Need advise :(

[Lgs]

Hi,

I'm currently a french high school student, and i have to choose a "personal project". I hate the french school system, always have to choose 2/3 years in advance... I would like, if you can of course, give me your opinions, advise on the curcus i am willing to take, to become a Quant in london (can't afford to study in london) :
The university I chose is the Paris-Dauphine university (rated n°1 university in France for its "masters", and international relations with other universities..)

- Paris-Dauphine university : 1st year "Mathématiques, Informatique et applications à l'Économie et à l'Entreprise" = Mathématics, IT and applications.

- Paris-Dauphine university : 2nd year "Mathématiques, Informatique et applications à l'Économie et à l'Entreprise" = Mathématics, IT and applications.

- Paris-Dauphine university : Licence "Mathématiques, Informatique et applications à l'Économie et à l'Entreprise" = Mathématics, IT and applications.

+ 6 months abroad ( Partnership with The City University of London and European Business School of London, i might be selected to go. )

- Paris-Dauphine university : Master 1 - Mathématiques, Informatique, Décision et Organisation.

- For my Master 2, i'll try to get a 203 or 225 .. (with a 6 months internship in france or abroad if I shine. )

Do you think it's a good way to become a quant ? Can you give me some advise ?

Many thanks..

 

[bigbadwolf]

Do you think it's a good way to become a quant ? Can you give me some advice?

Try to become the best mathematician you're capable of becoming. If there are quant jobs still around when you're through, you will be a preferred candidate. If there aren't, you will still have acquired an enviable first-rate education. France has many good mathematicians and many good math departments. The first thing I think of when I hear "France" is J.P. Serre. I would cheerfully relinquish ten years of my life-span to study with such a master. There are also other distingished mathematicians in France. In this respect you are lucky to be a Frenchman. Concentrate on the math, and as an end in itself. The rest will take care of itself one way or another.

 

[Lgs]

Thank you for your reply, if anyone has any advise to give me, i'd be grateful.
Sorry for all my questions, but the education system in France is so different. BadWolf where do you work ?

Try to become the best mathematician you're capable of becoming.

Should I follow applied which is harder (maths and IT, economic and financial courses) ou pure maths (just maths) ?

If there are quant jobs still around when you're through, you will be a preferred candidate. If there aren't, you will still have acquired an enviable first-rate education.

The problem is, the rivalities between big universities (Dauphine, Paris 6) and the "grandes ecoles" (polytechnique) are getting bigger.

France has many good mathematicians and many good math departments. The first thing I think of when I hear "France" is J.P. Serre. I would cheerfully relinquish ten years of my life-span to study with such a master. There are also other distingished mathematicians in France. In this respect you are lucky to be a Frenchman. Concentrate on the math, and as an end in itself. The rest will take care of itself one way or another.

Ah.. la france ^^

 

[bigbadwolf]

Should I follow applied which is harder (maths and IT, economic and financial courses) or pure maths (just maths) ?

Well, since your ambitions seem to be material, pile on PDEs, numerical analysis, stochastic theory and probability, real analysis, and functional analysis.

Economics is complete baloney as a science and you will actually come out stupider from an economics course than when you went in. And almost the same is true for financial "theory." With regard to computing, pay attention to numerical analysis and design of algorithms and data structures to solve numerical problems.

 

[Lgs]

Thank you once again for your reply. (if anyone would like to give their advise too, i'd be really grateful ! :D)

Lol, i didn't know economic courses were so bad.

I just made my choice and i'm now going for an Applied maths & IT licence (BAC+3) instead of a Pure Maths one (i wanted to do one before, i'm the best at High School) and i'll do my possible to become as good as I can be.(that's why I want to go for a university instead of a preparatory class/ingenior school path, too much physiks, chemistry, french, and ingenior sciences..)

One more question, do you think an exchange at london will give me more chances to become one day a quant ?

 

[Uncle Max]

Exchange is a place where trades are executed. I don't think they use quants to do that.

 

[Lgs]

Exchange is a place where trades are executed. I don't think they use quants to do that.

Thanks for your reply, but what I meant by exchange is an student exchange abroad, for one or two semester(s) probably at london. (I'm in Paris)

 

[Uncle Max]

Oh, I thought you were talking about LSE

Now job market is pretty bad and will not improve this year. Who knows what will happen after. Competition will be tough in any case, because a lot of people got fired and they have decent experience on their resumes. But in general, London will have more quant opportunities than Paris.