Non STEM Graduate (BBA) Aspiring to break in Quant Finance

[tanishqarora]

Hi everyone,

My name is Tanishq and I’m 21 and looking for some honest advice from this amazing community.
Here’s my background and dilemma:
• I hold a Bachelors in Business Administration (Finance & Accountancy).
• I’m currently pursuing FRM, but I’m very clear that FRM alone won’t get me into a quantitative finance role.
• My ultimate goal is to break into Quantitative Finance / Risk / Trading roles that require solid mathematical and programming skills.

The problem:
I’m not a STEM graduate.
• I lack a rigorous foundation in advanced math (calculus, linear algebra, probability, stochastic processes, PDEs) which are crucial for quant finance.
• I also know that an MFE isn’t feasible for me yet — because even top MFE programs expect strong undergrad-level math and programming, which I currently don’t have.

Options I’m considering:

Get a BSc in Mathematics (distance ):
• But this will take another 3 years, which is a big time commitment.
Learn math on my own via online courses + local tutors (to ensure proper understanding), targeting:
• Calculus (single, multivariable), Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Optimization.
Once I build competence via self study, attempt exams like IIT JAM / GATE in Mathematics purely to signal math ability on my CV. However they don't include topics like stochastic calc, etc..
Possibly a PGDM / Data Science diploma — but most are expensive and not mathematically rigorous enough to substitute actual math.

My concerns:
• I don’t want to create a gap after my graduation. I want to pursue this journey alongside internships / initial jobs.
• I need clarity: Is a formal Math degree necessary, or is disciplined self-study (with exams like JAM/GATE for validation) enough to pivot to quant?
• If self-study is viable, how do I structure the topics progressively, and how to build proof of math ability for recruiters / programs?

Looking for your advice:
• How would you chart this path if you were in my shoes?
• Are there people here who broke into quant roles from a non-STEM undergrad purely through self-study + certifications?
• Would a JAM/GATE math score add credibility (with good ranks) even if I never intend to join an IIT MSc?

Thank you so much for reading. I want to get this sorted early, as time is critical. Grateful for any guidance or blunt truths.

 

[MitchStokes]

Hi everyone,

My name is Tanishq and I’m 21 and looking for some honest advice from this amazing community.
Here’s my background and dilemma:
• I hold a Bachelors in Business Administration (Finance & Accountancy).
• I’m currently pursuing FRM, but I’m very clear that FRM alone won’t get me into a quantitative finance role.
• My ultimate goal is to break into Quantitative Finance / Risk / Trading roles that require solid mathematical and programming skills.

The problem:
I’m not a STEM graduate.
• I lack a rigorous foundation in advanced math (calculus, linear algebra, probability, stochastic processes, PDEs) which are crucial for quant finance.
• I also know that an MFE isn’t feasible for me yet — because even top MFE programs expect strong undergrad-level math and programming, which I currently don’t have.

Options I’m considering:

Get a BSc in Mathematics (distance ):
• But this will take another 3 years, which is a big time commitment.
Learn math on my own via online courses + local tutors (to ensure proper understanding), targeting:
• Calculus (single, multivariable), Linear Algebra, Probability, Statistics, Optimization.
Once I build competence via self study, attempt exams like IIT JAM / GATE in Mathematics purely to signal math ability on my CV. However they don't include topics like stochastic calc, etc..
Possibly a PGDM / Data Science diploma — but most are expensive and not mathematically rigorous enough to substitute actual math.

My concerns:
• I don’t want to create a gap after my graduation. I want to pursue this journey alongside internships / initial jobs.
• I need clarity: Is a formal Math degree necessary, or is disciplined self-study (with exams like JAM/GATE for validation) enough to pivot to quant?
• If self-study is viable, how do I structure the topics progressively, and how to build proof of math ability for recruiters / programs?

Looking for your advice:
• How would you chart this path if you were in my shoes?
• Are there people here who broke into quant roles from a non-STEM undergrad purely through self-study + certifications?
• Would a JAM/GATE math score add credibility (with good ranks) even if I never intend to join an IIT MSc?

Thank you so much for reading. I want to get this sorted early, as time is critical. Grateful for any guidance or blunt truths.

You might be interested in my post and the OP here: Baruch MFE - Feedback on plan for building profile for Baruch MFE Fall 2026?

A BSc in mathematics doesn't have to be 3 years. I've been doing mine on the side while working full time in tech. End-to-end mine will have been Spring 2024 - Spring 2026 (taking an average of 2 classes per term, including summer, with no classes Spring 2025). That being said - I have a previous degree from a top US school in engineering and thus started from linear algebra and calc 3; so you'd maybe need to add ~1 term for calc 1 and 2.

I did mine at IU Online, so here's an example of your minimum curriculum if you did the same (all 3 units unless stated otherwise). I'm assuming you need both calc 1 and 2.

Required:
- Calc 1
- Calc 2
- Calc 3
- Linear Algebra
- Bridge to Abstract Math (discrete math)
- Abstract Algebra I
- Real Analysis I
- Math Models + Applications
- Senior/research seminar (units variable from 1-6)

Upper-div electives. I'm going to suggest some specific ones here that you should take no matter what, but the rest can be filled in:
- Differential Equations
- Probability Theory
- Mathematical Statistics
- Elective 4 (I took Mathematics of Finance but was pretty disappointed with the course experience. Would not recommend)
- Elective 5 (I took Graph Theory)

So you're looking at 13 classes + the seminar. If you did three classes per term, that could be done in a year and a half. If you did two classes classes per term you could probably squeeze it into two. Each 3-unit class runs me about $1250, so the full program would run somewhere just under 20k USD.

That may sound like a lot, but consider that you are trying to switch into a heavily quantitative field with no higher-level math background, so it probably should be a lot. It also gives you an opportunity to figure out whether you're even cut out for working in something more technical. You might start taking classes and realize you hate math, but you might discover the opposite and become even more motivated.

That all being said, I suspect that you'd need to go for an MS/MFE afterwards to be competitive anyway. Maybe someone can comment on a more optimized route to get to that point without doing what I did.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

You are preparing for a career in one of the most competitive industries where every applicant seems more accomplished.
With a non STEM background, your journey will be longer but many people have done it before you. There are hundreds of business students who made it in the MFE programs. Look at the Tracker for motivation.
You need to take credit-bearing courses to MFE purpose. None of the coursera free courses will count. It's only good for reviewing or self-learning but most programs will need proof that you complete rigorous courses from a reputable programs.
Pre-MFE courses from Baruch are not credit-bearing but they are very reputable and a great prep.
I would suggest that you research on the various MFE programs and roles you are interested in and planning your coursework accordingly. It can be counterproductive if you are planning to cover too many courses, some of them may not be accepted at your target programs.