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What kind of undergraduate program would a high school student want to become a quant?

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1/18/10
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Hello,

I'm a High School junior right now, and an aspiring quant. What kind of undergraduate program would I want in order to eventually qualify into a good MFE program and, eventually, a career? I know the skills needed are C++ knowledge, advanced mathematics, etc. but what would I want to major in? Mathematics, physics, computer science, business, finance, economics...? What are some of the top schools that I should be aiming for? Also, I know I'm only a high school student, and we're known for being unsure and changing our minds often, so what kind of "exit plan" could I take if I end up wanting to completely do something else?

Thanks in advance for your time.
 
You would want to major in something like math, cs, engineering, or physics. Out of these four, I guess it depends on the school, or just pick the one you love the most.

If you want a good exit, do engineering or get a double major with finance or economics. So if you don't get a quant job you'll still be set for a normal finance job or an IT job. Don't do other business majors like marketing, accounting, or management.

But that just my opinion. Good luck.
 
If I had to do it all again, I would double major in math and computer science and then minor in economics/finance if I had the time. Then I would go on and do MFE.

School-wise, the best one you can get in. MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, etc.

I don't think you would have a problem getting a job outside of quant finance with Math/CS, but you could do engineering (above was just I would do). Either way I would recommend a finance class or two to get the basics and to show an interest in finance on your transcript. (Also a good way to make sure you are interested in finance!)
 
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