AN OPEN LETTER TO BEGIN WITH
My Dear Readers,
This blog post right here is the most special one for me and I hope it finds you all in good health. Today, I am delighted to share some incredible news with all of you that I have been offered admission to several prestigious techno-managerial master’s programs at renowned universities across the US. The path leading to this moment has not been easy.
Before I delve into the details, I would like to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude. I am grateful to Prabhu Shree Ram, Shree Swami Samarth, my parents, recommenders, mentors, and friends for their unwavering support and blessings throughout this challenging journey. Securing admission to top-ranked universities has been nothing less than a dream come true for me.
I would like to address the misconception that this achievement is solely an individual accomplishment. On the contrary, it is a testament to the collective effort, and I am immensely grateful to have such an incredible network of well-wishers, and I am truly indebted to each one of you.
It is through shared experiences and collective growth that we truly thrive. So, allow me to share my story of choosing Columbia University for my MS in MS&E (Management Science and Engineering) program with you in this blog post. It’ll be a long read, but it’s also not a topic that you can convey in a few paragraphs. So, spare some of your time.
Warmest regards,
Vedant Milind Athavale.
1. ABOUT COLUMBIA'S MS IN MS&E PROGRAM (INTRO):
The Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering | MSE (columbia.edu) program is a unique collaboration between Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and Columbia Business School. It is offered by the IEOR (Industrial Engineering and Operations Research) Department in partnership with the Decision, Risk and Operations (DRO) Division at the Business School.
The MS&E program emphasizes on comprehensive understanding of optimization and stochastic modeling, with a focus on their practical applications in operations engineering and management. The program consists of 36 credits and students are required to complete at least six courses within the IEOR department and four to six courses at the Business School. So, you might have realized that this is not just your generic management program.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are well-prepared to pursue roles as analysts and associates in consulting firms, product managers in consumer-based companies, business analysts in logistics, supply chain, operations, or revenue management departments of large corporations, and financial analysts in various functions, including risk management, within investment banks, hedge funds, credit card companies, and insurance firms.
2. WHAT MAKES MS IN MS&E AT COLUMBIA DIFFERENT?
One of the distinguishing features that set the MS&E program at Columbia University apart from other programs is the unique opportunity it offers me to take courses at Columbia Business School, which is recognized as one of the prestigious Magnificent Seven (M7) Business Schools. Although M7 usually refers mainly to MBA programs, the ability of an MSE student to attend the lectures with the CBS MBA students and decorated faculty in itself is a huge thing.
More about the M7 Business Schools: What Are the M7 Business Schools? (thoughtco.com)
Another significant factor that distinguishes MS&E is its strong focus on quantitative subjects, setting it apart from many other MEM or MSTM programs. In today’s competitive landscape, aspiring professionals entering the MEM or MSE domain aspire to become product managers, data analysts, supply chain engineers, or strategy consultants. However, the importance of having a solid foundation in quantitative subjects like optimization, probability, stochastic modeling (optional), and statistics is often overlooked.
These unique aspect of the program makes it highly regarded and sought after, often considered one of the most challenging programs to gain admission to compared to others in its category. The competition for admission is fierce, as many applicants are drawn to studying at a prestigious M7 business school and experiencing the vibrant environment of Manhattan.
3. STATISTICS RELATED TO COLUMBIA MS&E
If a program is very open with its statistics and is making it public, it’s a good sign. But, if some program isn’t doing that, email the program team asap, and if they still don’t have an answer, you now have your answer. In a study published by behavioral scientists in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, the phenomenon, known as the “quantitative belief bias,” was discussed which highlights our inherent trust in numbers as a validation of truth. So, let’s discuss numbers. Columbia MS&E has one of the best placement statistics in its own domain in the world, and below is some data from the official website.
Summer internship placement fall 2020 Cohort who graduated May 2021 or December 2022 (Covid-19) (Source: Career Placement Statistics | MSE (columbia.edu)): ~97% of students who sought a summer internship secured one (1 unknown). 95% of students sought a summer internship and 75% of internships were in the USA.
From internships to full-time, the major corporations or startups hiring students, to name a few are McKinsey & Company, Simon & Kucher Partners, CVS Health, IBM, Intuit, eBay, Boston Consulting Group, Siemens, Strategy&, EY Parthenon, Deloitte, American Express, JP Morgan Chase, Macquarie, Barclays, BNP Paribas, and Louis Vuitton. The list is unending and is getting better and better every coming year. This year, for the summer of 2023, students secured internships at Adobe, SAP Labs, Amazon, Cisco, etc. in the domains of Product Management, Supply Chain Management, Technical Product Management, Solution Engineer, etc. Let’s discuss the important metrics for students who graduated out of Columbia MS&E in Dec 2022:
STUDENT REPORTED SALARIES FOR US-BASED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT: (Source: Career Placement Statistics | MSE (columbia.edu))
| TYPE | PERCENTAGE/NUMBER |
|---|---|
|
AVERAGE BASE |
$115,770 |
|
MEDIAN BASE |
$112,500 |
|
BASE SALARY RANGE |
$72,000 – $150,000 |
|
AVERAGE BONUS |
$20,606 |
4. WHICH OTHER ADMITS DID I SECURE?
In addition to securing admission to Columbia University’s MSE program, I am grateful for the opportunities presented by other prestigious institutions. I received offers from
1. UIUC Gies College of Business, Champaign IL: MS in Technology Management,
2. CMU iii, Pittsburgh & Silicon Valley: MS in Software Management,
3. UMass Amherst, MA: MS in Engineering Management,
4. NYU Tandon, New York City: MS in Management of Technology, and
5. Northeastern University, Boston MA: Master’s in Engineering Management.
After thorough consideration of my options, I made the decision that best aligned with my personal and professional aspirations. The two courses that gave me a hard time in taking the final call were CMU MSSM and Columbia MSE. Before I talk about that, I would like to mention one important thing. It is important to recognize that there is no universally “good” or “bad” program; it is about finding the best fit for individual aspirations. In my case, Columbia’s MSE program, with its fusion of management and engineering, emerged as the ideal choice to propel me toward my desired career path.
5. ISN’T CMU THE BEST FOR SOFTWARE MAJORS? YES.
In my pursuit of higher education, not choosing Carnegie Mellon University’s MS in Software Management program wasn’t a reflection on the program, but rather a decision driven by my nascent desire to explore diverse fields. Well, someone might ask, why would someone foolishly decline a software major at CMU which is often considered to be the best in the nation? This question is quite valid. Moreover, the placement statistics of CMU MSSM were the best among all my options. But, from my perspective, I feel while a software-focused program can give me the best opportunities in technical product management or analytics within the technology industry, I sought a broader skill set; I may someday envision myself thriving as a technical operations manager or a market researcher at an automobile company.
Additionally, the cohort had a lot of people with more than 3 years of work experience, a few with more than 5-6 years. The higher average experience of the cohort to me felt like there will be a disconnection of frequency in my thought process versus that of my experienced peers later on. I value the curiosity that often accompanies a younger cohort, which may push boundaries and constantly challenge themselves. While CMU is a super top-tier institution for engineering, I weighed the advantages of studying at an M7 business school and ultimately chose Columbia whose business education is arguably one of the best in the world.
6. WHAT ABOUT MY OTHER ADMITS?
Let me share why I decided not to pursue the other programs I was admitted to besides CMU and Columbia. Firstly, I felt UIUC Gies College of Business’s 1-year MS in Technology Management would be fast-paced and purely managerial for me, meaning that the intensity might be overwhelming for me. Next, although I received a scholarship, I chose not to pursue NYU Tandon’s MS in Management of Technology (MoT) due to its relatively lesser course credits involvement from the Stern School of Business. I desired a program with a stronger emphasis on managerial courses, but by not leaving the technical side.
Additionally, I didn’t select Northeastern University’s Master’s in Engineering Management as I wanted to be a part of smaller cohorts. Lastly, UMass Amherst’s MS in Engineering Management didn’t align with my preferences as it had a strong focus on industrial engineering and was more technically oriented than I desired. As I have already mentioned before, “It is important to recognize that there is no universally “good” or “bad” program; it is about finding the best fit for individual aspirations.” It’s all subjective and what possibly can be good for me can be a red flag for someone else.
In hindsight, some readers might wonder why I didn’t consider these factors before applying. The truth is, when I initially applied to these programs, I wasn’t entirely certain about the career path I wanted to pursue. However, as time passed and I awaited my decisions, I gained clarity and a better understanding of my preferences. It’s also common to have reservations and skepticism when it comes to college choices, leading many to apply to multiple institutions for various options and opportunities to explore.
7. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, my decision to choose the MS&E program at Columbia University was carefully considered, taking into account various factors that aligned with my aspirations. I firmly believe that exploring metrics and delving into student reviews can greatly assist other applicants in making informed decisions about their educational journey. I encourage you all to drop a comment below, initiating a conversation that can benefit everyone. Sharing this article with future applicants might help them!
Moving forward, I plan to complement this blog with a YouTube video, sharing more insights, and in future articles, documenting my application journey. It is important to note that my choice of Columbia was not solely based on its Ivy League status, as that held lesser significance to me than the relevance of the major, the expertise of the college faculty, program rankings, and the happiness of alumni as my primary considerations. I mean it was always a dream for me like many others and an exciting thing to get to attend an Ivy League school, but considering other factors is as important. This is all from my side! If you read till here, you are absolutely great!
Have an amazing day ahead!
Suggested Additional Content (Podcast with Soundarya: An MSE Alumni):
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