Best grad school for active equities traders

Discussion in 'Trading' started by Bourbon84, May 3, 2011.

  1. First off:

    -The GI Bill pays me to go to grad school
    -Most schools I am cashflow positive 20-40k over 2 years
    -I will ONLY consider a career prop trading
    -I am not looking for a quant/MFE program, I am doing 200-300% a year pattern trading

    I am not sure the regular suspects Wharton, Columbia, Chicago (maybe chicago), NYU, etc are the best for specifically prop trading.

    The two considerations are:

    -A good part time/night MBA/Mfin where I could trading during the day at a prop firm
    -A full time program where there is oppurtunity to do competitions and be in a good trading club.

    Please try to retain your 'you don't need a grad degree for that' or why prop trading comments
     
  2. toc

    toc

    elitetrader.com


    choose your forums carefully. :D :cool: :p
     
  3. Most schools teach theories not necessarily trades which trading is. So if your looking for a school that might help you try Cornell. It is an IVY so your grades and recommendations have to be highly competitive but if i recall they have a trading floor there.
     
  4. toc,

    Haha I understand that, and assume accomplished traders would have a better perspective than say those at badtrading.com. If I am training for a race, I am much more inclined to ask the guys who are running races rather than those that are contemplating running a race.

    That being said all contributions are highly appreciated.
     
  5. WS_MJH

    WS_MJH

    First off, thank you for your service!

    As to grad school, it depends on what your goals are. If you want to get hired by a fund, prestige matters. In general, you want to go to a top 10-15 mba program or the equivalent M.Fin program, eg MIT, Princeton. Outside of that, you can learn most of what you need to learn by yourself, such as studying for the CFA exam, which is much cheaper than a program. No program will teach you how to "trade," but you will get a greater understanding of the finance sector and the economy as a whole, which'll help if you're more of a fundamentals trader, than a TA trader. For the most part, trading is like any other skill set; it takes time to learn and master. This can't be done at school.

    Good luck!
     
  6. Maverick74

    Maverick74

    Tulane.

    http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/interests/trade/

    A little old trader names Paul Tudor Jones went there and made a nice investment into the program.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. college trader,

    Thanks for the input. That is one I am considering.

    Are you an alum there?

    I am decently competitive, 3.5gpa/710 GMAT from a state school, but not sure if I could get admit at an ivy. My time in the Marines and owning my own cigar company has is a decent story, but I am not sure I would be a shoe in.
     
  8. WS MJH,

    Thanks for the info! I am finishing my last year of undergrads currently and schedule all my classes at night, so I can trade during the market hours. I have a lot to learn, but since I started in Jan I am up 172%.

    I am starting to study for level 1. I was orginally thinking of being an analyst until I started trading, and now I don't think I could do anything but.

    What was your background/experience? And how did you get into trading?
     
  9. Maverick,

    Thanks so much for the info. This looks like a really good program, I have heard of their energy trading competition.

    I didn't know, however that they had trading classes. That is the first I heard of actual trading classes in a US grad program.

    Are you an alum? Would love to hear from someone who has been in their trading classes or experienced the recruiting process there?

    I will be taking all this and updating the original post with a ranking weighted on cost/benefit analysis and feasibility, as well as prop trading firms that recruit there.
     
  10. Go to the BEST, most competitive graduate school you can get into. Compete head-to-head with the smartest people you can find. Develop your critical thinking skills and learn to criticize your own work before some fellow student asshole, or the professor, makes a complete fool of you in front of your classmates. You'll be razor sharp and breathing fire by the time you get your degree.

    You will learn nothing and prepare yourself for nothing if you go to a school where you're the smartest guy in the room.

     
    #10     May 3, 2011