December 16, 2020
Forty-one students gathered this fall at NYU Shanghai to begin the NYU Shanghai - NYU Stern Master of Science program in Quantitative Finance (MSQF). This second cohort starts the program with diverse academic and professional backgrounds; for example, some of them are fresh graduates, while others have already worked in the financial industry for years. Let’s hear how their experiences in the program are going so far.
Jiayi Xu (Cohort Leader)
Hometown: Wuhan, Hubei, China
Undergraduate Institution: Michigan State University
Major: Finance
Xinyi Wang
Hometown: Hefei, Anhui, China
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Accounting, Communications; Minor: Statistics
Junyu Zhang
Hometown: Chongqing, China
Undergraduate Institution: Tsinghua University
Major: Automation; Minor: Finance and Entrepreneurship
Why did you choose the MSQF program?
Jiayi: I joined the Union Bank of Switzerland(UBS) right after I got my bachelor’s degree in Finance. There, I spent most of my time on over-the-counter(OTC) derivatives for two and a half years. But my dream is to become a trader, and that position requires a master’s degree. This master’s program meets my needs. I can spend a year learning necessary knowledge, networking with financial practitioners, and recharging myself. Moreover, I received a merit-based scholarship from the program.
Xinyi: Upon graduation, I decided to change my focus from Accounting and Communications to Finance for a wider career prospect. This program is based in Shanghai’s Lujiazui financial district so that I’m able to do internships and take job interviews more freely. Moreover, though the pandemic makes it hard to travel abroad, it doesn’t change that we can still enjoy the high-quality education resources from NYU while specializing in the Asian market in this program.
Junyu: I read some posts by alumni of this program on Chase Dream, a popular online forum for Chinese applicants who wish to study abroad. They spoke highly of this program and especially recommended it to those who want to find a job in the financial industry in China. This was aligned with my career objective so I submitted my application without hesitation.
How do you enjoy the courses?
Jiayi: I really liked Corporate Finance taught by Professor Guodong Chen where we went through many classic cases in the financial field. Case analysis is required in job interviews, so this was really helpful. I also feel glad that my classmates are from diverse backgrounds – some of them used to work in the primary market and some others have experience in the secondary market. When we have group discussions, this diversity in background enables us to consider problems from different perspectives, which is a valuable experience.
Professor Guodong Chen’s Corporate Finance class
Xinyi: In the Chinese Financial Markets course, Professor Bin Zhao introduced the development of the Chinese financial market thoroughly and systematically. I studied in America for four years, so I’m not very familiar with the Chinese market. This course provided me with necessary knowledge and business acumen to launch my career in China.
Junyu: One thing I really like about our courses is that professors always invite industry insiders to class. From their experience and career tips, we are able to get a quick overview and learn the duties, workload, and prospects of different jobs without having to try them one by one.
What is your life like in Shanghai?
Jiayi: Shanghai is much more convenient compared to Michigan where I spent my undergraduate years. Our class always hang out on weekends and play murder mystery games together, which brings us closer together.
Xinyi: We take all the courses together and get along well with each other. This is quite different from my undergraduate experience in which everyone had different schedules.
Junyu: Shanghai is a city full of opportunities. Our campus is surrounded by many financial firms, so it’s more convenient for us to look for internships or jobs. I also like the humid climate of the city.
What are you working on recently?
Jiayi: We have all been busy with job hunting since campus recruitment in China started. We share job opportunities and useful resources in WeChat groups to help each other. I’m now preparing for job interviews and have already received some offers.
Xinyi: I have a very intense schedule these days. I’m attending classes, interning in a private equity firm, and taking job interviews at the same time. It's stressful but rewarding.
Junyu: I’m also taking written tests and preparing for interviews. The Career Development Center at NYU Shanghai (CDC) has helped us gather job information and make it into a spreadsheet, which saved time for us.