mazloom1994

Hi there everyone So I took the GMAT and I scored a 750 (Q50/V42). it's been a couple of months since I last posted anything in this forum. My original plan apply for the 2019 class but I decided to apply for the 2018 class just to test out the waters. who knows maybe I got into a good program. I'm looking for a program that (1) is either aimed at PhDs or quantitative enough to help (2) is two years old (3) is cheap (I can at most scrap $60,000 together. and this should cover tuition and living costs for two years. so essentially anything without a need-based scholarship is a no go for me) These requirements I think will leave out only some programs in continental Europe (excluding France). all the programs in the US, Canada, and the UK are out since they don't have any sort of scholarships for international students and most are 9-12 months. My end goal is to attend the best Ph.D. program I can (in U.S / finance or accounting since I enjoy the research prospect of both disciplines) and get a job in some medium/ lower tier college in a cheap college town(think Lincoln Nebraska) So which programs do you guys think I should apply to? I already have a list but I'd appreciate any recommendations

Thanks do you have any other recommendations?

Hi there everyone So I took the GMAT and I scored a 750 (Q50/V42). it's been a couple of months since I last posted anything in this forum. My original plan apply for the 2019 class but I decided to apply for the 2018 class just to test out the waters. who knows maybe I got into a good program. I'm looking for a program that (1) is either aimed at PhDs or quantitative enough to help (2) is two years old (3) is cheap (I can at most scrap $60,000 together. and this should cover tuition and living costs for two years. so essentially anything without a need-based scholarship is a no go for me) These requirements I think will leave out only some programs in continental Europe (excluding France). all the programs in the US, Canada, and the UK are out since they don't have any sort of scholarships for international students and most are 9-12 months. My end goal is to attend the best Ph.D. program I can (in U.S / finance or accounting since I enjoy the research prospect of both disciplines) and get a job in some medium/ lower tier college in a cheap college town(think Lincoln Nebraska) So which programs do you guys think I should apply to? I already have a list but I'd appreciate any recommendations

yeah I'm going to write a reply here for one more time so far all my replies are waiting for an approval from a mod (don't know why probably because I'm new) thank you all for answering my question. I'm not really married to the idea of top 10. I just want to go to the best place I can. I love the idea of doing meaningful research but it's not like it's top 10 (or top anything for that matter) or bust for me. and the universities I want to work in after my Ph.D. are really not that great, I'm talking lincoln Nebraska here! for some weird reason, i LOVE small midwestern college towns!

Hey there Zubrus thank you for the reply there is no need to worry about being a downer. I'm not married to the top 10, I just want to go to the best program possible for me. just two questions if it's all right 1. even though the top 10 is out of the question, would you mind answering my questions/ especially the programming language and the research opportunity part. 2. what part of my resume would you say is my undoing? the fact that I'm getting my bachelor's in Iran? the GPA? or the master programs I'm thinking about are not good enough? 3. what would you do if you was in my shoes and had five years before applying to your phd?

Hi there everyone, happy to be here About me: 1. I'm a 23 years old Iranian, in the last year of my industrial engineering bachelor. GPA 3.4 will probably be 3.5 by the end of my Bs. 2. I've been working full time while studying for the past year (as an accountant) and I also have 2 year of military experience (mandatory military service). 3. I'm studying for the CFA level 1 in this December. and have passed the three first levels of ACCA so far. 4. I'm also fairly competent at VBA and I've been making financial models for fun for the past year. (Valuations, Stock Pitches, M&A, LBO, etc.) 5. took a diagnostic GMAT test last week and got a 650 (Q50, V28) I have to work on my verbal. My goals: 1. I'm going to apply for MSc. finance or economics in December 2018 (don't have the $ right now!) 2. my first choice is Bocconi master of finance, I'm also going to apply to RSM, SSE, st.gallen, among others. I'm not going to apply to US or UK since in all honesty, I won't be able to afford the tuition and living expenses 3. my long term goal is to finish my masters with a high GPA and one or two papers (hopefully I can get an RA position in the second year) and then apply to the top 10 (and probably get rejected and die a sad death!) A research opportunity: So there is this Professor I know in my country, kind of a big deal in here, which outside Iran means nothing. anyway, after a meeting, he found out about my intentions and told me that he's willing to mentor me until I leave Iran. he told me that I can start a project or try to write a paper and he is going to help me with it (show me how it's done, how to send it out to journals and what not) I have 2 years for this. but as you know since I'm an undergrad I have nothing to write a paper about. I was thinking about doing something that shows to my MSc. professors that I'm serious about research and Ph.D. and I have the skills needed to be an RA but I don't know what project can convey this message. My questions: 1. what should I do in the 2 years prior to my masters? 2. which programming language should I learn? I was thinking Matlab or python. I know that this is subjective but right now I don't know what field of research I'd be interested in (for now I enjoy reading up on asset pricing, risk management, and time series analysis. also enjoy statistics and econometrics) 3.should I finish my CFA? I know it won't matter in an academic setting but would it help with the admission process? 4. if I go to Bocconi with the aforementioned research and what not do you think there is any chance of me attending a top 10 program? I know every year 7-8 people go from Bocconi to top 10 but I don't know their backgrounds. 5.Any other affordable master programs you'd recommend for someone interested in pursuing a Ph.D.? 6. anything else I should consider? many thanks

So considering your reply, is it safe to assume that the qualifications expected from a finance student are vastly different from those of an economics student? I always thought that the basic requirements of both PhDs are the same. only you know, economics Ph.D. is actually harder and more mathematically demanding.

Hi there everyone, happy to be here About me: I’m a 23-year-old Iranian (male), in the last year of my industrial engineering bachelor Current GPA is 3.4 will probably be 3.5 by the end I have 3 years of work experience one as an accountant while doing my bachelor's and 2 years of military service I’ve passed the first 3 levels of ACCA and I’m taking the first level of CFA this December Took a diagnostic GMAT test and got a 650 (Q50, V28) I’ve done nothing for the GMAT yet, so I believe I’ll be able to improve my verbal score dramatically I'm also fairly competent at VBA and I've been making financial models for fun for the past year. (Valuations, Stock Pitches, M&A, LBO, etc.) I also have a unique research/mentorship opportunity that I'm going to explain later My goals: I’m going to apply to MSF by December of 2018 (have to wait a year since I don’t have the $ yet) My first choice is Bocconi and I’m also applying to RSM, SSE, ST.GALLEN and other good but not so expensive programs Not going to apply to US or UK programs since I can not afford the tuition and living expenses my long term goal is to finish my masters with a high GPA and one or two papers (hopefully I can get an RA position in the second year) and then apply to the top 10-20 The unique research opportunity: There is this professor in my country who is kinda a big deal (in Iran not in the world) 20+ papers in different international journals, head of machine learning and economics in one of the best Iranian universities, author of 6-7 of books among many other things. (he also had some joint papers with two professors from Bocconi) We had a meeting and he is willing to mentor me (and give me a recommendation if i do a good job) for the next two years. he told me to start a project or a paper and he will help me with it (show me how it's done, how to send it out to journals and what not) but as you know since I'm an undergrad I have nothing to write a paper about. I was thinking about doing something that shows to my MSc. professors that I'm serious about research and Ph.D. and I have the skills needed to be an RA but I don't know what project can convey this message. My questions: What can I do in the next 2 years to get a competitive edge and a head-start for research? Should I finish the CFA? I know that it’s of no use in the academic setting but maybe it’ll help me with the admission? What programming language should I learn? I was thinking Matlab or python. I know that it’s subjective and depending on the field of my studies but I don’t know what I want to research yet ( so far I’ve enjoyed reading up on asset pricing, statistics, time series analysis and risk management. Also I really enjoy econometrics) if I go to Bocconi with the aforementioned research and what not do you think there is any chance of me attending a top 10 program? I know every year 7-8 people go from Bocconi to top 10 but I don't know their backgrounds. Any other affordable master programs you'd recommend for someone interested in pursuing a Ph.D.? Many thanks

Hi there everyone, happy to be here About me: 1. I'm a 23 years old Iranian, in the last year of my industrial engineering bachelor. GPA 3.4 will probably be 3.5 by the end of my Bs. 2. I've been working full time while studying for the past year (as an accountant) and I also have 2 year of military experience (mandatory military service). 3. I'm studying for the CFA level 1 in this December. and have passed the three first levels of ACCA so far. 4. I'm also fairly competent at VBA and I've been making financial models for fun for the past year. (Valuations, Stock Pitches, M&A, LBO, etc.)5. took a diagnostic GMAT test last week and got a 650 (Q50, V28) I haven't started studying for GMAT AT ALL so I think it's safe to assume my score will improve dramatically My goals: 1. I'm going to apply for MSc. finance or economics in December 2018 (don't have the $ right now!) 2. my first choice is Bocconi master of finance, I'm also going to apply to RSM, SSE, st.gallen, among others. I'm not going to apply to US or UK since in all honesty, I won't be able to afford the tuition and living expenses 3. my long term goal is to finish my masters with a high GPA and one or two papers (hopefully I can get an RA position in the second year) and then apply to the top 10 (and probably get rejected and die a sad death!) A research opportunity: So there is this Professor I know in my country, kind of a big deal in here, which outside Iran means nothing. anyway, after a meeting, he found out about my intentions and told me that he's willing to mentor me until I leave Iran. he told me that I can start a project or try to write a paper and he is going to help me with it (show me how it's done, how to send it out to journals and what not) I have 2 years for this. but as you know since I'm an undergrad I have nothing to write a paper about. I was thinking about doing something that shows to my MSc. professors that I'm serious about research and Ph.D. and I have the skills needed to be an RA but I don't know what project can convey this message. My questions: 1. what should I do in the 2 years prior to my masters? 2. which programming language should I learn? I was thinking Matlab or python. I know that this is subjective but right now I don't know what field of research I'd be interested in (for now I enjoy reading up on asset pricing, risk management, and time series analysis. also enjoy statistics and econometrics) 3.should I finish my CFA? I know it won't matter in an academic setting but would it help with the admission process? 4. if I go to Bocconi with the aforementioned research and what not do you think there is any chance of me attending a top 10 program? I know every year 7-8 people go from Bocconi to top 10 but I don't know their backgrounds. 5.Any other affordable master programs you'd recommend for someone interested in pursuing a Ph.D.? 6. anything else I should consider? many thanks