放弃PHD还是不放弃，恳求帮忙

margaret1013

1, with a PhD from GIT, you will probably have a hard time find a job or even an intern.

2, with a degree from columbia, MFE especially, summer interns will be very easy for you. (I assume you can handle the interview stuff)

3, starting salary of $60k-$80k annually is reasonable.  Don't expect too much. In US, salary is based on your experience and expertise. (try to check the history of columbia)

4, if you want more and trust yourself, you can try some commission based jobs, such as financial advisor. It is quite easy to enter, even as a phd in Physics or a high school graduate. And the salary could be more than $600k

liscon

依照楼主的条件，想必楼主肯定是被N校PHD拒的吧。

我没什么经验，但却十分仰慕楼主的背景和勇气。

LZ好好做决定吧，相信最后无论选择哪条路，只要努力，一定是没有问题的。

运气总会降临到有勇气的人。

我想LZ现在正在一个人生的十字路口，大家帮忙顶！

missing

我本人确实比较喜欢冒险, 只是每次做重大决定之前.老是犹豫,可能性格使然把.



其实我本人申请了stanford 和Wharton的finance PhD. 根据stanford的一个
finance教授的看法.我经常发发email给他,所以关系还算可以,他给了我committe 据我的理由: 选的课程不够.
Wharton也就没有去问了.

stanford: 600里取8个



其实我就从来没有喜欢过物理. 也谈不上厌恶.我就是那种没有什么大的是非关的人把. 哥大出来前两年是有找不到工作,直接回去的.(我有朋友去年毕业的)



其实真如11楼担心的, $60-80k 工资还贷款都累啊. 这真是我犹豫的原因所在啊.

物理的Phd对我来说没有诱惑. 唯一担心就是钱



多谢12楼的支持.

Swat2005

It is a good idea to get a Phd if you need to face some VISA problems such as H1B.Since you do not have experence ,it is not easy to find the entry level job or intern on the street .I have same experence and do not expect too much on Columbia's  master . Also ,the tuition is a big deal.Think it ove and do it when you are ready!

Good luck!!!

Highwaystar

Since LZ is in GIT, I come up with another clue:

Go to GIT's MQCF Program (I guess that's not hard at all based on your location and background.) and get a TA/RA (That's the wonderful part of GIT's program). Then you have two choices:

1) Take as many as required finance courses to apply for PHD IN FINANCE the next year.

2) Stick to it and find some finance jobs after graduation. (I heard that's also not hard if you did preety well).  Then when you have some work experiences and a sh*t of money, go for a MFE or MBA program.

Hope it helps.

stokowski

Since you said you have CFA level I, you got a point to defend your non-business background.

Do you have difficulties in finishing your Physics PhD?

If not, stay there finish it and looking for a finance job right now.
Why?

What a MSFE can offer is a briefly introduce of FE industry, the survival technics, and the job seeking network.

However, it cannot change your weakest point -- zero work experience.

Your backgound is not that bad for a quant job, if you do have a good sense about the job market and nice communication in English, you do have a chance in a typical quant job.

Would a MSFE degree help you to get a quant job?

Maybe, but you will find out you placement still base more on your background before your MSFE program than simply where you have your MSFE training.

The weakest part of your profile for a quant job is still the work experience, without any previous experience, the best you can shoot is still entry-level quant, and I do not assume that the MSFE training could help you a lot since you said you are good at those tools.

So if you really want to be a quant, given your background, what you need badly is experience in the market (and English communication), as long as you can self-study those MSFE curriculum without difficulty.

mechanics

以下是引用stokowski在2006-4-13 9:10:00的发言：
Since you said you have CFA level I, you got a point to defend your non-business background.

Do you have difficulties in finishing your Physics PhD?

If not, stay there finish it and looking for a finance job right now.
Why?

What a MSFE can offer is a briefly introduce of FE industry, the survival technics, and the job seeking network.

However, it cannot change your weakest point -- zero work experience.

Your backgound is not that bad for a quant job, if you do have a good sense about the job market and nice communication in English, you do have a chance in a typical quant job.

Would a MSFE degree help you to get a quant job?

Maybe, but you will find out you placement still base more on your background before your MSFE program than simply where you have your MSFE training.

The weakest part of your profile for a quant job is still the work experience, without any previous experience, the best you can shoot is still entry-level quant, and I do not assume that the MSFE training could help you a lot since you said you are good at those tools.

So if you really want to be a quant, given your background, what you need badly is experience in the market (and English communication), as long as you can self-study those MSFE curriculum without difficulty.

Good point! Try to finish all the three levels of CFA by the completion of your Physics PhD, and start looking for a finance job right now. That may be the most effective and economical way of achieving your goal.

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-4-13 9:22:14编辑过]

larry98

Another way is find a co-advisor in EE at GaTech, then try to get an EE PhD, assuming the essential stuff you'll be doing won't be much different from what you're doing now. With some finance courses and possible CFA, you will be in a better shape at the time you start your job hunting.

My point here is a physics PhD from a 35-44th school has much less chances of getting interviews compared with a top 10 EE PhD, given that you already have strong math/programming background.

IMHO, a PhD from a top program is better than a MFE graduate in almost every aspects in the long run. I do feel those MFE programs only cares about money. You can easily take most of those relevant mathFin courses from your own school, no big deal,even learn them all by self study, then why bother to pay more to go for a MFE program? It's relatively easy to get in those MFE program,though.

Why so many students want to be a quant? salary? dont think so, a fresh EE PhD from a top 10 program can get a industry position with starting salary from 85k-120k plus a good lifestyle. If you really wanna pursue big money, then go for a top 5 MBA after a few years of industry work, which definitely gives you a real edge to make tons of $$...Quant opennings are so few, and you won't go too far up on the career ladder unless you plan to open your own hedge fund in the future.

Of coz try to get in a top finance Phd program if you really love finance and plan to be a faculy in a research orientd university.

Good luck with whatever decision you are going to make.

zenger

如果年龄允许，建议还是把眼前的PhD修完。当然，在最后两年中，也可以考虑修些金融相关课程。

两年时间，可以充分思考自己的未来选择。