How smart do you need to be a quant? When did you realize this was a career option/desirable path for yo?

So, I'm a current finance/compsci student at a semi-target university, and I am finding I am incredibly interested in quant trading and its relation to randomness, variability, statistics, challenging the efficient market assumption, and the desire to see things where others don't see them. I've always loved probability and have been a pretty strong student in math, but my finance courses don't require any math classes (except statistics) and I feel like I'm falling behind in math compared to my non-finance major peers. I recently just started researching Ren Tech and Jim Simons trading methods and think its incredibly interesting. But I am also kind of concerned that finance quant analysis has become overly highly analyzed and if you are not using AI or Machine Learning you are at a disadvantage. For example, the models that quant HFs in the 1980s/1990s used are just the standard expected return and Black-Sholes-Merton finance equations I am learning in my class, and I feel like there is a lack of opportunity for those looking to get into quant trading to find something as a profitable as a strategy.

I'm not the classic finance bro stereotype and am intrigued by science and maths but also finance and seeing patterns that others do not see. After seeing a lot of the finance bro stereotypes at my school, I feel like I wouldn't fit in a traditional frat finance bro job and don't think could last in IB (I need sleep to function). I'm looking toward Corp Dev roles currently, but I am considering a potential quant route but am intimidated by the barrier to entry and competition for quant roles. And also, am I even smart enough?

How did you know that you were intelligent enough to be a quant? How smart were you in high school? When did you start to pursue it?

5 Comments
 

You definitely don't need AI to succeed in quant (nor derivatives pricing expertise), although it may be helpful.

Why don't you just try to interview and see what happens. Its hard to gauge these things over a message board.

Glassdoor/Google have interview questions if you want a preview.

 
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