Post by Nistha Tripathi

Engineers with 9+ GPA & 330+ GRE scores are choosing this Master’s degree over CompSc…because it’s paying insane salaries & sponsoring H1B more easily ✊⬇️ This student had a 9.2 GPA in engineering. Strong coding skills. Good profile. Still chose MFE (Financial Egg) at Columbia over a CS degree. Another student. IIT background. 3 years of work experience in software. Walked away to pursue Computational Finance at CMU. Both made the same bet. And honestly? The data backs them up. 👉 Generalist CS in 2026 is no longer the automatic ticket to a high-paying US job. It's overcrowded. Employers are drowning in CS resumes. And AI is eating the entry-level roles faster than universities can update their syllabi. So I’m not surprised that our clients are quietly pivoting. And they're choosing programs like: - MFE at Columbia, UCLA, Cornell, NYU - Gatech MSQCF, UCSD MQF - CMU Computational Finance, Rutgers MS Finance - NCSU MFinMath, UCI MMath Finance. Quant. Math. Not CS. So why are sharp Indian students making this shift in 2026? And more importantly: is this the right move for YOU? This is exactly what I break down in this week's YouTube video: - Why generalist CS is losing its edge - Which Finance & Quant programs are worth your time and money - Which universities to target and how to position yourself I’m leaving the link in the first comment. If you're deciding between CS and a Finance/Quant route — watch this before you apply anywhere. Because picking the wrong degree in 2026 doesn't just cost you tuition. It costs you 2 years and your shot at the career you actually want. PS. Join 75,000 people who watch our weekly long analysis and tips on the YT channel (Scholar Strategy TV) if you haven't 🙏 #scholarstrategy #24northstar