Quants without phds?

[MichaelL]

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I've read at nuclearphynance that in a few years the masters in FE will be fairly obsolete because everyone will have them and to differentiate yourself you'll still need a PhD.

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i don't buy it. there's probably only 10-15 schools whose FE programs are worth anything on wall street, and their average class size is probably around 50. i don't see how less than a thousand people per year equates to everyone having an MFE in a few years.

if the MFE becomes "obsolete", it's more likely that it'll be because everyone has a phd.

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I can see where you're coming from. But what I meant was that before there was so few that they could easily find jobs in the industry however with more and more of them there'll be more and more competition (sort of like I imagine an MBA from Harvard guaranteed you a job at Goldman 15 years ago, now maybe not). The competition with PhDs? Not so much because there's always been PhDs coming over and they just fit it.

I could be entirely wrong, though.

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i can't program in C++ or java, or user defined macros or use complex VBA stuff so i have lost out on a ton of jobs.


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so why don't you learn? it's not that hard to be a better programmer than most comp sci majors.

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i've been learning VBA via the excel forums and some trial and error.

i have a very strong matlab programming ability (though can't link it to outside sources for data) and a decent SAS programming backrgound due to my stint at dept. of labor.

i wouldn't even know where to begin w/ C++/java [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

do u have any suggestions?

thanks,
Barron

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This guy http://www.markjoshi.com/ seems to be relatively respected in the community of quants, and he has some recommendations on his site for books to read for all facets of quant life.