I agree with your analysis. And the reason you can have a $300 daily limit is you also put up decent P&L on the green days, from looking at the combine stats you posted. And since you don't have a weekly loss limit on the 30k account, that's an advantage. So as long as you keep the $300 number intact, then the focus is on the trailing max draw, which as you correctly noted that you would have to hit your stop six days in a row to exceed your max trailing dd. The $200 loss limit is definitely too low, especially on the 50k combine. This is why I keep pointing out the discrepancy in TST's rules between the combine and the live Jr Trader account. You obviously figured it out, and realized that the 50k combine is NOT the same as the 50k live account when you factor in the additional Jr Trader metrics, and switched to the 30k combine. There has to be a reason why the "100's who have passed the combine" don't make Sr Trader, or TST would promote the stats, as it's in their best interest to show it can be done. The ONLY combine that is currently structured similar to the live Jr Trader account is the 30k combine, the rest are NOT.
Yes, I did figure it that it is better bang for a buck to start with $30K and also metrics are same both for simulation and live account. The most important now to start trading within -$310 to start with and then move to $295. I used to trade with 3 losers limit but now I need to stay with 2. I also have daily profit target. which is $300-400 now. I am not going after home runs. It is all about psychology now.
They are going to LOWER the profit targets after the 27th: Acc: New: Diff: 30K $1500 (the same) 50K $3000 (500 less) 100K $6000 (2500 less) 150K $9000 (3000 less)
This is probably because you cannot do a 20 Day combine anymore. $30,000 Starting Balance $175 Deposit Duration: 10 days Max Position Size: 3 Daily Loss Limit: $500 Max Drawdown: $1,500 Profit Target: $1,500 https://www.topsteptrader.com/learnmore
It is probably for new guys joining Combine. I received email from TST that considering I have been with TST for along time and always been doing 20 days Combines I can continue doing 20 days combines. I am sure similar emails were received by others who has been with TST for some time and were mostly doing 20 days Combines.
Hello, We want to let you know about an upcoming change to the Trading Combine®. Starting May 21, we will only be offering the 10-day Combines on our website. We are doing this to simplify options for new traders to our program and to streamline the evaluation process. The good news for you, is that because you're an important member of our community and you historically prefer the 20-day Combine, we're grandfathering you in. Everything's the same: the Combine objective, deposit, etc. Whenever you're ready to start a 20-day Combine, please use the registration links below based on your account size preference. 20-day $30K Combine Account 20-day $50K Combine Account 20-day $100K Combine Account 20-day $150K Combine Account Be sure to save this email so you have the 20-day Combine registration links going forward. As always, contact us with any questions. You can reach us at support@topsteptrader.com or 888.407.1611. And thank you for being such an important part of the TopstepTrader community!
No question this is an adjustment to the present uber-low volatility markets environment with one notable symbol exception... Russell 2000 eminis, which are not available to trade. Even the once mighty CL that a majority of funded traders relied upon in the past is now locked inside of <100 cent chop ranges more sessions than not. So with all futures markets (except for the Russell) in years' low volatility readings, day-trading efforts and minimum performance mandates inside limited periods of time equal no announcements of newly funded traders in months. I'm on the TST mailing list and I get several notices per week about this or that but one thing that hasn't been announced for a long time now is even a single newly funded trader. Going back to the discussion I had with Mav and others here in this thread many pages back... when volatility sags (or collapses) and you mandate performance inside those periods of time, everyone will fail to pass. I myself would work the $150k combine if Russell eminis were offered, other than that zero interest on my part. So I have no dog in the hunt here, simply objective views. Day trading futures with VIX at 11 readings and expectations of solid performance in restricted fashion ain't gonna happen. Proof enough of that is the complete lack of TST combine traders able to make it happen at the present time. TST can opt to remove timeframe limitations to hit profit objectives before risk parameters are violated, or they will continue to see an absence of newly funded traders until volume and volatility return to the markets. Because like I told Mav here repeatedly before, it ain't at all about the trader or their skills. It is ALL about the timing of the limited-window test and market conditions present at that specific time. End of story
Sorry Austin, just trying to keep you honest here. I don't know how often they upload these interviews to youtube, but here are two guys that passed and got funded last month. I do agree this pace is slower then before where I seem to remember about 2 to 4 guys passing per month so this on the low end, but guys are doing it and they are getting funded. I haven't listened yet to these videos so maybe they shed some light on how they did it. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OgBSmcApsZM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AvWSI874aDc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>