MIT Sloan Admissions
Master of Finance
How we evaluate our applicants
Competency Model
We review applications using a competency based model that was developed to
measure attributes that we feel will make the most successful MFin candidates
Demonstrated Success
Personal Attributes
• Academic Success
• Building Effective Relationships
• Test Scores
• Motivating Others
• Internship and/or Full-Time
Professional Experience
• Solving Problems
• Working Well on a Team
Key Competencies
Application Components
One Essay
Three Letters of
Recommendation
18-Month Pilot Essay
for those applying
Response to Optional
Question
Resume
GMAT or GRE Score
Academic
Records/Transcripts
The Essay Question
The full essay question can be found within the
application. Please discuss past academic and
professional experiences and accomplishments that will
help you succeed in the MFin program.
Include:
• Achievements in finance, math, statistics, and computer science as applicable
•
Your short-and-long-term professional goals. How will our MFin degree help you
achieve these goals?
•
Personal qualities that will enable you to contribute to the advancement of our
mission
•
Relevant, verifiable details, such as awards, rankings, media references, etc.,
Responses should be written in essay format (750 or fewer words total)
Essay Tips
Complete responses should cover the four distinct points,
and be fewer than 750 words
We are interested in learning more about you, your goals
and how you work, think and act
Use personal and professional examples within the past 3
years. Include specific details
18-Month Pilot Essay
Applicants applying to the 18-month pilot will be
required to submit an additional essay describing how
the pilot structure will contribute to their academic and
professional goals (250 or fewer words)
Recommendation Tips
For your 3 recommendation letters, we ask for one professional, one academic
and the third is up to you – either academic or professional
Choose references who truly know you, and who can highlight your skills with
detailed examples. And who can take the time to speak to the specific questions
we ask on the recommendation form
Recommender Questions can be found in the application instructions on our
website
Reach out to your recommenders early and keep in mind the upcoming winter
holidays and school breaks! Recommendation letters are due on the deadline –
January 4, 2016; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete until
all recommendations are received
We do not accept mailed paper recommendations. They must be submitted
online through our electronic system
We do not accept recommendations from family members
Optional Question Tips
The Admissions Committee invites you to share additional
information about yourself, in any format.
Be creative: this is your chance to tell us anything that isn’t already
highlighted in your application, or to emphasize something important,
or any extenuating circumstances
We love to see videos, but please limit them to 1 minute or less
If you choose a multimedia format, please host the information on a
website and provide us with the URL
If you link to a personal website or other type of interactive multimedia,
be sure it’s easy to navigate
Test Scores
We accept either the GMAT or GRE. We do not have
a preference
We do not require the TOEFL or IELTS. Language
proficiency will be evaluated during the interview
process
Academic Records/Transcripts
Please scan and upload your academic records from all schools whose courses
counted toward a degree
Submit your most up to date transcript with your application. If your fall grades are
not available by our January 4th deadline, please self report your fall grades and
email your updated transcript to mfinadcom@mit.edu as soon as it becomes
available
If your transcripts are not in English, you are required to translate them.
There are several companies such as WES that offer translation services
We ask that you scan both the original and translated copies and submit them both
with your application
While some applicants choose to have an outside credential service evaluate their
transcript and provide us with a report, it is not mandatory
Interviews
Interviews are by invitation only and are a required step in
the process. Applicants who are invited to interview will
receive further instructions and information about what to
expect.
Interviews are conducted in person by a member of our
admissions committee.
Interviews will be conducted in several key locations
around the globe: Cambridge, London, Delhi, Latin
America, Singapore, Beijing, and Shanghai.
Behavioral Event Interviews
Continuing to get to know you better
Probing details from your application
Your behavioral
event interview
will focus on:
Learning specifics about your past
experiences, accomplishments and
actions… “tell me about a time when
you…”
Obtaining more details about what you
thought, felt, said or did in a specific
situation
Important Dates
Deadline
Jan 4, 2016
Decisions
Released
Mar 7, 2016
Deposits
Due
Apr 15, 2016
Questions?
Email: mfinadcom@sloan.mit.edu