Mfin Profile Evaluation

Question

I am finishing my final undergraduate studies this year at a good university in New York and will be receiving a B.A. in Economics and a minor in math.
Nationality: Thai
Went to a top U.S. boarding school for 3 years before college. 
current GPA: 3.875/4.0 (hopefully a little bit higher after fall term)
GRE: 160V 168Q (writing score 5/6)
Work Experience: 2014 Summer internship+business competition at Thailand's second largest bank. 2015 Summer internship at the Central Bank of Thailand (main position was bank stock price analyst) . No full-time work experience.
Accomplishments: Ranked one of the top interns at the central bank (2015). 4th place in a business competition at Thailand's second largest bank (2014). Graduating without having to take math prerequisites by departmental approval. 
Extra-curricular: Help organize cultural events in college. Badminton club. Avid guitarist.

School: MIT MFin.

MSFHQ · Answer

Good shot at MIT. I'd also look at UVA and Vanderbilt. Northwestern has a MiM which might be a good brand fit if you want to keep layering on top schools. IMO, with your stats you should be getting FT looks from employers. How is the recruiting going?

Ivan91 · Answer

MSc Finance in the USA has no value. With you profile, I would get a job and do a top MBA in 4 years time. With a MSc Finance, you will be competing for analyst positions with other undergrads and with other MSc Finance students. I mean, if you make it to MIT thats fair, but apart from that, pointless.

MSFHQ · Answer

To get into a top MBA you need a few things.

1) Great work experience (more blue chip the firm the better)
2) Good UG GPA and school
3) EC's
4) GMAT/GRE

If you go to a unknown school, have a low GPA and can't get a job at a good company, then your odds of getting into a top MBA program is pretty low. So telling someone to just work and do a top MBA isn't always the best advice.

Yes, if you have no experience then a MSF will compete with UG's. BUT, if you go to a good MSF program you can have an opportunity to get into FLDP programs at F50 firms, Investment banking jobs, Big 4 valuation or transaction services, etc. You can re-brand and layer a better school on your resume. You can relocate. Improve your GPA, etc. In this circumstance the MSF provides a perfect bridge to the top MBA.

Also, as the degree matures and becomes more well known you might not need to do an MBA at all. In the 5 years I have been doing MSF stuff (advising, website, etc) I see a minority of students going back for their MBA. Maybe simply progress in their jobs and after working for a number of time their masters takes on even more prominence. It is a graduate degree all the same.

jameswalker · Answer

Thanks for the responses. That is exactly my line of reasoning for why I decided to go for the MSF track. MIT is a much better brand to have on my resume than my undergrad, plus there might be no need for going back for an MBA. If I do get into MIT however, then I would probably give it a shot at top MBA schools after some years of work. 
On the topic of recruiting, I'm getting some offers from boutique PE firms which aren't well known. I think that applying for an MSF at a top school would improve my recruiting chances/job offer quality. Hope it is the right call.

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