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C++ Online Programming Cert Testimonials

I completed the course yesterday and I am very excited to be done. The course was demanding and this really aided in the learning process. APalley and Trev were active on the forum with regards to answering various questions and this was very helpful. As a full time employee, combining work with this course was challenging. I work 12 hours per day when offshore and had to squeeze sometime out of my schedule to enable me complete my assignments. All in all, I am glad to have completed the course and I am looking forward to working hard to build on the skills I have developed.
 
Hi,
I've just joined. I'm about to finish my PhD in theoretical physics and I've been looking around for a quant-related job. I've gained some experience in programming through the sci projects I was running but I definitely should make that knowledge more solid (especially the object oriented part that is very limited) before any interview. I read your programming course testimonials and got quite interested. The thing that bothers me, however, is whether the certification that you offer gets any recognition among employers? In other words, do you have any reliable feedback stating that having the QuantNet certificate would make my CV look somewhat special? The reason for my question is basically the money, i.e., I'm thinking whether the course is really a better investment than one of the C++ books that you recommend. Another question regards the time that I'd have to spend doing the course. Naturally, I suppose this depends mostly on the amount of time I can spend learning but is there any fundamental limitation from your side? Thank you in advance.
 
QuantNet certificate would make my CV look somewhat special?

I think the QN C++ is the most rigorous.

disclaimer: I am the originator.
 
Thank you Daniel for your opinion.
You're welcome.

My 'opinion' (more of a fact) is based on comparison with the offerings from other courses, contents and after-sales support.

For the 'experience' you need feedback from participants, indeed.
 
In other words, do you have any reliable feedback stating that having the QuantNet certificate would make my CV look somewhat special?
I suspect the value of taking this online C++ certificate would depend on your goal.
Students successfully completed the certificate are able to meet the programming requirement and got into top MFE programs.
People taking the course for job purpose say the knowledge learned helped them a great deal at their current job and to prepare for quant interviews. They are more prepared and confident. Our C++ certificate is very challenging, only about 50% complete successfully.

Having a formal certificate that you can put on your CV is just one signal to employers that you are serious but it will be mostly decided during the interviews when you are asked to demonstrate your knowledge.

The alternative, buying the C++ books and self-study, could work for some people. You just have to work harder to get attention from employers. There is no silver bullet here.
 
Thank you guys. Andy, you used the key word that I've kept in mind, i.e., confidence. I surely miss it and (hopefully, successfully completed) participation in your course could certainly help me to build one. After reading the testimonials I'm quite convinced about the quality, and the only reason for my doubts is the cost, which for a PhD student can sure be an issue. Anyway, thanks again for your input, I'll do my homework and make the decision soon.
 
Regarding C++ training -- I think some of these are pretty good (although, considering the pricing, may be more suitable in a commercial/company (as opposed to personal) setting):

Scott Meyers
http://www.aristeia.com/training.html

Dave Abrahams
http://www.boostpro.com/services/boost-library-training/

For instance:
http://www.aristeia.com/effective-c .html
http://www.boostpro.com/services/boost-library-training/generic-programming/
http://isocpp.org/blog/2012/10/fastware-for-c-scott-meyers
http://isocpp.org/blog/2012/11/boost-training-boostpro

Note, that these are mostly _not_ introductory and build on a preexisting knowledge of and experience with C++.
 
Regarding C++ training [...]-Note, that these are mostly _not_ introductory and build on a preexisting knowledge of and experience with C++.

IMHO these are _way_ too difficult for MFE students. They are 'pure' courses, but probably very good.

An opportunity would be to use Boost as a foundation for domain stuff and bridge the gap between syntax and application.
 
After reading the testimonials I'm quite convinced about the quality, and the only reason for my doubts is the cost, which for a PhD student can sure be an issue
From my experience, cost would be the least of your concerns. Working out a schedule to actually sit down and write code daily, make mistakes, trying again until it works requires a lot of time and discipline. It's very tedious and the learning curve can be huge for people with no prior programming familiarity.
Majority of our students are quant students and we price our course very competitively for our target segment.
 
Talking about time required, I'll come back to my first post: is there any fundamental minimum time that one has to spend taking the course or is it solely up to me and my progress? I've read that 16 weeks is the max, I'd be happy to squeeze that into 12. Assuming a good pace on my side, is that possible on "your side"? Really appreciate your input guys!
 
You can finish it in 1 week if that's your idea of good pace ;)
We have some who completed it in 60 days or less. The record is by someone who finished it in less than 30 days. I believe that someone is a professional programmer and just took our course to get a formal certificate for CV purpose.
Majority of completion would be closer to the max 16-week, for no other reason than people seem to wait till the last minute to do the work.

So the answer is it's 100% up to you how fast you want to complete it. Homework is graded within 24 hours on average and most questions have been asked and answered before so you can go through the materials and work on it quite fast.

The best approach for you to take is to go through the materials on level 1 and 2 which is open to the public. Do all the work there. Take the quizzes which are all free to take.
When you decide to enroll, you can start right away on level 3. This will save you a lot of time which can be used to focus on harder levels like 6-9.
 
Talking about time required, I'll come back to my first post: is there any fundamental minimum time that one has to spend taking the course or is it solely up to me and my progress? I've read that 16 weeks is the max, I'd be happy to squeeze that into 12. Assuming a good pace on my side, is that possible on "your side"? Really appreciate your input guys!

12 weeks _is_ possible but I reckon you have to work x hours per day every day (7 days in one week) for 12 weeks. More or less.

And 12 weeks depends very much on how much experience, intuition and insight in programming in general that you have.

Myth; maths whiz ==> C++ whiz.
 
For everyone who's interested in the time needed for this course: I started doing my level 1 HW at the beginning of January, and I submitted level 9 HW in the middle of February. The typical hours I spent per day on reading materials, doing HWs were about 5 hours at least and weekend was all about c++. I learned python and little C++ before I started the course. However, without the help of my TA, the materials and the forum, I was not able to complete it. :)
 
This class is very rewarding and the sheer magnitude you learn over the course is very impressive. The course is rigorous, it takes time, but you will learn a lot from Dr. Duffy and the TAs. My TA APalley (still not sure I got his real name..) in particular was terrific, quick to respond to questions and always helpful.
 
Hi, I completed the course today.
Firstly, I am extremely grateful with what I have learnt from online C++. This comprehensive and elaborate course equips me well with programming skills. It paves my way to future study in financial engineering. Secondly, I could highly appreciate the help from Avi. Avi is very responsive and smart. Every question from mine gets an efficient and effective answer. Finally, the online course makes share of contribution to help me get the admission from MSCF@CMU. Thanks!
 
Hi all,

I just completed the course after ca. 9 weeks. I was able to finish first 7 levels in ca. 5 weeks, but then I went on 3 weeks holidays and lost my concentration. I work full time, so most of my course work took place on the weekends (at least 8 hours of work per day). BUT, since this is a very exciting and well build course (thanks to the great work done by Andy Nguyen and prof. Daniel Duffy), I did spend most of my free time working on the programs, trying to learn as much as I could about any given topic.

My TA, APalley was very helpful and his comments on my homework assignments helped me improve. The forum was another great source of knowledge, and many of the questions you might have, are already answered.
The exam is quite professional, but I would suggest preparing your level 9 programs (used during the exam) beforehand. I somehow forgot about this part of the exam (it is clearly stated in the exam description), and wasted a lot of time trying to remember the setup I used...

I had some C++ experience before the course, and I did not expect that I will learn so much even during the first few, introductory levels. Thus, even if you are not a student and are not planning to go for an MFE, this is a great choice (and a great value for extremely low price) for learning C++ and its applications in the finance world.

If you are looking for a follow-up course, I would suggest looking at prof Daniel Duffy's webpage:
http://www.datasimfinancial.com/coursesandevents.php

PS. Andy Nguyen, I wrote another testimonial at the Baruch's webpage (the 'exit survey'). You are more than welcome to paste it into your original post.
 
Hi,

My undergraduate background comes from Business Administration and I'm doing MSFE now. I am familiar with Matlab and R, but have literally no knowledge about C++.

I was wondering if this certificate program focuses on those who already have some knowledge about C++, or if this also provides learning opportunity to those C++ beginners.

I would appreciate any kinds of advice. Thanks.
 
I was wondering if this certificate program focuses on those who already have some knowledge about C++, or if this also provides learning opportunity to those C++ beginners.

Hi Jay,
The vast majority of those taking this certificate is beginners so it teaches you from scratch which requires a huge dedication and commitment to successfully complete it.
 
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