- Joined
- 3/2/21
- Messages
- 4
- Points
- 13
Current State:
33 year old with 9 years of FP&A (Finance manager is current title) experience and a 3.5 gpa from a non-target in a non-quantitative finance major.
extent of my math background: Passed a Calc AP test in 2006 and took stats 101 in freshman year of college (yeah, not much)
extent of my programming background: some excel VBA and a beginner online python course
My Goal: Find a far more technical career path, whether that is in quant finance, data science, or another more technical field.
Why?: I have found the tasks I enjoy most in my career so far to be modeling out business opportunities, building pricing models, and testing strategic hypothesis for the business.... the problem is only about 2% of my jobs have been spending time on this type of work. The rest of my responsibility revolves around finding data, cleaning data, hand holding VPs through basic budgeting, maintaining processes that revolve more around people and rote data inputs
How?: I figure to build out far more technical skills over the next two years (Math reqs, programming) and then make a career pivot (using an industry focused masters program)
What? I am assuming the above can help get me into a career where the primary responsibilities revolve around more logical rigor, research, and the technical rather than the story/sales side of the business world.
Potential Path: (Please provide suggestions and critiques for this)
Next 6 months:
-Study for (and take) the GRE to get myself acquainted with foundational math again. (Is this a good enough refresher for Algebra/Geometry/Trig?)
-Take Python programming courses online, start finding some projects to get further acquainted
-After reviewing a bit of the foundational math in my GRE prep, move onto a refresher in Calc 1
Next 6-18 months:
- Apply to a "tier 2" MFE/MFM or Masters in Data Science Program... (any suggestions for reach/target schools for a candidate with as unimpressive of a resume as my own?)
- Take Calc 2 + Linear Algebra in a Fall semester at a community college (is a community college the best way to take these and get credit?)
- Take Calc 3 + advanced prob/stats in a spring semester next year at a community college
- Continue improving Python programming skills with kaggle competitions and self-study projects
In Fall 2022 and beyond:
- Begin my masters program and start searching out internships/ careers post degree
Expectations:
I am expecting with the above path, I could find a more fulfilling career in quant finance (not expecting to make it to a top institution or in a prized front office Hedge Fund role) or data science (would like to start at something higher than a data analyst).
In addition, at worst I would expect a slight bump in pay (I currently make ~100k all in, living in Southern California), though I understand an entry level position is what I'm likely looking at?
I am 33 as of October 2020, and would like to think I could begin on the above career by 36
Is all of the above reasonable? any further suggestions?
Much thanks
33 year old with 9 years of FP&A (Finance manager is current title) experience and a 3.5 gpa from a non-target in a non-quantitative finance major.
extent of my math background: Passed a Calc AP test in 2006 and took stats 101 in freshman year of college (yeah, not much)
extent of my programming background: some excel VBA and a beginner online python course
My Goal: Find a far more technical career path, whether that is in quant finance, data science, or another more technical field.
Why?: I have found the tasks I enjoy most in my career so far to be modeling out business opportunities, building pricing models, and testing strategic hypothesis for the business.... the problem is only about 2% of my jobs have been spending time on this type of work. The rest of my responsibility revolves around finding data, cleaning data, hand holding VPs through basic budgeting, maintaining processes that revolve more around people and rote data inputs
How?: I figure to build out far more technical skills over the next two years (Math reqs, programming) and then make a career pivot (using an industry focused masters program)
What? I am assuming the above can help get me into a career where the primary responsibilities revolve around more logical rigor, research, and the technical rather than the story/sales side of the business world.
Potential Path: (Please provide suggestions and critiques for this)
Next 6 months:
-Study for (and take) the GRE to get myself acquainted with foundational math again. (Is this a good enough refresher for Algebra/Geometry/Trig?)
-Take Python programming courses online, start finding some projects to get further acquainted
-After reviewing a bit of the foundational math in my GRE prep, move onto a refresher in Calc 1
Next 6-18 months:
- Apply to a "tier 2" MFE/MFM or Masters in Data Science Program... (any suggestions for reach/target schools for a candidate with as unimpressive of a resume as my own?)
- Take Calc 2 + Linear Algebra in a Fall semester at a community college (is a community college the best way to take these and get credit?)
- Take Calc 3 + advanced prob/stats in a spring semester next year at a community college
- Continue improving Python programming skills with kaggle competitions and self-study projects
In Fall 2022 and beyond:
- Begin my masters program and start searching out internships/ careers post degree
Expectations:
I am expecting with the above path, I could find a more fulfilling career in quant finance (not expecting to make it to a top institution or in a prized front office Hedge Fund role) or data science (would like to start at something higher than a data analyst).
In addition, at worst I would expect a slight bump in pay (I currently make ~100k all in, living in Southern California), though I understand an entry level position is what I'm likely looking at?
I am 33 as of October 2020, and would like to think I could begin on the above career by 36
Is all of the above reasonable? any further suggestions?
Much thanks
