Undergrad choices.

So I am looking to eventually become a trader. To spare you reading a huge glob of excuses, I didn't try mostly through high school (3.0 gpa). I learned about trading , and have taken an interest to it. I want to go to an undergrad that has a good finance program and classes in trading that I can get into. I saw Tulane and DePaul had some classes and a "mock" trading room? Are these schools good for preparing me or just taking my money? Any other schools that would help prepare would be great. Reaches are OK, I would like to hear a lot of people's perspectives on this topic. Thank you for any input.

13 Comments
 

depaul is a great choice its location is in chicago which is huge in proprietary trading... If you can get into Tulane you could probably get into University of Chicago thats the school to go too. Nothing you learn at college will really help in trading though, a simple dummies book would have taught you that. Trading is learned from success and failure. Psychology also plays a HUGE role in successful traders. Look into alexander elder and ari kiev. Whatever you do, choose a university close to chicago, new york, or boston. That way you can get a good internship and network.

 
Trading4Forevermy bad i was just looking at collegeboard and there statistics both have a 26-27% acceptance rate..

The reason for the seemingly high acceptance rate is that Chicago is a school with self-selecting applicants. That is to say, there are a considerable number of people that apply to the Ivy league schools even though they're aware they won't likely be selected, but this doesn't happen at Chicago. Because of its lack of clout from the toothless masses, its reputation for being "where fun goes to die," and its extensive/seemingly esoteric application process, candidates applying to U of Chicago know for certain they want to go there and think they can get in.

"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." - J. Paul Getty
 

UChicago is a pretty good school. If you want to work in Chicago I would say it is your best choice. Maybe look at UMich. I bet they place well in Chicago and you will have a better college experience.

 

Considering that your HS GPA will likely take U of C and U of M out of the picture, DePaul is a great choice. The business school is right down the street from the CBOE and CME, and you can for sure land an internship with options/futures traders involved with the two big exchanges. Lots of boutique prop firms as well.

Also, DePaul has a great rep with people in the Chicago business community. However, it is not as well known in other markets. If you want to stay in Chicago and trade, give DePaul consideration.

 
Thanks for all the help. I say Tulane is a reach, due to their early decision acceptance rate is rather high, and some other factors. And U of C would be nice but as Ivy said, I am way to low of <span class="keyword_link"><a href="//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/canadian-grades-to-gpa">GPA</a></span> to get into it. I am sure if DePaul can get me some experience with <span class="keyword_link"><a href="//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/searching-for-a-summer-internship">internships</a></span>, then if I am successful I can always relocate if I make money for the firms. Right now I am looking for which school would prepare me in the best way possible. Thanks for all the input. And if there are other schools that would be a far reach, I would still like to hear them.

Thanks.

 

im a lot like u....I had a 3.0 gpa in HS....always ditching, chasing girls..... now im at a cc and didnt realize I wanted to trade until sophmore year in cc which now my GPA is 3.67.

If you like "mock" trading floors other then Tulane, look at Concordia JMSB, Villanova, Bentley, U of Delaware..... These are the only ones that I know of the mock trading floors.

I added DePaul to my list.....but I am looking at Tulane!

 

University of Indiana has excellent placement for Chicago trading and IBD if you get into their investment banking workshop junior year.

http://kelley.iu.edu/ibn/IBW/workshop.cfm

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

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