Shortest path to becoming a quant trader
- Thread starter Muddahudda
- Start date
joemontana
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
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Don’t get a PhD just to get a trading job. It’s far too great a commitment. Get a PhD because you love the subject and you want to devote your life to researching and teaching it. You can get a pretty good trading job (albeit not true quant/algo trading job) out of a top 15 MBA program.
itstoohot Wrote:
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> bchadwick Wrote:
> ————————————————–
> —–
> > If your maths skills aren’t bad, you might try
> the
> > CQF program. It’s 6 months, rather than 4 years.
>
> > Not a slam dunk proposal, but you did ask for
> > quick.
>
> and also quick (CQF way) comes with a $20k price
> tag
True, the price is a bit steep. On the other hand, you’re done in 6 months, as opposed to 2 years (master’s program, which you are likely to have to pay for), or 4-6 years (Ph.D. program, which may not be paid, but you won’t be wealthy doing it).
So… what’s the opportunity cost on 1.5-5.5 years of your life?
——————————————————-
> bchadwick Wrote:
> ————————————————–
> —–
> > If your maths skills aren’t bad, you might try
> the
> > CQF program. It’s 6 months, rather than 4 years.
>
> > Not a slam dunk proposal, but you did ask for
> > quick.
>
> and also quick (CQF way) comes with a $20k price
> tag
True, the price is a bit steep. On the other hand, you’re done in 6 months, as opposed to 2 years (master’s program, which you are likely to have to pay for), or 4-6 years (Ph.D. program, which may not be paid, but you won’t be wealthy doing it).
So… what’s the opportunity cost on 1.5-5.5 years of your life?
David Tepper, John Paulson are not quants. Not all quants are good traders. Warren Buffet is an economist. Some quants are good traders. Jim Simon is an exception.
Not all phds in math or physics go to wall street. Most of those who genuinely love math or physics despise the wall street quants. Two of my friends are astro-physicists and one is a math pdh at Fedex.
Do you want to be a trader? Do you want to be quant? OR Do you simply want to be rich? Get in the line for third one.
There are no gurantees. What will you do the day when Wall Street decides that Behavioral Finance provides more alpha then BSM models.
Food for thought. FYI…if you were to really include in your SOP of good phd programs that you want to take the shortest path, good luck getting in.
Not all phds in math or physics go to wall street. Most of those who genuinely love math or physics despise the wall street quants. Two of my friends are astro-physicists and one is a math pdh at Fedex.
Do you want to be a trader? Do you want to be quant? OR Do you simply want to be rich? Get in the line for third one.
There are no gurantees. What will you do the day when Wall Street decides that Behavioral Finance provides more alpha then BSM models.
Food for thought. FYI…if you were to really include in your SOP of good phd programs that you want to take the shortest path, good luck getting in.