Where should I go for undergrad??

[abcde]

Hi all,

I am still in highschool (junior), but I am very interested in pursuing a career in the quantitative finance field. I've been searching for something I'd be interested in for the last year or so, and I finally found what I was looking for! I have an great love for math, and love applying it in real life scenarios. I just feel like i would enjoy this over something like physics or just teaching math. At this point, I know for a fact this is the field I want to pursue. So my question is, where should I be looking apply to college? I have done a lot of research so far but I am still somewhat confused. Should I be aiming for one of those undergrad "concentrations" that focus on FE?...such as princeton orfe or Columbia ieor...OR should I instead look to a hard major..like major in applied math or something. I know the conentrations would prepare me well for FE..but would I be getting the same sorta stuff from a normal applied math track? I am just a bit shaky about the concentrations right now since I haven't heard too many reviews about it...I would just like to know which choice would benefit my chances of doing will in the field of quantitative finance...Thanks in advance!!

 

[euroazn]

CMU and UMich will give you the opportunity to explore Math, Computer Science, Finance, AND Computational Finance at the undergrad level...

Now the question is, what are your stats?

 

[abcde]

oh ok, yes I have looked into CMU, not so much into mich..as for my stats...I have gotten 4s in 5s in my ap exams..I am currently taking a course my school offers...multi var calc and linear algebra..in terms of stats for colleges..i play tennis, pretty hardcore, at a national level, I am hoping I will be able to use that for admissions..plus I have started up a little tennis business in my commintee..completely non-profit...I have tons of volunteer hours..work expereince as a tennis coach..umm treasurer of the biggest club in our school..I have done tons of math tournaments (hmmy, pumac..etc)...

 

[euroazn]

I have gotten 4s in 5s in my ap exams.

Great, you get 50% + on a relatively easy exam. Selective colleges don't care (In fact, if your 4's are in important quantitative subjects, they may downright frown upon them.)

.I am currently taking a course my school offers...multi var calc and linear algebra.

Good!

.in terms of stats for colleges..i play tennis, pretty hardcore, at a national level, I am hoping I will be able to use that for admissions.

Definitely a plus at some schools.

.plus I have started up a little tennis business in my commintee..completely non-profit...I have tons of volunteer hours..work expereince as a tennis coach..umm treasurer of the biggest club in our school.

Yeah yeah, generic service/leadership.

.I have done tons of math tournaments (hmmy, pumac..etc)...

means nothing I'm afraid, unless you did well on them. Did you make USAMO, or at least AIME?

And how are your important stats... your SATs (by section) and GPA/Rank. They account for like 80% of college admissions, generally.

 

[abcde]

2320 on SATs...lost all 80 points on critical reading...GPA's around a 4.2, but of course the weighting varies from school to school, we get +1 for AP classes and +0.5 for honors...oh..and also, next year I have to choose between taking differential equations..or analysis..which is supposed to be harder..which seems to be more applicable to the quant field?

 

[euroazn]

Stick with Diff Eq.
You should be fine, don't put of your application essays though, you'll regret it.

Good luck :P

 

[TBeas]

Yea... you'll probably get in to every place you apply. Go where ever you want.

 

[euroazn]

wait a sec

GPA's around a 4.2, but of course the weighting varies from school to school, we get +1 for AP classes and +0.5 for honors..

That's a weighted? What's your unweighted... too many B's and you screwed your chance for some of the top schools...

 

[abcde]

..thanks!..i can only hope so. I just hope I choose the right places/programs to apply

 

[abcde]

havent raelly calculated..but im thinkin its like a 3.8ish??..

 

[euroazn]

That's probably ok then.

 

[Connor]

Hi all,

I am still in highschool (junior), but I am very interested in pursuing a career in the quantitative finance field. I've been searching for something I'd be interested in for the last year or so, and I finally found what I was looking for! I have an great love for math, and love applying it in real life scenarios. I just feel like i would enjoy this over something like physics or just teaching math. At this point, I know for a fact this is the field I want to pursue. So my question is, where should I be looking apply to college? I have done a lot of research so far but I am still somewhat confused. Should I be aiming for one of those undergrad "concentrations" that focus on FE?...such as princeton orfe or Columbia ieor...OR should I instead look to a hard major..like major in applied math or something. I know the conentrations would prepare me well for FE..but would I be getting the same sorta stuff from a normal applied math track? I am just a bit shaky about the concentrations right now since I haven't heard too many reviews about it...I would just like to know which choice would benefit my chances of doing will in the field of quantitative finance...Thanks in advance!!

If you love math then you should definitely major in it. Stay away from undergrad FE concentrations. Majoring in math and then double majoring or minoring in computer science or physics would prepare you for quantitative finance as well as many other areas.

For MFE admissions what is important are the math and programming skills. Secondarily is exposure to finance which you could get with a few courses at the undergrad level.

What specific university to apply to depends on you. Cost? Location? Going to places like Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, etc are going to open up some opportunities that you may not otherwise get.

 

[abcde]

hmm but in majoring in just math..would it cover the same sort of math thats geared towards finance that would probably get covered in the concentrations? I do like the idea of majoring in math though since its a broader field incase the quant field doesn't work out for me...
I'm from NJ and I am limiting my choices to basically a couple of states north west and south..so as high as massachusets..as west as PA and as south as around maryland..
As for cost, while that is a major factor, my family and I will consider that last once we see what I get into..We'll have to determine if the cost vs what i am getting is really worth it..

 

[TBeas]

Majoring in math will cover all of the math you need. Since, all you would cover would be math.

 

[coolharvard]

Hi all,

I am still in highschool (junior), but I am very interested in pursuing a career in the quantitative finance field. I've been searching for something I'd be interested in for the last year or so, and I finally found what I was looking for! I have an great love for math, and love applying it in real life scenarios. I just feel like i would enjoy this over something like physics or just teaching math. At this point, I know for a fact this is the field I want to pursue. So my question is, where should I be looking apply to college? I have done a lot of research so far but I am still somewhat confused. Should I be aiming for one of those undergrad "concentrations" that focus on FE?...such as princeton orfe or Columbia ieor...OR should I instead look to a hard major..like major in applied math or something. I know the conentrations would prepare me well for FE..but would I be getting the same sorta stuff from a normal applied math track? I am just a bit shaky about the concentrations right now since I haven't heard too many reviews about it...I would just like to know which choice would benefit my chances of doing will in the field of quantitative finance...Thanks in advance!!

UCLA... major in Business Econ.

 

[alain]

Go to Caltech and major in Physics.

 

[Connor]

hmm but in majoring in just math..would it cover the same sort of math thats geared towards finance that would probably get covered in the concentrations? I do like the idea of majoring in math though since its a broader field incase the quant field doesn't work out for me...
I'm from NJ and I am limiting my choices to basically a couple of states north west and south..so as high as massachusets..as west as PA and as south as around maryland..
As for cost, while that is a major factor, my family and I will consider that last once we see what I get into..We'll have to determine if the cost vs what i am getting is really worth it..

Consider: Princeton, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, MIT, CMU, UPenn, Maryland,...

No limit on how many schools you can apply for, just make sure you spend the time on each application.

 

[TBeas]

Since you've gotten plenty of advice so far on where the best schools are, let me give you some more advice on choosing a college (I just finished my first semester, so I think I'm experienced enough here).

Go to the place you will enjoy the most. Of course you want to go to one of the better schools, but don't go to XYZ University just because their job placement rates are 1% higher than ABC University. Especially if you plan to go on to graduate studies, as long as you pick a school with an above-average academic reputation it isn't going to matter. Also, ignore costs. You'll probably end up with some scholarships and financial aid (I got my entire first year paid for). Even if you have to take loans, going in to a profession such as this one (or just finance in general) will negate all of that because your salary will be plenty worth it. I could have gone out east to the better schools, but I stayed in the midwest and I'm happy at the school I'm attending.

Don't get caught up in the rankings. Enjoy life.