Best MBA in Finance

Here is the top 10 MBA programs in Finance according to US News 2013 rankings:

1. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
2. University of Chicago (Booth)
3. New York University (Stern)
4-5. Columbia University
4-5. Stanford University
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
7. Harvard University
8. University of California‒Berkeley (Haas)
9. Northwestern University (Kellogg)
10. University of California‒Los Angeles (Anderson)

Hey there,

Montana29 has provided you with a great list but let me ask you this - what are you looking to do? If you provide [a lot] more information, we can help you whittle that list down!

Some things to consider sharing: your stats (GPA, GMAT), prof experiences, goals, etc.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Bhavik

Here some information about me. I am from Colombia. I finished my undergraduate studies two months ago. I would like to work in an investment fund or a hedge fund. I want to get an MBA in USA for two reasons. The first, here in Colombia is hard to find a good MBA program. The second, I would like to work in the United States after get the degree. This last goal is very very important to me because the US has the biggest and more developed financial market, so the stocks and opportunities are limitless. I love my country, but the issue is that here we only have a few companies in the stock market and it is impossible build a career in that area.
In my free time, I have read a lot of books about accounting, investing, how to build portfolios, pick up stocks, fundamental analysis, etc.
At the beginning I considered only the top 10 MBA programs because I thought it will make easy the process to get a job and stay in the country. Now I am not really sure if that option is the best.
I am 23. If you need additional information I will be glad to respond.

Hey there,

So it seems you're not ready to apply soon. If you're 23 and just finished your studies, then you aren't in a good position to apply now. Probably not for another few years, actually.

Let me say this - if those are your goals (and they're great goals, don't get me wrong!) then you need to go for a high ranking MBA. Top 20 / 25 probably. However, at this point, it's impossible to recommend schools for you to target. Even the list provided above may change by the time you apply. You haven't taken your GMAT yet (I assume because you didn't mention it?) and have no work experience. Those are two of the main things that determine the schools you should target.

If you'd like - we can switch the topic of this discussion a little bit. If you're interested we can discuss a roadmap for the next few years as you look to develop your story for an application timeframe 3 - 5 years from now. For that, I'd need to know what you did in undergrad (grades, degree, involvement) and what you've got lined up.

Bhavik

I will echo these comments - I went to Rochester for undergrad and got a Masters in Finance from Simon. Great finance program but location and network hurts it when it comes to recruitment and rankings. However Simon graduates do well in the marketplace.

First of all, thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.
I don´t have work experience right now. I am trying to get a job in an asset management institution. I haven´t taken the GMAT by the way. Before that, I wanted to know how much I have to score to start buying books and additional material.

Sure, we can talk in a couple of years. It will allow me to get more statistics and other useful information.

I had not considered Simon, but I will check it for sure.

Hey - you're very welcome. I think you may have misunderstood. I didn't mean let's talk in a few years. I meant we can talk now about the next few years. How to think through your strategy and how to make the most of your years before applications. Does that make sense? Wanted to make sure we could answer any questions you might have.

As for what GMAT to target there are two things. One, as an applicant from Colombia, you're cut a little slack because, on average, scores from South America tend to be lower than, say, India. However, most I banking and other prestigious financial positions have minimum GMAT requirements.

Short answer is you need at least a 700 but a higher score would really help you out.

Bhavik

That information has helped me a lot. Only one more thing. If someone apply this year it means that person is thinking about start the MBA the next year? Or you have to apply 2, 3 or x years before you are planning to start? I have not understood how it works.

Hey,

No, you apply the year you want to go. So if you apply in the 2013 - 2014 application cycle (August '13 - May '14) it's because you want to start school in the fall of 2014.

You wouldn't apply until you're ready to go!

Bhavik

Hi,
As you can see on this list of MBA specializations, Chicago Wharton and Columbia have the highest ranks in Finance over the recent years.