<p>I am planning to do an MS in financial engineering or MS in computation finance type of degree straight out of undergrad. Obviously I want to get into top 5 or there's really no point going. And I think top 5 are NYU MSFE, columbia MSFE, carnegie mellon MSCF, Cornell MSFE, Michigan MFE. I can't find average gpa statistics on the admissions website but I heard it's a lot more competitive than typical MS.</p>
<p>I will have some really good finance experience, working as summer analyst for S&T at a bulge bracket (not GS/MS but used to be up there before being bought out) as a sophomore and hopefully returning offer or something similar next year. I major in Industrial Engineering (with my elective all in operations, statistics and finance) so the coursework should be compatible too. My GPA is okay standing at 3.6 something (My major gpa is higher at 3.8). I used to be really lazy last year and that's why my GPA is so low (I never really did too much work). This semester I kicked it up a notch and started working and I have a 3.95. Given that upper level courses have nicer curves I intend to keep up the trend. </p>
<p>What kind of GPA do I need to get into top financial engineering masters?</p>
<p>bump bump bump thanks</p>
<p>yea forgot berkeley…but berkeley’s FE likes to accept people with a lot of work experience and phds so I left it out…wasnt considering it… I am also not looking into MS of finance like the onces at princeton or MIT…</p>
<p>theres so many applicants for those programs at those schools, you should aim for as high as possible and try to get just about 800 on gre general math</p>
<p>From what I have heard about those programs, it seems like quant capability is the most important thing by a long shot. If you have B’s in any of your math classes I would take some hard upper level math classes and make sure to get A’s in them. This, on top of aceing the quant section of the GRE; definately shoot for a perfect score bc I think most of the people who apply have one. To set yourself apart, I would try to get on the good side of one of your math profs and get a letter of rec describing your ‘highly’ above average appitude. As far as GPA, I think it would help to shoot for a 3.8 if possible, but definately try to bring it up to a 3.7…</p>
<p>check out the resume books that CMU, NYU, and Princeton has on their program website. that is a good way to figure out what types of background you’d need to be competitive.</p>
<p>why you’re avoiding mit and princeton again?</p>
<p>MIT and princeton do not offer financial engineering, only MS in finance, similar but not as quantitative</p>
<p>not sure about MIT, but for Princeton…</p>
<p>yes, the core courses, with the exception of the asset pricing modules, are not as quantitative as your traditional financial engineering modules. but throughout your time at princeton, you’re guaranteed at least 10 elective courses – more if you are willing to take 5 courses in a semester, and if you place out 1-2 courses from the core. of that elective courses, you’re free to make your curriculum as quantitative as you want. just take graduate level courses from their ORFE department – that should be enough to satiate you 
check out their list of electives to see the offerings.</p>
<p>or, you can just take courses from other top ranked departments: Economics, Math (ranked 1st in the nation), CS, Applied Math, Woody Woo (top 5, I think).</p>
<p>i really believe that the flexibility afforded by the curriculum is nice for the incoming students. you can definitely be a hardcore quant through the program, but that need not be the case. the proof is in the placement records over the years: their graduates compete with graduates from traditional FE programs directly.</p>
<p>P.S. Princeton did have a MFE. They absorbed it into the MFin program, and now offer FE as one of the tracks.</p>