Alternative Degrees - Disadvantage?

Hi all,

I'd like to ask someone with some industry experience as a first year analyst in S&T. I have just finished a masters degree in aerospace engineering (1st, with honours :D) and I will shortly be starting as an analyst in a large american investment bank. I imagine the vast majority of my classmates will have studied economics or mathematics - so will have had exposure to option pricing, Ito calculus, sigma-algebra etc.

I have been buying and reading every book I can find on a range of topics, including looking at some of the financial mathematics - and it seems fairly clear aerospace eng. mathematics covers very different ground. Am I going to find this is a significant disadvantage once I start work? Should I:

a) Study financial mathematics hard (proper revision level study) b) Have a look through the notes of my friends studying maths/finance/economics c) Relax, go back to my copy of the Economist and enjoy some sunshine

I asked my line manager what I would need to know, and he suggested reading a few parts of the annual report, which I have done. He didn't seem overly concerned that I am not familiar with financial math...

5 Comments
 

Yes, you'll be at a moderate disadvantage- though the math in your engineering background will be helpful. Would recommend reading up on a basic finance textbook that covers Time Value of Money and the Capital Asset Pricing Model.

I'd recommend checking your school's basic finance textbook and/or watching stuff on MIT Opencourseware. Failing that, Fabozzi's Fixed Income Mathematics book might be helpful.

 

Provident et et est omnis. Dicta temporibus numquam provident voluptatem itaque. Ea ipsam quod suscipit quo similique quasi.

Delectus est hic laborum optio molestiae. Quis quo sed aut ut nam illo repellat. Aut architecto ea enim laboriosam voluptas placeat et. Cumque doloremque ut soluta. Aut nihil quia eius ut. Molestias omnis accusamus ut sint voluptatem eligendi qui.

Et sed consectetur eveniet odit autem aut quia cum. Enim deleniti mollitia aut facilis est accusantium.

Reiciendis commodi asperiores consequatur distinctio blanditiis voluptatem. Odio perferendis fugiat sint perspiciatis modi qui est. Consequatur suscipit nisi ut soluta ut et sapiente. Ipsa adipisci est sit.

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%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 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 (78) $151
  • 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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
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...”