Inside WUSTL's MS in Finance: A Deep Dive Into Its Four Concentrations and Admission Difficulty

发布时间：Date: 2022-11-11 返回新鲜资讯Back to News

The MS in Finance program at Washington University in St. Louis, housed within the prestigious Olin Business School, is renowned for its intimate class sizes and exceptional faculty. This article offers a detailed comparison between the WUSTL MSF and Columbia's ERM program across location, curriculum, and career outcomes, guiding students toward informed decisions. It also provides an in-depth breakdown of the four MSF concentrations, with a focus on the STEM-designated Wealth and Asset Management track's curriculum features and career direction. Regarding admissions, the article lays out the high standards: a GPA of at least 3.5, GRE above 325, and language scores of IELTS 7+ or TOEFL 100+. CheersYou（清柚教育） particularly reminds international students that banking and securities internship experiences are highly homogeneous among finance applicants. It strongly advises students to not only meet the hard requirements but to plan early and build a differentiated core internship profile, enabling them to stand out in the competitive race for top programs.

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) is one of the earliest founded and most prestigious "Washington Universities" in U.S. history, a member of the nine "New Ivies," and a world-class university. The MS in Finance (MSF) at WUSTL is offered by the Olin Business School. Known for its small class sizes and strong faculty, the program's Quantitative track is STEM-designated, leading to excellent post-graduation employment prospects. It is often compared to Columbia's ERM program, leaving many students torn between the two.

First, Anne would like to point out that both programs have their own strengths.

Location: Columbia is in Manhattan, New York, home to the famous Wall Street financial district, and it is a target school for many top firms, offering outstanding employment resources. WUSTL, on the other hand, is located in Missouri—less advantageous compared to New York.

Curriculum: Some students pursue a master's degree hoping to gain practical knowledge or learn exactly what they want. The choice can be made by comparing the curricula of the two programs.

Career planning: A master's degree essentially paves the way for future employment, so students must be clear about their career trajectory. Since both are STEM programs and offer three years of OPT (Optional Practical Training, work authorization for F-1 students), graduates can choose to stay and work in the U.S., work for a while before returning home, or go back immediately—all are viable options.

For details on Columbia's ERM program, refer to a previous article (https://www.cheersyou.com/zh/news/107711).

Washington University in St. Louis MS in Finance (MSF)

WUSTL's MSF is offered by the Olin Business School and has four concentrations:

The concentrations are Corporate Finance and Investments, Wealth and Asset Management, Quantitative Finance, and Global Finance. Among them, WAM and Quantitative Finance are STEM-designated. Here, we will focus on Wealth and Asset Management (WAM):

Curriculum

The WUSTL MSF-WAM track emphasizes financial market and portfolio construction, financial scenario modeling, and the understanding and interpretation of financial plans, market ratios, and investment ratings. Some courses specific to this track include Wealth Management Practice, Behavioral Finance, Hedge Fund Strategies, and Endowments, Foundations, and Philanthropy. The program also includes courses that align with CFA Level I, CFP, CAIA, and other professional designations.

Admission Requirements

GPA: 3.5+

GRE: 325+

Language scores: IELTS 7+ / TOEFL 100+

Applicants should also supplement their profile with relevant internship experience. It should be noted that most Chinese students today tend to have internships at domestic banks and certain securities firms. Admissions data from multiple institutions show that over 70% of Chinese applicants share similar internship backgrounds. Consequently, admissions committees perceive all applicants as starting from a similar baseline, with nothing to distinguish one from another. Therefore, when seeking internships, prioritize those with higher value. Here, I have ranked them by priority:

Careers

Common job titles include: Analyst, Financial Analyst, Business Analyst, Investment Banking Analyst, Stockbroker, Equity Research Associate, etc.

Compensation: The average salary in the U.S. is around $71,240; in China, it can reach ¥231,728—very respectable figures.

Well-known hiring companies: RGA (Reinsurance Group of America), Barclays, PwC, Goldman Sachs, and other firms in banking, finance, investment banking, and securities.

Overall, in terms of learning content, WUSTL is the better choice. The curriculum includes CFA-related knowledge, which also helps in pursuing CFA and other certifications later, adding substantial value.

Attached is a wonderful MSF offer from Washington University in St. Louis:

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That was an introduction to the WUSTL MSF program. For school shortlisting and profile assessment, feel free to reach out to Anne老师 for professional help!