Master's Program in Quantitative Finance
I go to Georgia Tech where I am studying Mechanical Engineering...which I found out is not for me. I have one year left in that and I am considering a Master's program also offered at Georgia Tech called Quantitative and Computational Finance. It is one of the few Master's programs that focuses exclusively on finance from a quant. POV. I think Columbia has one too? Anyways, would this practically guarantee a spot on a trading desk or even just some kind of I-Banking job (maybe valuation for M&A or PE firm) in general? Or is my thinking a bit too ambitious? Thanks!





Re: Master's Program in Quantitative Finance
I go to Georgia Tech where I am studying Mechanical Engineering...which I found out is not for me. I have one year left in that and I am considering a Master's program also offered at Georgia Tech called Quantitative and Computational Finance. It is one of the few Master's programs that focuses exclusively on finance from a quant. POV. I think Columbia has one too? Anyways, would this practically guarantee a spot on a trading desk or even just some kind of I-Banking job (maybe valuation for M&A or PE firm) in general? Or is my thinking a bit too ambitious? Thanks!
Your thinking is too ambitious. There is a vast difference in the career placement at a place like Columbia or Berkeley and Gtech(edit). I'm sure Gtech(edit) would teach you the right stuff, but more important than that is caliber of recruiting for that program.
Clarification
I'm guessing you just mistyped, but this is at Georgia Tech(which is a decidedly more left-brained school) rather than UGA. I'm not sure about the recruitment for the program, but in reading the literature online they make it sound like there is decent interest from bigger names. Would I be able to leverage my math background from engineering and the MS program despite the fact that I have about a 3.2 from a non-target, state school like Georgia Tech?
Re: Clarification
I'm guessing you just mistyped, but this is at Georgia Tech(which is a decidedly more left-brained school) rather than UGA. I'm not sure about the recruitment for the program, but in reading the literature online they make it sound like there is decent interest from bigger names. Would I be able to leverage my math background from engineering and the MS program despite the fact that I have about a 3.2 from a non-target, state school like Georgia Tech?
Sorry you are right, I mistyped. Georgia Tech is good school (esp. in engineering) but it might be tough coming from a school that's not really known for finance. I'd advise to think long and hard about your interest in finance (is it in trading or banking, they are VERY different) and go from there. If you are into trading, a quantitative master's program and a smaller trading shop may be a realistic route.
If you want to do investment banking, I'd suggest finding a route that leads to a good b-school and going from there, because I think you'd have a tough time trying to get into a bank without some connections.
If you really think about it and think your finance interest is only lukewarm, I'd highly suggest just going into engineering. You should be able to get some good jobs coming from GTech and engineering is a very respectable, sane path that pays well.
Thanks
Thanks for the advice. I have to say though, my interest in finance is pretty intense. I just finished Barbarians at the Gate and I'm getting ready to read Big Deal by Bruce Wasserstein. My extracurriculars here at Tech include running a $770,000 endowment. I am taking some finance courses as well (Security Valuation, Derivative Securities, Corp. Restructuring). I'm just worried that my GPA wont stand up to the ones that come out of the target schools. When you say connections, do you mean with fellow students or alumni or even professors?
Smaller Trading Shop
Also, any suggestions for smaller trading shops?
Alumni There are a lot of
Alumni
There are a lot of smaller trading firms (DRW Trading Group, Group One Trading) that tend to focus less on pedigree and more on what you know. Another thing to look at is Private Wealth Management or Private Banking at BBs and other banks. Those can be a great start and you experience in managing an endowment would map nicely there, the key is getting an "in" for the interview.
I'm doing an internship this
I'm doing an internship this summer at a UBS Private Wealth office here in Atlanta, so it sounds like that will help me out. Thanks for all your help with this!