I will tell you with 100% certainty that it is almost impossible to get a job at a “top hedge fund” 90% of these people that are top students graduating from these top programs are ending up at banks, asset management firms etc. and not at hedge funds. Most people don’t get a job at a hedge fund ever, and if they do, they get the job at the hedge fund a decade later after a bank trained them. Just letting you know because as you’re wondering there legitimately is very few opportunities for anyone at a hedge fund let alone new grads without a phd.