MIT Sloan Students Speak: MFin Class of 2012

Graduation and Farewell

Hi all,

On Friday I closed a chapter in my life with big excitement. The past year has been truly life-changing, not only for the things that I have learnt but also for the people I have met and for the experiences I had. As sad as it can be to leave the friends I made here, the future seems bright and I have started to see with big excitement the beginning of a successful career for all of us. Before showing you some pictures of Convocation and Commencement, I would like to share with you what I think is useful advice looking back in time (Some fellow MFins helped me think about this):

• Make the most out of the MIT Sloan community. You will surely find people with similar interests, join a club, organize conferences, organize or attend the MFin Speaker Series, meet with industry experts through the CDO, help with the admissions team with prospective students, etc.
• Be social. Part of your experience at MIT Sloan is to learn from different cultures and build your future network. Attend C-Functions (usually on Thursdays), One Sloan events, Sloan parties, MIT parties and outings. Get to know your classmates since it will also help you meet people you enjoy working with and build a successful team in the courses you take.
• Meet the Professors. You will find that some Professors at Sloan like to be very close to students and build a long-term relationship with them, even if you are not taking their courses you can ask for an appointment and ask about their experiences or advice.
• Take at least one course in one field different than Finance. MIT is a world-wide leader in finance and many other fields like engineering, entrepreneurship, economics, etc... Check out the courses offered institute-wide, it will be sad if you miss the opportunity!
• Exercise and eat well. Leave some room for exercise, your year at MIT will be intense and you will have a better time if you stay healthy. Take advantage of the gyms at the dorms, go swimming, play tennis, go sailing, go running during the beautiful days of summer, join the GetFit program with your friends, etc.

And now I'd like to show you some pictures of Graduation:

Convocation and Commencement are here!

Prof. Myers addressing to the audience during the MFin Convocation

Jason Kamosi, MFin and class speaker for 2012

Getting ready for Commencement!

It was a beautiful day at Killian Court

President Susan Hockfield addressing to the class of 2012

Time to receive the diploma!

MFins enjoying their time at Killian Court

 

It has been a pleasure to share my experience in the MFin program during the past year. Feel free to send an email with questions at rlazo@mit.edu

I wish you the best to you all!

Working as an MFin student?

Hi everyone,

I am writing a short blog to respond to an anonymous prospective student that inquired about the feasibility of working on- or off-campus while being an MFin student.  Is that possible?

I will start by saying that the MFin program does not have any restriction regarding part-time jobs off campus, however international students have legal constraints that prevent them from working off-campus during the academic year.

In my opinion, a part-time job will surely limit your experience at the program: on the one hand, classes are spread throughout the day and a part-time job will restrict the classes you are able to take; on the other hand, the program is rigorous and assignments demand your time outside classroom (think also about team meetings). Finally, a it will also restrict your interaction with other MFin and Sloan students. 

Regarding on-campus employment, both options Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant are available for MFins, however the selection process is competitive and it includes other programs at Sloan (including PhDs). Depending on your interests this option may be advisable since it will increase the exposure to Sloan Professors and help you develop certain skills, however don't forget that it could restrict the time available to other activities (like job searching).

Finally, neither off or on campus employment is common among MFin students, I do not have an official number but I believe that one of my classmates was doing and internship and less than 3 MFin students of my class were RA or TAs.

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,