Finance Classes to for aspiring quant?

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SUMMARY

To pursue a career as a quant, aspiring candidates should prioritize self-study in finance and economics rather than formal coursework. Independent reading, particularly through recommended books, is essential for acquiring basic financial knowledge. While banks seek candidates with strong skills in mathematics, physics, and programming, a foundational understanding of finance is necessary. The rapidly changing nature of financial knowledge means that staying updated through self-directed learning is crucial.

PREREQUISITES
  • Strong mathematical skills, particularly in calculus and statistics.
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R.
  • Basic understanding of financial concepts and instruments.
  • Familiarity with quantitative analysis techniques.
NEXT STEPS
  • Read foundational finance books such as "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives" by John C. Hull.
  • Explore online courses in quantitative finance on platforms like Coursera or edX.
  • Learn about financial modeling techniques using Excel or specialized software.
  • Study the latest trends in quantitative finance through academic journals and industry publications.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for undergraduate students majoring in mathematics or related fields, aspiring quants, and professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of finance and economics in the context of quantitative analysis.

PhDorBust
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I'm an undergraduate math major who aspires to be a quant.

Should any finance/economics courses be taken? Or is this portion of the job considered to be trivial?
 
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PhDorBust said:
I'm an undergraduate math major who aspires to be a quant.

Should any finance/economics courses be taken? Or is this portion of the job considered to be trivial?

If you want to get into finance and you are posting in this board, then it's better if you just do independent reading by buying books on amazon. If you want to get in through the math/physics route, then remember that banks are looking for people that are good at math/physics/programming that have basic financial knowledge, and you can get basic financial knowledge through self-study.

There is a lot of deep financial and economics knowledge that is there, but a lot of it is not written down and most of that changes very fast (i.e. something can be outdated in a matter of months). Also, for "deep economics and finance", I've found that people in academia are often just frighteningly clueless.
 

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