Transitioning into Quant/Computational Finance from a Blockchain Background

[Maximalist]

Hi everyone,


I'm a graduate from an IIT and have been working remotely in the blockchain security space since graduation, primarily on decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. Through this experience, I developed a strong interest in finance.

Given my background and love for mathematics, I'm now seriously considering applying for a Master's in Computational Finance (or a related finance program) to transition into quantitative finance roles.

That said, I don't have formal experience in traditional quant roles or internships, and I'm aware that this could be a gap in my profile. I’ve looked into programs like the Baruch pre-MFE courses, which seem excellent, but due to some personal financial commitments, I won’t be able to afford such courses this year. Most of my available funds will go toward master’s applications (hopefully!).


I’d really appreciate any advice on:

• How I can strengthen my profile for top computational finance programs without incurring heavy costs?
• Are there affordable or free resources/courses that could help me build the necessary quant and finance background?
• What kind of projects or self-study areas should I focus on to align with the expectations of these programs?

Any insights or suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

This is a niche field where the cost to entry is very high (tuition cost easily pass $100K). Many programs have a good ROI and not all are a good investment.
A smart plan would be to keep working to save money, make your profile as strong as possible and get admitted into the top programs to ensure good ROI.
It may take as much as a year or two to properly prepare.
Baruch pre-MFE courses are not free but they are very rigorous and taught by faculty of the Baruch MFE, the top ranked program. If you do well there, you can be confident that you will do well in many other programs.
There are other free alternatives online like Coursera etc but those are basic introductory courses to unfamiliar subjects. They are not qualified as meeting the prerequisites at many MFE programs.
You can find options of where to take the courses at other places.
As for finance projects and knowledge, you will need to spend time on learning the topics by reading books, participating in online forums like this, networking with fellow applicants, etc. There are many resources online that you can learn from.

Baruch MFE Thread 'Feedback on plan for building profile for Baruch MFE Fall 2026?'

9/2/24

Hi everyone,

I posted here around a month ago, and have since put together a plan for the next year in order to bolster my application, as well as fill most of the quantitative holes from my undergrad degree. Any feedback/suggestions would be much appreciated!

A little background:
I graduated in 2021 with a BBA in Economics/Finance from Baruch College. My GPA was not good (~3.00), but I’ve since gained 3.5 years of experience in industry. My career so far has been in data engineering, software project management, and data science. I consider myself very proficient in Python, SQL...

• grxthy
• Replies: 28
• Forum: United States

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