Only scientist?

I don´t know how to start this thread.

I am studying business and investment banking or hedge fund could be one of possibilities I could try.

But most people tell me to give up because I am not a scientist.

I always ask myself why a hedge fund employee must be a scientist (mathematicans or physists).

A science degree could help at thinking, but are math, physics and computer science non-plus ultras?.

There are always exceptions, but nowadays, we have too many of them:

George Soros (Philosophy)
Carl Icahn (Philosophy)
David Einhorn (Government like political science)
Adam Guren (Business)
Tudor Jones (Economics)
Richard Dennis (Philosophy)
.....I could list longer and longer.

Guys.. Seriously...Do only scientists need apply for hedge fund or investment banking?

I cannot hear anymore that only scientists have much better chances.

 

Whoever told you this was very misguided.

The point they were trying to make, I assume, is that people with science background are more and more going to hedge funds. Hedge funds that trade based on computer models have been a very popular trend for 5 or maybe 10 years. Those types of funds will often only hire people with advanced degrees, such as Ph.D in mathematics or statistics.

Investment banks, which can have advanced computer models, would look to do the same.

Most of the hedge fund / investment banking world does not employ these kinds of strategies. Recruiting/hiring at most hedge funds / ibanks is what you'd expect - lots of MBAs and business degrees, plus lots of people with liberal arts degrees who are very intelligent / driven.

 

I just printed this out and passed it around my team. Every single person, to a man, said 'what the fuck?'

I don't even know how to respond.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

The names you list are rather narrow. I believe the point is that Math/Physics backgrounds are on average better trained for HFs, specifically programming. The majority of my last year of Physics (undergrad) was spent programming in Matlab, Mathematica and C. That said, I went into VC afterwards and had to learn corp finance and accounting on the job.

Bottom line, averages are nice but only for reference and deterrence.

 
Dragoon:
Thanks for your answers.. I don´t worry about it. I got tired of hearing such rumors.
That's not exactly what I meant.
There have been many great comebacks throughout history. Jesus was dead but then came back as an all-powerful God-Zombie.
 
Kenny_Powers_CFA:
Dragoon:
Thanks for your answers.. I don´t worry about it. I got tired of hearing such rumors.
That's not exactly what I meant.
Haha, I literally laughed out loud at this...
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Pretty everywhere.. I know lots of mathematicans on my campus and they seriously think that they have better job opportunities.

Some of them sneer at people who study economics or business administrations.

 
Dragoon:
Pretty everywhere.. I know lots of mathematicans on my campus and they seriously think that they have better job opportunities.

Some of them sneer at people who study economics or business administrations.

Math and engineering people like to do that because many times, that's all they have. I grew up around engineers and was on the engineering campus for the first three years of school, and this was the prevailing attitude as well. On of my roommates was the top student in the program and a really cool guy with a life outside of work...he never got caught up in the 'ingroup/outgroup' myopsy, but plent of others did.

Frankly, the obnoxious little tools grated on me after a while and I left. Exactly one of those guys works (worked, now, he's out) on Wall Street. Strangely enough, dozens of kids I met outside that program have landed here.

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Dragoon:
Pretty everywhere.. I know lots of mathematicans on my campus and they seriously think that they have better job opportunities.

Some of them sneer at people who study economics or business administrations.

Math and engineering people like to do that because many times, that's all they have. I grew up around engineers and was on the engineering campus for the first three years of school, and this was the prevailing attitude as well. On of my roommates was the top student in the program and a really cool guy with a life outside of work...he never got caught up in the 'ingroup/outgroup' myopsy, but plent of others did.

Frankly, the obnoxious little tools grated on me after a while and I left. Exactly one of those guys works (worked, now, he's out) on Wall Street. Strangely enough, dozens of kids I met outside that program have landed here.

So from your lone perspective you make the assertion that math/engineering majors are not more suited for the 21st century world of finance than business majors? Finance is a math heavy subject and the fact is that a math/statistics/engineering/physics major is far more prepared to handle the real world of finance than a business major; get over it.

Frankly most of the people in the science majors who I know, were far too smart to enter the world of finance. Ph.D or go work for a tech firm with job security and stable growth. Not slave for a bank holding onto your desk in every down market.

 
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Get busy living

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