University of St.Gallen (HSG) MBF 2013 intake

I'm from HN too :D I guess I will pay in EUR.
It's weird that the HSG MBF topic this year is less active than last year.
Maybe people are still waiting for results from US business schools.
I took my gmat late so i can apply to only europe business schools this year

208.33 EUR ) I will pay the invoice next week but won't upload the receipt until April. Hope it will be ok.

Good luck for applications to everybody.

I am applying to miqef, have a decent profile. GRE Q: 164 . Anyone is applying as well? When do you think they start to make decisions? Got that "formal vollständig" status for a while now.

a few days or a few weeks. I think you will soon receive the decision. I haven't completed my application yet. I'm struggling with the 3-page motivation letter.

I also apply to the HSG MBF this year. My application status right now is "materielle Prüfung II ok". It seems that the app package has been sent from the general adcom to the MBF adcom.

Hi guys, Good luck with your applications. I am also applying for MBF and I have a question to ask, how long does my motivation letter need to be because there is a 3 page pdf template and I certainly hope I wont need to fill it.

Hey everyone, I also applied to the MBF and got that "materielle Prüfung II ok" status for almost a month now.
Have you applied to any other places as well? I am considering Bocconi, RSM and HEC Lausanne if things dont work out at HSG. Does anyone of you have any experiences or information concerning the Finance programmes of these schools?

@kostaspamp: I am afraid I have to dissapoint you. The HSG website specifically mentions that a 3-page LoM is required for application. Although it weighs in only 10 points it can be of great help if your GPA, GMAT score or extracurriculars are not that good. I also struggled a few days with it but once you get started its finished in no time. So dont be discouraged just go for it!

@all: Good luck with your applications

[quote="SwaG"]Hey everyone, I also applied to the MBF and got that "materielle Prüfung II ok" status for almost a month now.
Have you applied to any other places as well? I am considering Bocconi, RSM and HEC Lausanne if things dont work out at HSG. Does anyone of you have any experiences or information concerning the Finance programmes of these schools?

@kostaspamp: I am afraid I have to dissapoint you. The HSG website specifically mentions that a 3-page LoM is required for application. Although it weighs in only 10 points it can be of great help if your GPA, GMAT score or extracurriculars are not that good. I also struggled a few days with it but once you get started its finished in no time. So dont be discouraged just go for it!

@all: Thanks for the advice. My GMAT is 730 and my GPA is 8.32/10 which was the second highest GPA in my class. Also in the relevant subjects I have average grade over 8.9/10. I’m just trying to make sure that I ll get admitted :D I wouldn't want to be rejected cause of some topicalities.
I am also having trouble with the CV template. Am I allowed to customize it? Cause i want to add some seminars that i have attended and that I am a CFA level 2 candidate but there is no place for them. I know about HEC Lausanne. Its good but St. Gallen is the number 1 Master in finance in Switzerland. Also about 1 out of 6 students gets a degree from HEC the rest go home at the first exams but the admission is relatively easy compared with St.Gallen. You should also look EDHEC Ms in finance.

Hey Guys!
I'm applying for MBF this year too, only that I still have some concerns regarding my profile.
I'm 22/female/Taiwan, have no work experience, and only scored 680 on my GMAT :"(
do you guys still think I should apply?
I do have some overseas experiences (studied in Switzerland and U.S. as a kid, and was an exchange student last year in University of Heidelberg in Germany)
and my GPA is ok, around 3.8~3.9.
The thing that most worries me is my GMAT and the fact that I am a poli sci major, I have a minor in economics (checked with the admission office, they said I could apply because I took enough courses in economics).
Also I am struggling with my motivation letter....
and does anyone know if I could add on a letter of recommendation?

Sorry for the long and illogical passage.
Hope somebody could give me a hand in answering these questions.
Thanks!!!!

You should definitely apply. I have heard many stories of people you got accepted in programs that were considered better than the programs that rejected them. What I am trying to say is that you never know how these things work. Besides, you have some good extracurricular activities from what I see; this should help. Best of luck with your application.

I am also applying to the MBF. I haven't taken my GMAT yet though so this is the biggest concern at the moment. I am sceduled to take it next friday and am scoring in the low 700's for now on MGMAT and GMATPrep so hopefully it should go ok. You guys are rather early since the deadline is in 1 month? Do most of you speak german? Is there any german proficiency tests that need to be taken?

@ kostaspamp: with your high GPA and GMAT score you shouldn't worry... Depending on how your GPA is converted you even might have chances to get admitted directly IMO. The fact that you are CFA Level I holder (=Level II candidate?) should also add good weight to your extracurriculars so that a half-decent LoM should suffice to get admitted.

As far as the CV template is concerned I think you are not supposed to customize the format, however, adding some extra lines is ok. The seminars you attended and the CFA Level I is probably best placed under the Extracurricular activities category.

I would never have imagined that the failure rate at HEC Lausanne is that high. Where do you get this information from if I may ask? Are you from Switzerland? Do you have similar infos about HSG?
EDHEC, HEC Paris and most of the US/UK schools are out of my scope since I would have to take a student loan to finance my studies which I really do not want. And frankly, I do not believe that the comparativley high costs are justified in terms of knowledge imparted.

I also think you should give it a try. The 250 CHF application fee is in fact quite harsh, but your GMAT fulfills the minimum requirements so you have chances to get the admission (assuming that your GPA is on a scale of 4, otherwise it could get tight, considering HSG's pointing scheme).
Regarding the letter of recommendation, I think I read in last years forum that it is not a requirement and hence, won't be considered. Nevertheless, some applicants still submitted one. Bottom line, it's up to you. Maybe it will be considered, maybe not, you'll never know. Officially, it should be disregarded.

I am from switzerland and can confirm that the failure rate of HEC lausanne is somewhere down does lines. The MBF however is considered a bit easier and has a much smaller rate of failure (probably also due to the fact that there is more selection to start with).

I do speak German but as far as I know there is know such test. I applied early because the MBF is my first choice and I was hoping to receive an answer by mid April so that I can apply to other programs if I do not get admitted (and save the application fees until then )

I am happy to know that you think I have good chances of admission. Getting the through the CFA level 1 exam doesn’t automatically make u a CFA level 2 candidate. I have enrolled for the CFA level 2 exam to be taken at 1/6/2013. I am not Swiss and i dont know about HSG, however I have two dear friends of mine who were accepted at HEC one at Management and one at Accounting. Both of them told me that HEC’s master in finance is considered the “artillery” of HEC and is the hardest master with about 1 out of 6 students graduating and imediate employment. Regarding EDHEC I think you should do a bit of research before turning it down. To begin with, all university students in France get a small financial aid ranging from 50 to 200 Euros for the rent (no need to jump through hoops everyone gets it). Secondly if you have the background to get in St.Gallen you might as well aim for a scholarship at EDHEC. Thirdly, the cost of life in Nice is much lower than that in St.Gallen. In my estimation If you get a decent scholarship it should be about the same cost, if not less.

Hey guys, I am a bit confused with the supporting documents of my extracurricular activities does anyone know whether I need to attach them at the last page of my CV or upload them independently in the additional documents section where I upload my other documents such as the GMAT score? Plz help.