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Do you think it's a good idea?

AllIntensive

Joined
9/11/11
Messages
6
Points
11
Hello, this is my first post on here :)

I am currently in Community College, taking some refresher courses, as I graduated from high school 3 years ago at 15 and didn't feel ready to go into university, so I stayed back and experienced life for a bit. I am going into Columbia University's School of General Studies next year in the Fall to get a BA in Computer Science, with a concentration in French and Francophone studies. After that, I plan on enrolling in the Engineering School at Columbia via the 3-2 program to receive a BS in Electrical Engineering (It's just an extra two years). Depending on my financial situation and sheer luck, I'd also want to go to MIT to get my Master's in Mechanical Engineering (and maybe even a PhD, but not so sure about that yet). Given that I don't have a successful start-up by then I would like to become a Quant Analyst at a Wall Street firm like Jane Street or DE Shaw, or in any firm in the London financial centre. How feasible do you think it will be? Would I be better off studying Finance instead? My education is more important at this point, but if i do not have the financial wherewithal to pursure my Master's right after my Bachelors' How feasible would it be for me to get a Quant job with a good firm like DE Shaw with my BA/BS?

Thank you so much for your help in advance
 
That's quite the plan you have laid out there. In my experience, you are planning way too far ahead, beyond the time horizon where you can realistically predict what your life, or what even your interests will be like.

I'm not sure how successful you will be at attaining a quant job with a degree in mechanical engineering (or at making a startup... I get the impression that mechanical engineers work for someone...). Career should never dictate your Ph. D. path, but what attracts you to Mechanical Engineering after an initial degree in computer science?

You should definitely take some finance courses in undergrad though. Get some exposure to the subject matter, and see if you like it or not.
 
Thank you for your reply!

I know it's far away, but I feel like that is the path I want to take. The start-up is a tech startup, and with my background in Computer Science, I hope to be adequate enough to at least get it up and running before taking more managerial duties. All-in-All, I really like building things, be they virtual or physical, and I come from a very entrepreneurial family, so entrepreneurship is what I'm used to.

Why do you not think Mechanical Engineers would be able to attain Quant jobs? I'm actually stuck between choosing Electrical or Mechanical Engineering for my PhD. My main area of interest is converting Solar energy into Electricity more efficiently so it can be used in cars and buildings, etc. By the way, which do you think would be better for me to take to achieve this goal as a PhD, the original Mech Engineering PhD path or staying with Electrical Engineering and taking Mechanical Engineering electives?

What courses do you recommend I take?
 
I think you will probably change majors in college just like everyone else does.

One step at a time man.
 
Hello,

I've already had my major change and I'm not going back. My original plan was to study Economics and become a Lawyer like I was groomed to be. But engineering is where my interests lie and not some profession for pseudo-intellectuals and thieves who hang on to prestige that belongs to an era when education was left for the upper echelons of society. Computer Science is my main major, then depending on the situation I may or may not continue on the path. But Computer Science is a definite for me
 
next year in fall = Fall 2012
3-2 = Spring 2017
+3 (if you are able to cut PhD in half) = 2020.
+5 (if you do a PhD in normal time) = 2022

By that time Finance might be completely different.

My advice, don't think about finance until (if) you need it. Concentrate on the greater good.
 
I was looking into going into the same exact thing you are looking for. MechEng with Solar concentration. 2 major changes later I'm now a Finance major and going to pick up a double in Math I believe.

I will tell you this though. Straight from the ME professors at my school, there is no need to get a PhD in any engineering discipline that isn't related to medicine (like Biomedical or molecular eng.) unless you want to teach. Masters, yes. PhD, no. Virtually no salary differential, and you would have to leave whatever nice paying job you may have at the time to go get the PhD. This looks like it is still a decision that is like 6 years off for you, but I'm just letting you know.

No reason to really plan that far in advance anyway.
 
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