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Real estate / MSRED All about MSRED 2016, Columbia, NYU, Harvard, USC, MIT, Miami or Johns Hopkins

Talentscout77 said:
I just signed up for the University apartment service. I am looking at staying close to campus. A friend of mine gave me info about an apartment in NJ. It is cheap about $650 for a studio but I do not want to commute all the way from out there which is almost 1.5-2 hours one way. I think I will stay close to Campus but waiting on the school. I want to get a shared room or a studio; and apparently they have this competitive draw where they decide who gets to stay on campus. What service are you using to locate your room?
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I've been using the Columbia Facilities website to search for Sublets. Although I don't know much about this option, since it doesn't distinguish between grad/undergrad. I may just be searching craigslist for the time being. My situation is a bit unique since I will be subletting a room from June-Aug, then moving into a 1 bed in September when my GF moves to NYC. I will be doing some searching around the time of the open house.
 
goinforgold said:
I've been using the Columbia Facilities website to search for Sublets. Although I don't know much about this option, since it doesn't distinguish between grad/undergrad. I may just be searching craigslist for the time being. My situation is a bit unique since I will be subletting a room from June-Aug, then moving into a 1 bed in September when my GF moves to NYC. I will be doing some searching around the time of the open house.
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I think craigslist is the way to go honestly.
 
Congrats to you folks, glad to see some enthusiasm with Columbia. Happy to say I was accepted to GSAPP a week ago with a decent scholarship offer. Haven't heard anything from MIT, and GSD rejected me. Seems my decision has been made easy. I'm looking to wrap up my lease here and start the housing search at the start of April as well - I gather it would behoove me to allow for a solid two months to get sorted.
 
goinforgold said:
I've been using the Columbia Facilities website to search for Sublets. Although I don't know much about this option, since it doesn't distinguish between grad/undergrad. I may just be searching craigslist for the time being. My situation is a bit unique since I will be subletting a room from June-Aug, then moving into a 1 bed in September when my GF moves to NYC. I will be doing some searching around the time of the open house.
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I'll be doing short-term subletting of one apartment unit in my 2-family house in Queens, NY this summer.
Loads of space, plenty of street parking.
(Obviously) not near Columbia, but near the subways, LIRR, & express buses to Manhattan. Ergo, from my house: @Half-hour to MidTown & @1 hour to Columbia.
Rent is cheap, as far as sublets here go. Sublet can also be FREE in exchange for work.
Anybody who's interested, feel free to post here or PM me.
Good luck!
 
Mallonation--I'm super excited about the GSAPP program! I also got into USC and live on and plan to return to the west coast, but I'm 90% sure I'm going to Columbia (waiting on MIT, but not optimistic). Going to visit both before I make a decision, but I've all but decided.

BrunoBOS--NYU applications are also still open if you're interested.
 
MSRED2016 said:
Mallonation--I'm super excited about the GSAPP program! I also got into USC and live on and plan to return to the west coast, but I'm 90% sure I'm going to Columbia (waiting on MIT, but not optimistic). Going to visit both before I make a decision, but I've all but decided.

BrunoBOS--NYU applications are also still open if you're interested.
Click to expand...

On waitlist at MIT. Waiting for accepteds to respond by 4/1!
 
Talentscout77 said:
Also What are the pros and cons of the program and also the biggest conception out there is that it is not as good as Columbia ot MIT. In fact Harvard and MIT have a cross listing agreement but for that annual developer, lawyer, and finance simulation, MIT sees it fit to trek 200 miles down the road to Columbia GSAPP and it completely ignores Harvard's RE program. I understand that Harvard has the name but honestly is there any substance behind that degree in terms of electives and offerings? Also Harvard MBA real estate is a joke 2 classes one in real estate as a hobby and the other in private equity.
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I am hard pressed to understand the cantankerous attitude—really bordering on contempt—conveyed by almost everything you have written in your last two posts. The part you seem to have missed is that comparing programs is apples and oranges. And no program is "ignoring" anyone. In fact, about 10 of the 25 students in the negotiations class are from Harvard. The real asset in traveling to New York is being in New York. Though Columbia has a good program, it's irrational to think that an entire class is traveling 3 hours to have such wisdom imparted from a pool of other twenty-somethings.

Your appraisals of the HBS real estate classes are also strangely prickly. Those three (you mentioned two) are taught by incredibly successful practitioners. Google Baupost, Public Storage, and Xander. You appear to have begun this dialogue with a decision in hand—who are you convincing?
 
Talentscout77 said:
Hi Peter,

I am curious to know more about your Mdes RE experience so far. I know you mention that you are mostly happy with your experience. Why do you say this? Also What are the pros and cons of the program and also the biggest conception out there is that it is not as good as Columbia ot MIT. In fact Harvard and MIT have a cross listing agreement but for that annual developer, lawyer, and finance simulation, MIT sees it fit to trek 200 miles down the road to Columbia GSAPP and it completely ignores Harvard's RE program. I understand that Harvard has the name but honestly is there any substance behind that degree in terms of electives and offerings? Also Harvard MBA real estate is a joke 2 classes one in real estate as a hobby and the other in private equity.
Click to expand...

I was hoping more to field individual messages but I might as well respond to all:

I say "mostly" because there are pros and cons to every program. A challenge with choosing real estate programs is that each one is so different that they are difficult to compare. After talking to alumni, students, and practitioners about Harvard, Columbia, MIT, and USC, I've come to sincerely believe that none of these programs provide an edge for hiring, so you should choose whichever program's substance fits best for you. MSRED's are about your own networking. Unless you're at HBS, Wharton, or Columbia Business School, you won't find substantial active recruiting so don't lose sleep over the reputations of three esoteric programs at great universities.

As far as how Columbia relates to Harvard there's a few notable comparisons. First, since you brought it up, I think you're reading too much into the negotiations exercise. The professor who teaches the class at MIT, Tod McGrath, earned is BA and MBA from Columbia and therefore established the link between the two institutions. If they chose partners based on substance, they'd be heading to Cornell, which probably offers the most thorough curriculum. Beyond cross-registering, Harvard and MIT attend each other's events, have Harvard-MIT mixers, and co-host 2 annual Harvard-MIT real estate career days. As it relates to reputation, I can't speak to what you've been hearing in your circles but do know that I haven't met anyone at Harvard who was rejected by Columbia, but do know that almost all of us turned down Columbia to come to Harvard. Recent alumni from our tiny program have landed great jobs and internships. I'll be in New York next summer at a large development firm and 2 of us 4 interns at the firm will be from Harvard GSD. I was worried about reputation too because the program is so small but, honestly, I have found being at Harvard to open-up doors for me to a greater extent than I expected.

The cons of the program is that we aren't our own department within the university so we float within other departments, which makes the program a bit amorphous. Also, Harvard GSD definitely prioritizes the architecture program, so we aren't valued at the school like the more design oriented disciplines. The pros are many, but namely the flexibility of the curriculum. If you are coming to the program with experience or very specific interests it's great because rather than following a proscribed curriculum you can forge your own way. This can be overwhelming for some, and elbowing your way into classes can be stressful, but overall, Harvard encourages us to take classes across the university, and we almost all take courses at the business school, kennedy school, and MIT, in addition to the GSD. So far I've enrolled in the following classes:

Advanced Real Estate Finance (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Economics and Market Analysis (Harvard GSD)
Field Studies in Real Estate, Planning, and Urban Design (basically a real estate development studio) (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Capital Markets (MIT)
Urban Innovation: Concepts and Practices (Harvard Kennedy School)
Innovative Project Delivery in the Public and Private Sectors (MIT)
Urban Design (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Development and Finance (Harvard GSD)
Immersive Field Study: New York City; Private Equity and Real Estate (Harvard Business School)
Creating Real Estate Ventures: A Legal Perspective (Harvard GSD)
Building and Leading Real Estate Enterprises and Entreprenuership (Harvard GSD)
Public and Private Development (Harvard GSD)

Some of my classmates take all finance classes, others focus on sustainability--it's up to you and your initiative. What's also a big pro is the size of the program. In contrast to Columbia's 100 students a year, Harvard's program is 15-20 students. It ends-up being tight knit. We look out for each other, have a very active Real Estate Development club, and get well acquainted with our professors and others at the school. When we reach out to alumni, we are a novelty since there are so few of us and so alumni tend to be very warm and helpful--we aren't one of hundreds of current students hassling them each year.

Overall, any of you fortunate enough to get into Columbia, Harvard, or MIT, are in great hands--congratulations. I kept looking for "red flags" during my research last year but, everyone I spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about each program.
 
sn-ot said:
I am hard pressed to understand the cantankerous attitude—really bordering on contempt—conveyed by almost everything you have written in your last two posts. The part you seem to have missed is that comparing programs is apples and oranges. And no program is “ignoring” anyone. In fact, about 10 of the 25 students in the negotiations class are from Harvard. The real asset in traveling to New York is being in New York. Though Columbia has a good program, it’s irrational to think that an entire class is traveling 3 hours to have such wisdom imparted from a pool of other twenty-somethings.

Your appraisals of the HBS real estate classes are also strangely prickly. Those three (you mentioned two) are taught by incredibly successful practitioners. Google Baupost, Public Storage, and Xander. You appear to have begun this dialogue with a decision in hand—who are you convincing?
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Errr.... Who are you? I dont think I spoke with you before.
 
Thank you, Peter! Really helpful and thoughtful. I don't have any specific questions, because I didn't have the prerequisite advanced degree to apply to Harvard, but I still found this really helpful.
 
peterje2 said:
I was hoping more to field individual messages but I might as well respond to all:

I say "mostly" because there are pros and cons to every program. A challenge with choosing real estate programs is that each one is so different that they are difficult to compare. After talking to alumni, students, and practitioners about Harvard, Columbia, MIT, and USC, I've come to sincerely believe that none of these programs provide an edge for hiring, so you should choose whichever program's substance fits best for you. MSRED's are about your own networking. Unless you're at HBS, Wharton, or Columbia Business School, you won't find substantial active recruiting so don't lose sleep over the reputations of three esoteric programs at great universities.

As far as how Columbia relates to Harvard there's a few notable comparisons. First, since you brought it up, I think you're reading too much into the negotiations exercise. The professor who teaches the class at MIT, Tod McGrath, earned is BA and MBA from Columbia and therefore established the link between the two institutions. If they chose partners based on substance, they'd be heading to Cornell, which probably offers the most thorough curriculum. Beyond cross-registering, Harvard and MIT attend each other's events, have Harvard-MIT mixers, and co-host 2 annual Harvard-MIT real estate career days. As it relates to reputation, I can't speak to what you've been hearing in your circles but do know that I haven't met anyone at Harvard who was rejected by Columbia, but do know that almost all of us turned down Columbia to come to Harvard. Recent alumni from our tiny program have landed great jobs and internships. I'll be in New York next summer at a large development firm and 2 of us 4 interns at the firm will be from Harvard GSD. I was worried about reputation too because the program is so small but, honestly, I have found being at Harvard to open-up doors for me to a greater extent than I expected.

The cons of the program is that we aren't our own department within the university so we float within other departments, which makes the program a bit amorphous. Also, Harvard GSD definitely prioritizes the architecture program, so we aren't valued at the school like the more design oriented disciplines. The pros are many, but namely the flexibility of the curriculum. If you are coming to the program with experience or very specific interests it's great because rather than following a proscribed curriculum you can forge your own way. This can be overwhelming for some, and elbowing your way into classes can be stressful, but overall, Harvard encourages us to take classes across the university, and we almost all take courses at the business school, kennedy school, and MIT, in addition to the GSD. So far I've enrolled in the following classes:

Advanced Real Estate Finance (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Economics and Market Analysis (Harvard GSD)
Field Studies in Real Estate, Planning, and Urban Design (basically a real estate development studio) (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Capital Markets (MIT)
Urban Innovation: Concepts and Practices (Harvard Kennedy School)
Innovative Project Delivery in the Public and Private Sectors (MIT)
Urban Design (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Development and Finance (Harvard GSD)
Immersive Field Study: New York City; Private Equity and Real Estate (Harvard Business School)
Creating Real Estate Ventures: A Legal Perspective (Harvard GSD)
Building and Leading Real Estate Enterprises and Entreprenuership (Harvard GSD)
Public and Private Development (Harvard GSD)

Some of my classmates take all finance classes, others focus on sustainability--it's up to you and your initiative. What's also a big pro is the size of the program. In contrast to Columbia's 100 students a year, Harvard's program is 15-20 students. It ends-up being tight knit. We look out for each other, have a very active Real Estate Development club, and get well acquainted with our professors and others at the school. When we reach out to alumni, we are a novelty since there are so few of us and so alumni tend to be very warm and helpful--we aren't one of hundreds of current students hassling them each year.

Overall, any of you fortunate enough to get into Columbia, Harvard, or MIT, are in great hands--congratulations. I kept looking for "red flags" during my research last year but, everyone I spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about each program.
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Thank you for this... Just as a word, I will be graduating from the FAS at Harvard with my Masters before delving into my studies at Columbia. You clarified it well!!!
 
I think I've changed my mind and am now looking at the Upper West Side. I hope to find a place in April to move into mid-May.
 
peterje2 said:
I was hoping more to field individual messages but I might as well respond to all:

I say "mostly" because there are pros and cons to every program. A challenge with choosing real estate programs is that each one is so different that they are difficult to compare. After talking to alumni, students, and practitioners about Harvard, Columbia, MIT, and USC, I've come to sincerely believe that none of these programs provide an edge for hiring, so you should choose whichever program's substance fits best for you. MSRED's are about your own networking. Unless you're at HBS, Wharton, or Columbia Business School, you won't find substantial active recruiting so don't lose sleep over the reputations of three esoteric programs at great universities.

As far as how Columbia relates to Harvard there's a few notable comparisons. First, since you brought it up, I think you're reading too much into the negotiations exercise. The professor who teaches the class at MIT, Tod McGrath, earned is BA and MBA from Columbia and therefore established the link between the two institutions. If they chose partners based on substance, they'd be heading to Cornell, which probably offers the most thorough curriculum. Beyond cross-registering, Harvard and MIT attend each other's events, have Harvard-MIT mixers, and co-host 2 annual Harvard-MIT real estate career days. As it relates to reputation, I can't speak to what you've been hearing in your circles but do know that I haven't met anyone at Harvard who was rejected by Columbia, but do know that almost all of us turned down Columbia to come to Harvard. Recent alumni from our tiny program have landed great jobs and internships. I'll be in New York next summer at a large development firm and 2 of us 4 interns at the firm will be from Harvard GSD. I was worried about reputation too because the program is so small but, honestly, I have found being at Harvard to open-up doors for me to a greater extent than I expected.

The cons of the program is that we aren't our own department within the university so we float within other departments, which makes the program a bit amorphous. Also, Harvard GSD definitely prioritizes the architecture program, so we aren't valued at the school like the more design oriented disciplines. The pros are many, but namely the flexibility of the curriculum. If you are coming to the program with experience or very specific interests it's great because rather than following a proscribed curriculum you can forge your own way. This can be overwhelming for some, and elbowing your way into classes can be stressful, but overall, Harvard encourages us to take classes across the university, and we almost all take courses at the business school, kennedy school, and MIT, in addition to the GSD. So far I've enrolled in the following classes:

Advanced Real Estate Finance (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Economics and Market Analysis (Harvard GSD)
Field Studies in Real Estate, Planning, and Urban Design (basically a real estate development studio) (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Capital Markets (MIT)
Urban Innovation: Concepts and Practices (Harvard Kennedy School)
Innovative Project Delivery in the Public and Private Sectors (MIT)
Urban Design (Harvard GSD)
Real Estate Development and Finance (Harvard GSD)
Immersive Field Study: New York City; Private Equity and Real Estate (Harvard Business School)
Creating Real Estate Ventures: A Legal Perspective (Harvard GSD)
Building and Leading Real Estate Enterprises and Entreprenuership (Harvard GSD)
Public and Private Development (Harvard GSD)

Some of my classmates take all finance classes, others focus on sustainability--it's up to you and your initiative. What's also a big pro is the size of the program. In contrast to Columbia's 100 students a year, Harvard's program is 15-20 students. It ends-up being tight knit. We look out for each other, have a very active Real Estate Development club, and get well acquainted with our professors and others at the school. When we reach out to alumni, we are a novelty since there are so few of us and so alumni tend to be very warm and helpful--we aren't one of hundreds of current students hassling them each year.

Overall, any of you fortunate enough to get into Columbia, Harvard, or MIT, are in great hands--congratulations. I kept looking for "red flags" during my research last year but, everyone I spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about each program.
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Hey there, thank you so much for your help. Admitted to Columbia and Harvard, on the waitlist at MIT and having difficulties in making my choice...

1. You mentioned you turned down Columbia for Harvard - I understand those programs are pretty different. But have you considered MIT as well? Due to the cross register program you could have attended GSD classes too while being at MIT and such program would have been shorter and cheaper? What are the reasons that lead you to pick GSD over MIT?

2. What are your feelings in terms of placement at GSD-REBE? I dont think any statistics are available? Is there a person dedicated to placement like Columbia and (I think) MIT? Or are you on your own? When you say "none of these programs provide an edge for hiring" you mean among each other? Or in general? "You won't find substantial active recruiting so don't lose sleep over the reputations of three esoteric programs at great universities" you re scaring me a bit... Do you mean no company is actively hiring on campus? Or it is difficult to find opportunities at the moment?

3. How do you feel the program is perceived from a reputation perspective by employers compared to Columbia and MIT? You sound like you re positively impressed by the Harvard brand? Congratulation on your internship btw!

4. You mentioned Harvard and MIT are co hosting events - Do they organize recruiting events together as well?

5. Cross register program sounds cool but how well does it work in reality? Is it effectively applied or do some size limits per class sometimes restrain you from attending a class at another school? Have there been any class in another school you planned to take but couldnt?

6. Stupid question this one but... I understand GSD program lasts 18 months over 3 terms whereas MIT/Columbia lasts 11 months over 3 terms or am I missing something here? Are Harvard terms longer if I may say so? Or do you have plenty of time between terms that allows internship for instance?

7. I have a pure finance background and am worried about the design requirements of GSD mandatory classes. I have the feeling I am gonna get lost in the studios... What do you think? Is it realistic for someone like me to go to Harvard or should I focus on more quantitative programs?

8. How intense is the program? I know it depends on the courses you select but I heard there is a lot of research involved?

My objective is to work in development in the NYC area which would make Columbia a perfect fit. But I have read so many mitigate reviews on the program, huge class size, reputation for low placement rates, academic sub-performance compared to MIT... Harvard has a fantastic brand but get mitigate reviews as well on not being an official MSRED... Plus it seems more design oriented.... MIT has a fantastic reputation, world-class faculty members (Geltner, Wheaton), best placement reputation in the industry... but I am on the waiting list and may never make it...plus I am not interested in IB... Tough call really!
 
Can any of the accepted MIT candidates post their stats? I was rejected via mail and just trying to benchmark things. Frankly, I'm surprised as I thought my stats were above the average compared to years past.

In at Columbia but deciding whether or not to go or to reapply to MIT next year as it was a dream of mine to attend MIT.
 
Nick, these are good questions. There's a lot here to respond to and I will be away for the next week. It may be easier if you email me at peter@buildingblock.city and we can find a time to briefly talk. For the benefit of others I'll try to respond it more detail in a week or so.
 
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Columbia MSRED

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, I got accepted to Columbia but rejected from MIT which were the only two I had applied to.
I am not from the US and barely know New York, I´ve been there 2 or 3 times, what areas would you recommend me to search for an apartment? I need something not to far since my fiancée is coming with me.
 
Apartment

Eduardo S. said:
Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, I got accepted to Columbia but rejected from MIT which were the only two I had applied to.
I am not from the US and barely know New York, I´ve been there 2 or 3 times, what areas would you recommend me to search for an apartment? I need something not to far since my fiancée is coming with me.
Click to expand...

Eduardo, I think that the most logical place to start looking is Morningside Heights... It is right by the campus. Craigslist has a ton of them but they usually have a broker peddling the apartment. Good luck!
 
ctdev said:
Can any of the accepted MIT candidates post their stats?
Click to expand...
I could, but they're 37 years out-of-date.:)


ctdev said:
In at Columbia but deciding whether or not to go or to reapply to MIT next year as it was a dream of mine to attend MIT.
Click to expand...
Most MIT alumni will tell you it was a dream to be a student there.
The alumni who tell the whole truth call the dream a "nightmare".

My conscience dictates that I stick my neck out and urge you to go to Columbia.
 
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In at MIT!
Now needs to decide between Harvard GSD and MIT...
Tough call, really...
It is reputation of a program vs international reputation of a school...
Plus Harvard GSD is longer which allows for more courses...
 
Congs!!!

Nick76 said:
In at MIT!
Now needs to decide between Harvard GSD and MIT...
Tough call, really...
It is reputation of a program vs international reputation of a school...
Plus Harvard GSD is longer which allows for more courses...
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Harvard wins on prestige and recognizability. The degree translates into several languages around the world. MIT is good too cuz studying at Harvard I enjoyed interacting with MIT students. Found them very interesting people.
 
Talentscout77 said:
Harvard wins on prestige and recognizability. The degree translates into several languages around the world. MIT is good too cuz studying at Harvard I enjoyed interacting with MIT students. Found them very interesting people.
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I d agree with you that Harvard has a slight edge over MIT as a university, but when you talk to well established real estate professionals the MIT MSRED seems to get more recognition than the MDesS...
In any way I guess you can't go wrong with any of these programs, even Columbia...
Have you taken any class at MIT while in Harvard? If so how good were they?

Thank you for sharing your opinion
 
Classes

Nick76 said:
I d agree with you that Harvard has a slight edge over MIT as a university, but when you talk to well established real estate professionals the MIT MSRED seems to get more recognition than the MDesS...
In any way I guess you can't go wrong with any of these programs, even Columbia...
Have you taken any class at MIT while in Harvard? If so how good were they?

Thank you for sharing your opinion
Click to expand...

Sure thing, I am not in the GSD Mdes, I am in another graduate program so ours is more specific and we take classes at other harvard schools but not MIT. Yeah either way you are in a strong position regardless. Harvard on the resume has opens doors I have found though... MIT has a strong name and I think you can take classes at Harvard too.
 
It was OK. They had some really big name speakers who were very impressive. But it also seems to be a program very much in flux. I kept asking students if they thought this or that aspect of the program was really strong and I kept getting answers about how for their year it was really a mixed bag, but they thought the new director would ensure that for next year everything is really strong. Also, this is apparently the biggest class they've ever had (like 130-140 expected students) and after the incoming class, they are going to switch the academic calendar to a schedule more like MIT's (start in fall, do spring, internship in summer and then finish up in the fall). I walked in 95% sure that was where I was going and walked out about 25% sure that's where I'm going.
 
MSRED2016 said:
It was OK. They had some really big name speakers who were very impressive. But it also seems to be a program very much in flux. I kept asking students if they thought this or that aspect of the program was really strong and I kept getting answers about how for their year it was really a mixed bag, but they thought the new director would ensure that for next year everything is really strong. Also, this is apparently the biggest class they've ever had (like 130-140 expected students) and after the incoming class, they are going to switch the academic calendar to a schedule more like MIT's (start in fall, do spring, internship in summer and then finish up in the fall). I walked in 95% sure that was where I was going and walked out about 25% sure that's where I'm going.
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I've heard good things about the new director. Wow, amazing! I was at the real estate conference here at Harvard this past weekend and MIT students were saying the same thing about their program. One student told me it was great for finance.
 
I am a graduate (a few years ago) of one of those programs, so I am willing to answer questions. For some reason I had some nostalgia today.

"peterje2" has given a very accurate view of those masters, which is very smart since he seems to be still a student. When you are a student sometimes you don't see the reality as it is.

I would like to add some points:

- Geography: Looking back, I think this is key. If you plan to stay in NYC, then Columbia. If Boston, then MIT or Harvard... and so on and so forth. Of course Boston and NYC are very close to each other so that helps :)

I am one of the few Europeans (and I know a bunch of Europeans in the other masters), and I would say marketing your master back in Europe (notably in London which has plenty of graduates of their own masters) is an "uphill battle". Of course people in Europe know about Columbia, Harvard, Cornell or MIT, but "Master in Real Estate" is unknown to them. So beware. You are completely "off-cycle" so you have to be creative. I feel than in Asia is easier because there are strong alumni networks, Asians love graduates from MIT or Ivy Leagues, and until recently real estate in that area was booming, so plenty of jobs (probably this is changing now).

- Courses: To be honest, you can learn to do a discounted cash flow anywhere. For me the good thing about those masters is that there is people involved that is very "edgy" and somehow ahead of the curve in real estate. So for instance, what is done in NYC today in terms of residential developments (amenities, sizes, etc), it will likely happen to smaller cities in a few years' time. This is something important to leverage when you are talking to potential employers, specially if you are away from NYC/Boston.

- Job cycles: Real Estate is pretty much boom and bust. So the time you end your master is critical. If you look at the kind of things people graduating in 2009 VS 2014 are doing... those in 2014 are doing much better. For me this is the major issue of those masters. In a more general master like an MBA, if you finish your master in 2009, the job market was dire for sure but you can eventually do something else related and move to real estate later. If you graduate from a master in real estate in 2009, you are screwed. And it takes very long to "get back on track". Some people gave up and ended up doing whatever else.

- Prestige. This is a point that is discussed very often in those forums, and there is a mythical thread from someone from MIT at WSO Forums a few years ago. :D As it has been said here, IMO prestige in those masters is less important, as you have to do your networking and job search. The good thing is that sending an email to someone saying "I am a MIT graduate student" (or whatever university) usually gets you a reply. The most important thing is your previous experience (unfortunately this is always important, no matter your master degree) and your willingness to network and not being fearful to contact people. That is why geography is so important... if you are in Columbia and want to work in Manhattan; it is just a subway ride to meet hundreds of interesting people.

Of course prestige here plays a role coupled to geography. It will be always easier for an MIT student to work in Los Angeles, than for an USC student to work in Boston (no need to explain I hope!). But I wouldn't worry about this endless battle about whether MIT or Columbia is "better perceived". The real world is usually more pragmatic than forums.

- Job fairs. That will depend on each university, but as it has rightly said it will be likely a few job fairs with alumni or local developers (so again, that is why geography is so important... if you are at Columbia, you will have likely alumni - living in NYC - or people around the NYC Real Estate world. If you are at MIT and want to go work in Los Angeles... that is a 6-hour flight. Not impossible but more complicated).

- Kind of jobs. This is another critical point that is usually asked. I would say that looking a few years back, people is doing all sorts of things that depend on interests, previous background, geography and luck (i.e. when you did finish). But for the bad or the good today we live in an extremely volatile job market. When I was "networking" back in Europe (and this will happen as well in the US), I was surprised to see how different outcomes people had. I had seen MIT MSRED with excellent positions in the industry, and Columbia or Harvard MBAs (not MSRED) that I felt were stuck in dead-end jobs. In real estate, experience and network "triumphs" your degree. RE is not nuclear physics and you don't need a PhD from MIT or Stanford to be hired.

Long story short, it is you, your background, your interests and your capacity to contact other people. Those masters are just a way to move from A (your previous experience) to B (your outcome), leveraging a name and getting some important and related knowledge in that path.

Good luck and good riddance.
 
Undergraduate

Hello,

I am a second year undergraduate civil engineering student and am beginning to research graduate programs. I have interest in the MSRED program at Columbia and Miami, as well as the Urban planning program at UVA. I was wondering if any of you guys would mind offering any tips, advice, info that you all believe would be helpful to someone in my position. Also if you wouldn't mind sharing your GRE /GMAT scores as well as GPAs. Just so I can get a better understanding as to where I need to be come application time.

I appreciate any and all responses!
 
Acceptance Rate

Hi - Does anyone know the acceptance rates/percentages at the top MRED programs? More specifically, at MIT, Columbia, USC, and Cornell?

Thanks!
 
Applying to Columbia MSRED 2017

So, I hate to be "that person", but I would love to know my chances of getting into Columbia MSRED! I'm planning to do the RED + Urban Planning dual degree.

Here are my stats:

26 year old American male living in NYC
3.58 GPA - Geography major at elite New England College
GRE: 161 Quant / 165 Verbal
Approx 4 years of work experience in total. First, at an Economic Development Corporation & then a large municipal infrastructural agency (City of New York).

I just attended the open house event and am sold!

What are my chances?
 
MIT MSRED 2017

Anyone currently applying? Hate to be the self-doubter but wanted to know what my chances are.

GPA: 3.0 from state school (just graduated)
GMAT: 680. Im a quant guy but for some reason my latest test was so unbalanced. 94 percentile verbal and 47 percentile math (red flag)
Work XP: approximately 3 years of very solid acquisitions xp. Very comfortable with modeling and have overseen numerous investments.

I know MIT doesn't accept students straight from undergrad as they want them to have work xp but I figure I may be an exception since I do have the necessary experience and exposure. FYI I am 29 and definitely screwed up undergrad. Hence why I was fortunate enough to get my foot in the real estate door but ultimately it had a negative impact on my studies as I was attending school part time for a few years.

Would be happy to welcome all constructive criticism.

Best
 
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