louisans live in better-off south St. Louis City or have moved into the better-off suburbs (so-called white flight).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_and_social_issues_of_St._Louis,_Missouri
http://safety.fizber.com/Missouri/St-Louis-County-Sheriff/
South Bend, Indiana where U of Notre Dame located is not good, either, and is catching up in crime rate
http://safety.fizber.com/Indiana/South-Bend/

just stay in safer area where white people reside, and stay away from the high crime rate area. It's the same rule with any other part of the States.
while St. Louis County is the safest place in the U.S.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_County,_Missouri

[Personal Branding]An inspiration from "older" applicant

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=13&ID=314961&page=1
Q:

Male 35 >age>40; married & two sons ;Under top10 in China;Ph.D from US University almost ten years ago;GMAT 740(50/40); TOEFL waiveredPick up GMAT last July (15 y after GRE), take test on Oct30; then apply R2 (Jan round)Rejected by Ross & Columbia without interviews;Rejetced by Yale & Emory after interviews;Accepted by Cornell/AMBA, UNC, & Vandy ($35k/y)

A:
All due respect
The reasons for rejections may lie in why you want an MBA after a Ph.D
what happend in these 10 years, and why it led you to this point for an MBA
since with your superior package, which includes 10+ years work experience, a U.S. Ph.D, and a 740 GMAT
it should be frankly easy to get admitted in top 10
probably you can share more and we can find out the problem together