Quant Internships 2025 Summer?

I am a 1st year (2nd year in September) Math/Physics Major with a major interest in CS (have taken several courses) from a foreign country (India). I am not from a target school in my country either but I had received offers from targets (Imperial, Durham (sorry I don't exactly know what is target fs), Delft, NTU, scored pretty well on JEE mains (+2 exam in my nation) but didn't give advanced) but then didn't go because it was too expensive and so am at a mid range, well reputed uni in India (10 yrs old but alums go to Columbia, Oxbridge all the time) and is also a Finance feeder in India, but not exactly a quant feeder.
I have a decent GPA (>3.75) and am pretty confident about my Math and CS skills. Problem is, my resume isn't exactly stellar, I have nothing worthy to put on there, have one internship but that was in Data Analysis and I anyway just made ppts the whole time I did that, I have a sort of Trading based internship coming up soon, but I don't know if it would really help my resume pass the screen at a quant interview role application (say Optiver).
So if anybody can tell me my chances at securing an interview and passing the resume screening (because I feel that if I have a shot at the OA I can perform well, but I don't really know if I will even pass the resume screen) it would be great.
Also, if you could tell me what more they expect on the resume (I will be applying for a quant trader role with the math OAs, not SWE) so I can work on that it would be really helpful.
Also, would my college not being an IIT or something very very high up really matter in scoring an internship at a good quant firm like JSC, HRT, Optiver, De Shaw etc. for example? If so, is there really no other way around it or I can indeed get a full time offer post graduation even from a not too prestige school?
It would be really helpful if you could let me know, and sorry if this has been previously asked as I am new, but if it has, can you please link the post also?
Thanks

 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights and advice for your situation:

Chances of Securing an Interview and Passing Resume Screening

  1. School Prestige:

    • While attending a prestigious school like HYPS or MIT can give you an edge, it is not the end-all-be-all. Quant firms do recruit from non-target schools, though it might be more challenging. Your skills and experience can help offset the lack of a brand-name school.
    • As mentioned in the WSO threads, being from a non-target school hurts less in quant roles compared to banking because the field is more skills-based.
  2. Resume Building:

    • Internships: Having relevant internships is crucial. Your upcoming trading-based internship will be beneficial. Even if your previous internship was more about making presentations, try to highlight any quantitative or analytical work you did.
    • Projects: Engage in side projects related to algorithmic trading or quantitative finance. These can demonstrate your passion and skills in the field.
    • Programming Skills: Ensure you have a solid programming background. Many quant roles require proficiency in languages like Python, C++, or R. Whiteboard coding interviews are common.
    • Academic Performance: Maintain your strong GPA (>3.75) and consider participating in research opportunities or competitions related to math and CS.
  3. What They Expect on the Resume:

    • Technical Skills: Highlight your proficiency in programming languages and any relevant coursework in math, statistics, and computer science.
    • Quantitative Projects: Include any projects or research work that involved quantitative analysis, algorithm development, or data analysis.
    • Internships: Detail your responsibilities and achievements in your internships, focusing on any quantitative or analytical tasks.
    • Extracurricular Activities: Mention any relevant extracurricular activities, such as participation in finance or math clubs, hackathons, or trading competitions.

Impact of College Prestige

  • Initial Screening: Prestige can help you get your foot in the door, but it is not a deal-breaker. Firms do hire from non-target schools, especially if you can demonstrate strong skills and a good work ethic.
  • Performance: Once you are in, your performance and skills will matter more than your school's name. Hard work and intellect will move you up the food chain.

Additional Tips

  • Networking: Leverage any connections you have in the industry. Networking can sometimes help bypass the initial resume screen.
  • Online Presence: Consider contributing to forums, writing blogs, or publishing papers on quantitative finance topics to build your online presence and credibility.

Resources

Good luck with your applications!

Sources: Re: Does School Prestige Matter?, Q&A: Top Quant Firms First Year Comp 250k to 400k, MIT vs. Princeton vs. Yale undergrad for quant hedge fund, So you want to be a Quant?, Q&A: Top Quant Firms First Year Comp 250k to 400k

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

You are young - I wouldn't really expect you to have a lot to put on your resume. This will change if you are doing things right: find opportunities during the summer (or off cycle internships), research with your professors at University, and try to get involved in relevant clubs.

Target vs off target is another beast. Nobody will have a good answer for you. There are people in industry from both.

You should not be going into QF with the expectation to land at JS, HRT, etc. I would recommend networking as much as possible

 

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