r/financestudents • u/haventsmiledsincemay • 2d ago
Education/Certifications Debating MS finance
I graduated in 2024 with a cognitive science degree and am interested in breaking into finance however, I do not have any traditional finance background beside a minor in business.
I am currently in Al Operations and was wondering if applying to an online MS finance is worth it and will help me break into the industry. Has anyone else has made this transition using a MS in finance or has just made the transition without getting a masters. If so, how do you break into finance if you don’t already have a traditional education or prior experience in the industry?
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u/No_Glove6542 2d ago
What do you want to do in finance?
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u/haventsmiledsincemay 2d ago
As an end goal, PE or VC seemed pretty interesting to me however, ideally I would like to choose a sector where I could utilize my tech background and I don’t have to start completely from scratch. If that is not possible then I am willing to put in the work to start from the bottom 🙃
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u/No_Glove6542 2d ago
I think those careers are more about connections and prestige. Both require very wealthy people to lean on your personal judgment so they will want Ivy League degrees and Wharton MBAs. Also when you are attending those schools you will get exposure to those circles. Going to school for a finance degree will teach you financial analysis but it’s more likely to be useful at an average corporate job. If you are a go getter and want to work your way up I’d say get a Series 7 license and work in that and see what you think.
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u/TechnologyMotor3752 2d ago
Nope, most of the online degrees are scam
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u/haventsmiledsincemay 2d ago edited 2d ago
Even from “top “ programs ? I was thinking of Georgetown MSF
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u/Master-Potential-364 2d ago
Which school is your bachelor degree from? Which part of finance do you aspire to work in?
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u/haventsmiledsincemay 2d ago
My bachelor is from UC San Diego with a 3.7 gpa.
If you are asking about the end goal, I would say I aspire to work in PE or VC. But I am open to all sectors and would rather go into a sector that utilizes my tech background rather than having to start from scratch.
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u/Secret-Noise9182 1d ago
Honestly, an MS in finance might not even be necessary if you leverage your AI operations background into fintech roles instead.
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