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can't know which path is suitable.

Joined
12/25/10
Messages
4
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I am a mathematics-udergraduate student of KAIST in Korea.(Maybe you don't know.)

My GPA is 3.9*/4.3 and major is 4.0*/4.3 .

I aim to get a quant job in NYC and can't know which path is suitable.


#1.math-phd(KAIST) with many internships in Korea ㅡ>mfe(courant, berkley,and so on)

#2.math-phd(KAIST) with many internships in Korea ㅡ>post doc in U.S.

#3.math phd in U.S(most suitable.but I am not considering)


Could you give me some advice?
 
Whatever path you choose, you are still 5-7 years away from getting a job. How can you be certain that you will still want to be a quant at that point?
Why don't you pick up some technical skill, read the financial papers daily while studying something you enjoy most until you get there?
Pretty soon, you will have find out if you really enjoy this or not. If you don't know what a "quant job" really is, it is not wise to spend 7 years studying something to prepare for a career that you will hate in your first month.
 
Whatever path you choose, you are still 5-7 years away from getting a job. How can you be certain that you will still want to be a quant at that point?
Why don't you pick up some technical skill, read the financial papers daily while studying something you enjoy most until you get there?
Pretty soon, you will have find out if you really enjoy this or not. If you don't know what a "quant job" really is, it is not wise to spend 7 years studying something to prepare for a career that you will hate in your first month.

I second this.

Only get a math phd if you really love math. If you want to end up in the US then #3 makes the most sense but since you aren't considering it, #1. Internships will be important to show an interest and give you some practical experience.
 
You can try #4: No PhD. Acquire relevant work experience in Korea. Then apply to MFEs.
 
Just go for the 1st option......get some experience and then go for an MFE.

A PhD is simply a 5 year programme in which you become a great expert (at least theoretically speaking) in a particular field.

A PhD is not going to make you smarter and nowadays experience is more important than a lot of the unrealistic mathematics that you are going to do there.

A Master is much better because it is sharper, it goes straight to the point and you are not going to waste your time with a 700 pages dissertation which is going to be read by 5 people in the world.

However, if you want to be an academic just forget about the option No 1 and go for the 3rd one. good luck

www.hypervolatility.com
 
99% chance you will not get a tenure-track academic position with Math PhD. Most of the Math PhDs are working on Wall Street along with the Physics PhDs and some of the Engineering PhDs. Wall Street USED to be a haven for the quant PhDs, but now there is oversupply of MFEs who are willing to work hard and work cheap, so that is driving down the PhD salaries. So that is creating tension between the MFEs and the quant PhDs because there are not so many positions available for both the quant PhDs and now in addition the 5,000 new MFEs every year.
 
No need to get a PhD for working in the industry unless you love sitting in school.
 
Thank you for answering.

I know don't need to get phd to work in industry.

But I've heard that holding a phd degree has more advantage to get a quant job.

Is it really true?
 
Thank you for answering.

I know don't need to get phd to work in industry.

But I've heard that holding a phd degree has more advantage to get a quant job.

Is it really true?

I would not recommend getting a PhD. Worshiping a Professor for 6 years will not necessarily give an advantage in the industry.
 
For quant jobs, if they are choosing between a quant PhD or an MFE, 99% of the time they will select the quant PhD. The only exception is if the PhD demands too much money or has not bothered to prepare for the quant interviews.
 
There are jobs in the industry that require a PhD, but they also require experience. You should find out if you are as gifted in the work place as you are in school before you commit to either or both the job and the PhD. If you know you want the PhD, get one. If you know you want to be a quant, maybe you should work for a year or two before earning the PhD. Relevant experience won't hurt your chances of getting into a degree program later.
 
For quant jobs, if they are choosing between a quant PhD or an MFE, 99% of the time they will select the quant PhD. The only exception is if the PhD demands too much money or has not bothered to prepare for the quant interviews.

This statment is true as long as both the candidates have no experience. However, in many cases an MFE graduate has a 1 year experience in the industry, which is usually more useful in terms of career, by the time PhD student takes the degree.

Many PhDs are still wanted becuse MFE graduates are relatively new. There was no such a degree before and the labour market is not as fast as you think so, some employers still think of PhD graduates like the only way to get someone who is really skilled but this is not the case anymore.

A bank, an hedge fund or a financial institution do not want theory but practical applications.

The choice remains yours but if you want a career in the industry looking after (because that's what you are going to do regardless of the uni) a 60 years old professors is not going to give you any advantage.

if you love math go for a PhD. If you love applied Math go for an MFE
 
The choice remains yours but if you want a career in the industry looking after (because that's what you are going to do regardless of the uni) a 60 years old professors is not going to give you any advantage.
Very correct and well said.
 
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