How good is the SMU Cox MS Finance for an international student?

Inactive User

13 25

Posted Apr 27, 2021 05:53

The price of the degree is pretty steep (51k) and the placements seem to be impressive. However I am wondering how good the school would be for an international student who would need the H1B to work in the US.

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Duncan

13.776 15.332

Posted Apr 27, 2021 09:04

See https://find-mba.com/board/general-forum/should-i-go-to-smu-cox-as-an-international-student-for-the-ms-finance-59543

PS The Cox MS has a STEM designation, so the H1B is not an immediate concern. You would have three years of work after the degree, and by then an employer would be more motivated to sponsor you.

[Edited by Duncan on Apr 27, 2021]

See https://find-mba.com/board/general-forum/should-i-go-to-smu-cox-as-an-international-student-for-the-ms-finance-59543 PS The Cox MS has a STEM designation, so the H1B is not an immediate concern. You would have three years of work after the degree, and by then an employer would be more motivated to sponsor you.

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Inactive User

13 25

Posted Apr 27, 2021 12:08

See https://find-mba.com/board/general-forum/should-i-go-to-smu-cox-as-an-international-student-for-the-ms-finance-59543

PS The Cox MS has a STEM designation, so the H1B is not an immediate concern. You would have three years of work after the degree, and by then an employer would be more motivated to sponsor you.

They gave me a GMAT waiver and I was wondering if that is because they want to attract more students and says something about the program. How prestigious is the school? It's unheard of in my country but the MS finance grads from SMU are working everywhere ranging from JP Morgan to Capital one. I really like the school tbh and the alumni have spoken positively about it. It has much better placements that most of the British and continental European schools that I applied to. My employer asked me to go in for a place like UCL or Kings just because he had heard of it and told me that since he hasn't heard of SMU it must be a bad uni. Unfortunately I feel that employers in my country will have the same perception and if I don't find a job in the US I would have to return and would be jobless.

[quote]See https://find-mba.com/board/general-forum/should-i-go-to-smu-cox-as-an-international-student-for-the-ms-finance-59543 PS The Cox MS has a STEM designation, so the H1B is not an immediate concern. You would have three years of work after the degree, and by then an employer would be more motivated to sponsor you.  [/quote] They gave me a GMAT waiver and I was wondering if that is because they want to attract more students and says something about the program. How prestigious is the school? It's unheard of in my country but the MS finance grads from SMU are working everywhere ranging from JP Morgan to Capital one. I really like the school tbh and the alumni have spoken positively about it. It has much better placements that most of the British and continental European schools that I applied to. My employer asked me to go in for a place like UCL or Kings just because he had heard of it and told me that since he hasn't heard of SMU it must be a bad uni. Unfortunately I feel that employers in my country will have the same perception and if I don't find a job in the US I would have to return and would be jobless.

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StuartHE

1.092 654

Posted Apr 27, 2021 13:17

If you employer is recommending UCL or King's then they are unfamiliar with the leading masters in finance programmes. You should ignore their guidance on that specific topic.

Take a look at http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-pre-experience-2020 and http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-post-experience-2020 Those schools are, perhaps, better alternatives to SMU. However, SMU is an very good school, a sort of four-star school: https://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-usa.html Kings and UCL and not notable as business schools, and lack AACSB accredition. I say that as an active follower of the King's Business School.

[Edited by StuartHE on Apr 27, 2021]

If you employer is recommending UCL or King's then they are unfamiliar with the leading masters in finance programmes. You should ignore their guidance on that specific topic.  Take a look at http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-pre-experience-2020 and http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-post-experience-2020 Those schools are, perhaps, better alternatives to SMU. However, SMU is an very good school, a sort of four-star school: https://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-usa.html  Kings and UCL and not notable as business schools, and lack AACSB accredition. I say that as an active follower of the King's Business School.

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Inactive User

13 25

Posted Apr 27, 2021 13:39

If you employer is recommending UCL or King's then they are unfamiliar with the leading masters in finance programmes. You should ignore their guidance on that specific topic.

Take a look at http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-pre-experience-2020 and http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-post-experience-2020 Those schools are, perhaps, better alternatives to SMU. However, SMU is an very good school, a sort of four-star school: https://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-usa.html Kings and UCL and not notable as business schools, and lack AACSB accredition. I say that as an active follower of the King's Business School.

Thank you for your reply. I was wondering what the reputation of SMU is like in the US. A lot of my friends in the US havent heard of it but in Texas everyone in finance has and they speak highly of it. Is it worth pursuing a degree from a regional elite school like SMU considering that not many people in my country have heard of it?

[quote]If you employer is recommending UCL or King's then they are unfamiliar with the leading masters in finance programmes. You should ignore their guidance on that specific topic.  Take a look at http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-pre-experience-2020 and http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-finance-post-experience-2020 Those schools are, perhaps, better alternatives to SMU. However, SMU is an very good school, a sort of four-star school: https://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-usa.html  Kings and UCL and not notable as business schools, and lack AACSB accredition. I say that as an active follower of the King's Business School.  [/quote] Thank you for your reply. I was wondering what the reputation of SMU is like in the US. A lot of my friends in the US havent heard of it but in Texas everyone in finance has and they speak highly of it. Is it worth pursuing a degree from a regional elite school like SMU considering that not many people in my country have heard of it?

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StuartHE

1.092 654

Posted Apr 27, 2021 14:12

SMU has been consistently ranked in the top 50 business schools in the US, for decades. I wonder if your US friends are familiar with the business school scene. Broadly speaking, I'd say SMU has a similar reputation to Boston College, Boston Uni, Georgetown or USC. Certainly, these are regional schools. In terms of educational experience and student quality they will be on a much higher level than most UK schools outside the FT MiF ranking.

I suspect that if the people who know are not familiar with financial education specifically, they can lead you astray.

SMU has been consistently ranked in the top 50 business schools in the US, for decades. I wonder if your US friends are familiar with the business school scene. Broadly speaking, I'd say SMU has a similar reputation to Boston College, Boston Uni, Georgetown or USC. Certainly, these are regional schools. In terms of educational experience and student quality they will be on a much higher level than most UK schools outside the FT MiF ranking.  I suspect that if the people who know are not familiar with financial education specifically, they can lead you astray.

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Inactive User

13 25

Posted Apr 27, 2021 21:33

SMU has been consistently ranked in the top 50 business schools in the US, for decades. I wonder if your US friends are familiar with the business school scene. Broadly speaking, I'd say SMU has a similar reputation to Boston College, Boston Uni, Georgetown or USC. Certainly, these are regional schools. In terms of educational experience and student quality they will be on a much higher level than most UK schools outside the FT MiF ranking.

I suspect that if the people who know are not familiar with financial education specifically, they can lead you astray.

Thank you for your reply, Stuart.

[quote]SMU has been consistently ranked in the top 50 business schools in the US, for decades. I wonder if your US friends are familiar with the business school scene. Broadly speaking, I'd say SMU has a similar reputation to Boston College, Boston Uni, Georgetown or USC. Certainly, these are regional schools. In terms of educational experience and student quality they will be on a much higher level than most UK schools outside the FT MiF ranking.  I suspect that if the people who know are not familiar with financial education specifically, they can lead you astray.  [/quote] Thank you for your reply, Stuart.

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Inactive User

266 92

Posted Apr 28, 2021 03:01

A lot of my friends in the US havent heard of it but in Texas everyone in finance has and they speak highly of it. Is it worth pursuing a degree from a regional elite school like SMU considering that not many people in my country have heard of it?

It matters depending on where you want to live. If you want to live in Dallas Fort Worth, then SMU makes a lot of sense. But if you want to go back to your home country, absolutely you need to consider what the local perception is there. For example, in Canada, which is just a border away, nobody will know exactly what "Southern Methodist U Cox" is just by glancing at the resume. The same goes in reverse - very few Americans know Western/Ivey's reputation. (I've lived and worked in both countries.)

Focus first on where you want to live. Then study there. Very few hiring managers spend their free time visiting FT and US News MBA rankings.

[quote] A lot of my friends in the US havent heard of it but in Texas everyone in finance has and they speak highly of it. Is it worth pursuing a degree from a regional elite school like SMU considering that not many people in my country have heard of it? [/quote] It matters depending on where you want to live.  If you want to live in Dallas Fort Worth, then SMU makes a lot of sense.  But if you want to go back to your home country, absolutely you need to consider what the local perception is there.  For example, in Canada, which is just a border away, nobody will know exactly what "Southern Methodist U Cox" is just by glancing at the resume.  The same goes in reverse - very few Americans know Western/Ivey's reputation.   (I've lived and worked in both countries.) Focus first on where you want to live.  Then study there.  Very few hiring managers spend their free time visiting FT and US News MBA rankings.

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Inactive User

2.941 1.801

Posted May 03, 2021 19:07

Focus first on where you want to live. Then study there. Very few hiring managers spend their free time visiting FT and US News MBA rankings.

This is great advice. I'd add that there are some business schools where the programs and networks transcend borders and even continents: Harvard, LBS, Insead, Stanford, etc.

There are others that have excellent regional networks. Many of the best Singapore / Hong Kong schools have great alumni networks in parts of Southeast Asia.

SMU will probably have a decent reputation in some parts of Texas and maybe in other parts of the US due to its historically Methodist network (although it's recently parted ways with the church, which is an interesting story in and of itself...)

[quote] Focus first on where you want to live.  Then study there.  Very few hiring managers spend their free time visiting FT and US News MBA rankings.   [/quote] This is great advice. I'd add that there are some business schools where the programs and networks transcend borders and even continents: Harvard, LBS, Insead, Stanford, etc. There are others that have excellent regional networks. Many of the best Singapore / Hong Kong schools have great alumni networks in parts of Southeast Asia.  SMU will probably have a decent reputation in some parts of Texas and maybe in other parts of the US due to its historically Methodist network (although it's recently parted ways with the church, which is an interesting story in and of itself...)

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