Advice/What is the next step?

[blacklion]

Hey all,

extremely interested in getting into quant trading and quant analysis as a secondary avenue.

I have been looking into applying to a quant program, but I do not think my background is strong enough. I am wondering if someone can point me in the right direction, I have a general idea but I am unsure of what precise actions will provide the most benefit as I feel like i'm always on time constraint b/c of my job. Here is my background:

Graduated in 2008 with a BA in economics (3.5 gpa, 3.8 major).
A's in calc I & II, linear algebra and econometrics. B in stat, I was lazy and young what can I say :P
Intro to C++ in 2003 but have not programmed in C++ since.
Can program rudimentary macro's in VBA on excel (self-taught on the job, advanced excel skills but beginner VBA skills as this is not the focus of my work).
I have one year experience working for an equity research firm and its affiliate hedge fund.
Passed CFA level 1 exam this past June.

From what I've gathered from everything on the forum, my analysis is I need to:

1. Take Calc 3, ODE or PDE (not sure which comes first), calc based Stat, real analysis?
2. Dominate the GRE math
3. Get awesome at C++

I guess my question is what is the best way to do this? I am having trouble finding math classes that I can take at night in my area. Is there any way to do this online? What math classes specifically do I need to take?

What about C++? are there online courses I can take? or should I just do this all by myself? I can't find a C++ cert. course in my area.

I live in Nashville TN.

Maybe this is all misguided. sorry for being so needy, I have no one else to ask for advice. everyone in my office is accounting/finance/management training focused. I don't trust their opinion for a career movement in this direction.

much thanks to anyone who can lend me their time.

 

[DanM]

I'm only an undergrad (pure mathematics) so I'm sure some of the other posters who are currently in MFE/have graduated, can provide you with better, more indepth advice - but I have selected my courses based on the advice of professors and members of this forum who are more familiar with what it takes to succeed in quant finance.

Multivariable calc, ODE, PDE, linear algebra, probability theory, stats, stochastic processes, seem to be the minimum requirements. Though it appears that a lot of the candidates have taken considerably more math - which is why a lot of the successful applicants come from physics, mathematics, and engineering backgrounds.

 

[Mr Doe]

Multivariable calc, ODE, PDE, linear algebra, probability theory, stats, stochastic processes, seem to be the minimum requirements.

:smt119What you listed usually takes two years, if a person is a full time student! You also need measure theory for stat, prob theory and stochastic processes and functional analysis (or some kind of intro to it) for PDE.
Plan for first year: Multivariable calc/Analysis in IR^n, linear algebra, measure theory, ODE, functional analysis;
second year: PDE, probability theory, statistics, stochastic processes.

Doing it less than two years would be cheating (of course at your own expense) .

 

[blacklion]

So you're saying I need to take all of those classes before I even apply to a program?

This looks a bit excessive, especially since the programs teach these classes. For instance,

Baruch's prereq.s are:

- Knowledge of Finance, as demonstrated by one undergraduate class or work experience (def. have this)
- Calculus (two semesters) (have this)
- Probability (one semester) (have this)
- Linear Algebra (one semester) (have this)
- C++ programming skills at the level of one undergraduate class, or by completing a certificate degree (can re-acquire this)

NYU recommends:

- Multivariate calculus (through partial derivatives, multiple integrals, and Taylor series) (this seems like I need to take Calc 3 and ODE?)
- Linear algebra (systems of equations, determinants, factorization, range and null space, and eigenvalues of symmetric matrices) (have this)
- Calculus-based course in probability (independence, conditional probabilities, Gaussian distribution, law of large numbers, central limit theorem). (have this)

From my inference, I have close to required for both programs but maybe I am mistaken. It seems like spending 2 years in full time school to prepare myself for a program that is less than 2 years is a bit of a waste of time, especially when most of the classes will be retaught in an applied setting. It appears you are recommending to me that I go back to school and get another Bachelors degree in math?????

Again, I might be confused, thanks for you help though.

Perhaps doing only the prerequisites will not make me competitive enough to get into a good program?

 

[blacklion]

Ok,

So i've been looking around for places to take math classes that will make round out my background. The community colleges in my area do not offer night classes and I can't seem to find online classes affiliated with them.

However, I did find these two websites at the University of Illinois. the University of Illinois system

Home | NetMath at the University of Illinois
NetMath - Academic Outreach - Continuing Education - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

It seems that either of these two online courses would substantially increase my math background.

Are these legit?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

So you're saying I need to take all of those classes before I even apply to a program?
This looks a bit excessive, especially since the programs teach these classes.

Perhaps doing only the prerequisites will not make me competitive enough to get into a good program?

You pretty much answered yourself.
My advice is not to go by the requirements literally. They are just very basic and majority of the applicants more than meet those reqs. If you haven't, then that begs the questions about your competitiness. Keep in mind you are competing with PhD holders, people with Master degrees or undergrads in math or other hard science.

 

[blacklion]

ok, this is starting to become clearer. thank you.

I will have to spend considerable time preparing myself for such a program from my current position i guess.

thanks to all who replied.