LSE vs ETH vs Michigan

pgstudent

LSE vs Michigan vs ETH
    
    

I got offers from the following three master programs

LSE MSc Risk and Stochastics (Duration: 10 months, Tuition fee: 17000 pounds, Living Expense: 8000 pounds, class size 25, no internship, no thesis requirement)
Course Structure: http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/g ... kandStochastics.htm

ETH MAS in Finance (Quantitative Finance and Risk Management)
(Duration: 14-15 months, Tuition fee: 5000 CHF, Living Expense: 20000 CHF, class size 20-25, compulsory company master thesis, internship arrangement but not guaranteed)

Course Structure: http://www.msfinance.ch/2007/Courses.html

Placement Record: http://www.alumni-msfinance.ch/classvisitor.php?klassenid=3

University of Michigan AnnArbor (Master of Financial Engineering)
(Duration: 12-15 months, Tuition Fee: 50000 USD, Living Expense: 20000 USD, class size 45-50, Applied Finance Project, internship arrangement but not guaranteed)

Course Structure: http://interpro-academics.engin.umich.edu/fep/curriculum.htm

Placement Record: Summer Internship for Umich MFE ( Not very impressive indeed, cos only around 60% students got internship offer...28 out of 50....and no top 1st tier banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, RBS)


Please find below some internship offers that are already received by our current students:


AXA Investment management - CDO
Barclays Capital - Technology (New York)
Blackrock Inc. (New York)
CICC - Capital Markets (Beijing)
DRW Trading - Trading (Chicago)
DTE Energy - Energy Trading (Ann Arbor)
DTE Energy - Risk Management (Ann Arbor)
DTE Energy - Risk Management (Ann Arbor)
DTE Energy - Risk Management (Ann Arbor)
Deutsche Bank - Global Banking (Hong Kong)     
Deutsche Bank - Global Markets (New York)
Deutsche Bank - Global Markets (New York)
Deutsche Bank - Global Markets (India)
JPMorgan - Structuring & Trading (New York)
JPMorgan - Technology (Chicago)
Lehman Brothers - Investment Banking (Hong Kong)
Lehman Brothers - Technology (New York)
Lincoln Investment Group - Portfolio Management
Riskmetrix Group - Technology (Ann Arbor)
Societe Generale  - Global Equities & Derivatives Solutions (Hong Kong)
Societe Generale  - Global Equities & Derivatives Solutions (Hong Kong)
UBS - Fixed Income Sales & Trading (Hong Kong)
UBS – Investment Banking (Hong Kong)
UBS - Technology (Stamford)
Some hedge fund (Ann Arobr)
Some trading firm (Paris)
Some trading firm (Singapore)
Some Bank (Hong Kong)

which one should I choose?
Personally, I may prefer ETH cos it is cheaper with strong placement records as well. The overall ranking of three U's , ETH, LSE, UMich are nearly the same ( Around top 30-50 )

I have discussed this issue with a plenty of academics, practitioners....they all told me that the three programs above have their own merits and drawbacks.

For LSE, it has very strong network with banking industry and London is a great financial hub (just behind New York City). However, the course structure is not very solid (some of them are related to insurance mathematics and just 6 taught courses)  and short in duration with no internship nor thesis arrangement. In addition, LSE is strong in finance and economics traditionally instead of the maths department.

For UMich, it also has a very strong name in US and Hong Kong. With the backup from Ross Business School, there is a good balance between business-oriented and hard engineering training skills. The MFE program is very practical in overall. Plus holding a US degree should be better for job seeking in financial industry. But, the location of UMich at AnnArbor is not that good and quite expensive.

For ETH, one of the top 5 schools in Europe, (1,2 Oxbridge, 3. IC 4,5 ETH or LSE ) it is very strong in natural science including maths and it is established with Swiss Banking Institutes. The course structure is solid, you need to take around 10 courses in one semester followed by a company thesis and internship. However, the location of ETH is not that good though Zurich is another financial hub, in particular, on the asset management aspect. Their alumni told me that ETH is reputable for European Banks (UBS, CS, DB, KBC, ABN, Rabo, SwissRe, SG, BNP, Natixis, Caylon etc.)  only rather US Banks.

I am still struggling between these three choices.....
I look forward to any kindly reply. Thanks

lilyxiang910

I prefer LSE,because it is my dream!

ddwantsmba

现在，你再hub也都是惘然拉。

felix_zheng

ETH.........

zyqsh

密歇根最贵啊

xiaorick

ｍｉｃｈｉｇａｎ，　ｏｆ　ｃｏｕｒｓｅ