Looking for Advice: Path to Hedge Funds

I'm an incoming Freshman at Stanford, where I'm planning on majoring in Economics and Mathematics. Over the summer, I'll be working an on-site, paid internship at a large asset manager (> $1 trillion AUM), where I'll be rotating between the firm's quant and trading teams.

I've done research on the flagship student-led funds at Stanford and am planning to recruit for those when the cycles begin accepting applications. I'm also thinking about doing Economics research during the school year, maybe in a subfield like Industrial Organization, Game Theory, or Econometrics.

I'm looking for advice on what kinds of extracurricular engagements and internships students typically seek out to land roles in top hedge funds like Citadel, Point72, or Balyasny after undergrad. Any help would be appreciated!

5 Comments
 

There’s no set path for this, I would start working on pitches. 

 

You are doing all the right things — keep it up. Kudla Fund seems to have great success with recruitment, but it really boils down to a case by case basis. They will take whoever fits the specific profile they are looking for at a specific moment, highly difficult to optimize for it. Just be passionate, keep a good gpa, and work hard

 

You go to Stanford and already have an impressive internship before starting college, which means you have the brains. I would focus on becoming a personable candidate and someone known on campus (especially in school investment clubs). Try to speak to and build a strong relationship with as many upperclassman as possible. Beyond that, it would be about staying on top of the recruitment cycle.

 

Alot of school investment clubs are BS. If you’ve read a handful of 10ks you will know far more than you’ll learn there. If it’s a one pitch or so per semester type of thing I wouldn’t waste your time. You’ll be handholding ppl who are just trying to pad their resumes and have no interest in public mkts.

 

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