<p>Hello!
I have been looking at this forum for a while and I am looking for some opinion regarding my application. I think this forum's audience is best suited to judge this:
In short here are my credentials:</p>
<p>Education:
BS in Mechanical Engineering from a non-target university (although this school is a satellite campus of a top 10 schools, and is itself a highly regarded school in the region). I graduated top of my class with a GPA of 3.94 and a minor in mathematics.</p>
<p>Relevant Classes:
Math (Advanced Analysis, Advanced Calculus, Linear Algebra I&II, Statistics) Programming (C++, Numeric Analysis with Matlab and C)</p>
<p>Extra Curriculars:
Student Government / Events Coordinator of a Student Society
Research Projects:
Automating a vehicle to drive itself / Modeling a turbine in a wind tunnel</p>
<p>Standard Exams:
GRE 800Q 630V
GMAT 760 (50Q 43V)</p>
<p>Work Experience:
One Year as a product engineer at one of Ford/Chrysler/GM. Job is highly quantitative, daily usage of MATLab and Excel programming, as well as statistical data analysis: Running experiments and analyzing data to optimize and model engine systems. A lot of work with international colleagues.</p>
<p>Recommenders:
1) Assistant Chief Engineer at my company or at least my direct supervisor
2) Chief Engineer at a Global 500 company whom I delivered work to and got to know him personally
3) A professor at my university
(I have a good relationship with all these people, and most likely they'll ask me for a draft letter to base their recommendation on)</p>
<p>Reason to Attend Such a Program:
I am currently doing a lot of modeling, simulation, and optimization. I would want to transfer these skills to a more interesting career, with more daily rush (i.e. risk). The auto industry is dull and i want to go to a more challenging industry with a bigger global impact.</p>
<p>Plan after the Program
Become a trader, work at a big bank or hedge fund, ideal position would be derivative trading or algorithmic trading. After 4-5 years of experience, start my own hedge fund (if i feel confident of doing such a step) or Get an MBA work a bit more (<3 years) and then start my own fund.</p>
<p>Personal Background
Middle Eastern Nationality
Currently US permanent resident (some schools pool me with US citizens others with international students)</p>
<p>As for the programs I am considering right now (ordered according to my preference):
Columbia MS FE
Stanford MS FM
CMU MS CF
NYU Courant MS FE
CUNY Baruch MFE
Rutgers MSMF</p>
<p>I chose these programs since they are 3-semester programs and will allow me a summer internship - which will be a must for me. I don't have a problem with math or programming, I read math for fun and program almost daily. My applications weaknesses are:
LACK OF FINANCE EXPERIENCE AND FORMAL EDUCATION!!!
NON-TARGET UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION</p>
<p>What do you think? i first thought i had a solid application, but with admittance rates at 5% in the programs i listed above, and with my two weaknesses, I am becoming more and more discouraged. Unless i know i have a very good chance to get in at least 2 of those 6 programs I will not apply
I hope you can share your opinion</p>