I don't think I'll ever be smart enough

I constantly have this feeling that I'm not smart enough, and that I'll never be smart enough to be happy with myself.

I'm not dumb--I know that. I made a 1560 on the SAT. It's not an esteem problem either--I think the previous sentence shows that. 

But I know that there is so much that I don't know, and that my career options are limited because of it. For example, I can't go and be a quant--I barely know how to do a linear regression in Python. It's something I think I'd want to do as I've been a bit disillusioned with how assumptions and decisions are made in finance. But I just don't have the math skills or the coding skills to go and do something great like that. They're so smart! I doubt I could do a computer science PhD either--I just don't have the math skills. Linear algebra went in one ear and out the other, as did calculus. Econometrics is the only math-like class that stuck with me, and that's just because the computer runs the regressions for you. 

It makes the IB internship I got look less and less appealing. Sure, the grass is always greener, but this is something deeper I think. It makes me feel lost.

What do I do?

11 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Bro what? Just accept that there will be people smarter than you. Unless you're like Terence Tao this is true for everyone. Instead of focusing what you can't change (your intelligence), just work harder

 

Okay so you're not good at maths? Don't do maths shit then?

Guess what, you also can't shoot threes like Steph Curry. You can't golf like tiger. You can't fly a plane probably. You can't do groundbreaking scientific research. You don't know how to build a bridge. Newsflash, we all have things we're good at and not good at. The scientist fighting cancer or even the janitor at a high school or Steph Curry isn't necessarily any less smart just because they can't do linear algebra and be a quant. 

 

Most people are not good at most things. They just find something they enjoy and has (somewhat) of a future.

Finance is a large field, and most people I know in this field are not good with numbers and can't code a single line.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  1-800-273-8255
 

Doing a linear regression in python / r is very easily. Probably 2-3 lines max. The hard part is actually understanding the regression and how you can adjust the equation to fit the assumptions/ your thesis better.

I’m pretty dumb ( never got an A in college math above Calculus 2.) Got B+ in all stats classes but I really tried to learn the content. Grades do matter but if you really understand, there is no limit

 

Dolor occaecati quia animi eum culpa qui vel vel. Voluptas a debitis ratione dolorem voluptatem.

Dolores similique qui tempore quia. Et est beatae quis temporibus veritatis et voluptates. Harum voluptas odio quis. Nulla cumque minima adipisci id asperiores.

Facilis tenetur ipsam quia sed tempora necessitatibus. Labore in fugit occaecati fuga. Et neque tempora fugit facilis esse. Nemo sit mollitia dolor ex eius.

Voluptatem eveniet dolores sed omnis maiores. Quia corrupti corrupti omnis libero dolorem sint perspiciatis. Sit ut eos sunt assumenda quia harum ut. A dolorem incidunt libero facere sapiente voluptatem dolor. Mollitia hic exercitationem porro rerum quo libero.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”