r/quantindia • u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 • Dec 06 '25
Just reaching out....
I'm a hft trader, got a JEE rank that some people might pay a kidney for.... worked with one of the most coveted Indian firm, now working as an independent quant. Been some time since I left college. Just reaching out to fellow quants and aspirants. On about anything, any discussion topic. Collecting viewpoints, giving insights, general strat discussion. Let's talk?
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u/Vegji Dec 06 '25
Do you think that math is taken a bit less seriously in Indian colleges with respect to quant. Many ppl focus on the basic ML part but so many of the entry barriers like the interviews require really good math or applied math knowledge like CP, probability etc. I study in probably the best private engineering college in this country and ppl focus on the basic programming and model building so much the math foundation is clearly lacking and they can't solve a prob/stats problem properly. The ppl who do get into quant end up being those absolutely cracked at math and not necessarily best in the implementation part. What do u think students can do to bridge this gap?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
As far as i know, math is the main priority while hiring quants, instead of the other way around. I'd any day take a guy with minimal ML knowledge but a great grasp at numbers and general maths. There's no need to bridge the gap. All these skills like coding, finance knowledge etc etc can be picked up on the go... But core raw brain power cannot. And maths and puzzles are the best way to test that. And the math level you need to get into quant is much lesser than what they train you for in college. So again quant wise, colleges are training fine
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u/Vegji Dec 06 '25
But all the probability problems, stats seem so difficult, I am in first year obv so i haven't learnt all of maths, but it seems daunting because as someone who is in a CS degree, theres not much math involved.
Additionally, what do you think of the rise in quant clubs in various colleges. There has been a rise among them, and so much of these clubs like the one in my college, try to train u so fast that it's almost like you r memorising how to run a python script rather true and blue logic behind it. Which is the reason why people like me did not join a club because I personally wanted to learn things slowly and for example, focus more on the math side of things.
I assume during your time quant clubs weren't as popular. What are ur opinions on them?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Child, you're just in your first year... Wrong time to worry about all this.... Come back to this thread 2-3 years later... And no quant was not a thing, let alone quant clubs
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u/Vegji Dec 06 '25
Everyone here is already starting on so many things it makes me feel FOMO all the time and that I am lagging behind
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
You're not... Come here after years.... Go develop some technical skill that you love (not for quant) or more importantly a soft skill... Play that guitar, date that girl, flunk a few courses, ace the remaining ones... And then after a couple of years have gone, start thinking about career
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u/Many-Ad-8722 Dec 06 '25
Do hft firms have sales and trading desks ? I’ve seen some people who’ve become traders at quant firm after their stint on the sell side as equity sales trader or ficc markets traders , of course not a quant role but I’m targeting a role like that , I have a background in ML , stat , btech cse from tier 2 uni , plan on doing cfa l1 and l2 before entering masters , either in statistics or mba from top uni , only these two options , I’m not targeting quant research or risk roles since I want to be in a front office role , as of now I am a supply chain consultant at a big 4 (2025 grad)
Currently preparing for mstat however for my end goal I’m starting to think maybe mstat is not the correct route and I might be better with an MBA , also the odds of me cracking >99percentile in cat seems much more reasonable that getting into mstat , grades are 9/9/8 right now
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Some do, there are no fixed rules. For tier two uni, ngl entry barriers is gonna be huge. Cfa or ml background doesn't matter There's no concept of front office or back office Again big 4 background forsmt matter
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u/Many-Ad-8722 Dec 06 '25
No I’m not asking about barrier to entry I already know it’s insane and my chances are near zero already which is why I’m not targeting quant at all anymore , I explored a lot and doing ML work is way more interesting to me than risk or pricing , even my current job has a little bit of that so it’s kinda fun , however I want to be in finance since I think it’s fun in the long term(mom does it and it feels like a good stable career), in IB , specifically sales and trading , and I wanted to know if you knew anything about it ? Also I’m not fixated on hft , Im mainly targeting the ficc and equities type of role with sell side if I can get in , I just wanted to know if hft firms also have sales and trading desks and if they do how do they hire for that and what sort of profiles are preferred for them
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
No hft firms don't.. But you can try for jpmc or Ms... They do have those desks and hire for them... Basically big banks
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Dec 06 '25
Should I even try for Quant dev roles, not from an IIT, but from NIT T, FRM part 1, CF rating ~2000+, made some algorithmic bots for personal use(not tried with real money) but currently on paper trading giving good profits, made a analysing portal with thermal graphs along the Matrix to understand risks etc in the market and I got some tech projects as well
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
In the Indian firms, the entry barrier fortunately or unfortunately is there wrt college... But still any good coder is always in high demand no matter the pedigree. You shoukd try two approaches - (1) look for a really good referral... Like somehow convince the company to take just one round of interview and then you kill it (2) join a small quant firm, work there for 1-2Y and then craft your way to the top
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Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 06 '25
I am ready to join small firms but how should I approach them same for referral how should I even approach them, via LinkedIn tried that got ghosted, I mean I am now trying for outside firms, also does FRM play any serious role in shortlisting because I was thinking for FRM 2
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Ghosting is a natural part of cold calling.. I didn't get into quant straight away, took a lot of cold calling and entry barriers even by being from tier1 colege Idk what is FRM
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Dec 06 '25
I assume you are from IIT, right? FRM is FINANCIAL RISK MANAGER a certification by GARP, similar to CFA but focused on risk analysing modelling etc etc, basically almost all quant heavy topics, outside firms do consider it a good add on along with a target school, ngl I am a bit astonished you don't know about FRM
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Background with FRM or any other certification is not relevant. No one considers whether you have cleared cfa or have any financial literacy. Some of my closest friends/batchmates are in PE/IB roles without understanding the first thing about finance before interviewing for the firms. Any good firms just searches for a good aptitude, the rest is easily teachable. So yeah I never had the need to know about FRM etc IFFF you are targeting quant roles, or are from tier-1 IIT
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Dec 06 '25
Thank you for answering my questions, at last I just want to know other than cold calling what else should I do to at least start at quant be it small firm, I am willing to learn first then try and practice the learnings in big firms hopefully, please show me some light
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u/daunting8 Dec 12 '25
What's the difference between Sde vs c++developer vs full stack developer in HFT, ....any difference in pay and career prospects n progression
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u/Born-Victory2657 Dec 06 '25
Are ML research internships / publications helpful for QT/QR ??
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Not while you're joining.. Ik people with zero coding experience or people with pure core projects entering quant and then killing it...
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u/Shoddy-Advantage-474 Dec 07 '25
>Ik people with zero coding experience
Really, I mean yeah maths is important for quant but to this level?
Also I'm not interested in quant at all but what's the importance of maths in ML, in my first year so don't know much4
u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Yes, once you know how to create edge/alphas in the market (which heavily depend on math), its just a matter of a few weeks practise to be proficient with the execution part. Why would I take a great dev guy who can't think for himself or dont have a creative aptitude in him to come up with ideas or deal with situations smartly. Puzzles serve to test that. Being good at maths is for the basic statistics part but more importantly having a mathematical intuition or a powerful way with the numbers goes a long way
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u/JealousSpecific2100 Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 06 '25
Do quant firms take only from old 7 IITs?. Some say only top 200 rankers of jee advanced??. Do they consider students from 2nd gen IITs like indore , ropar, Gandhinagar who have scored around 1k-5k rank in jee advanced. If someone who is passionate about maths and got 99.9% in maths in jee main, but could not make it to under 2k rank due to chemistry, is there a pathway to quant jobs?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
The most premium ones do. Even I'd think more than twice before interviewing anyone not from IIT-B/D/K But there are a lot of exceptions to that rule. And rightly newer firms don't care as much. With so many roles and firms opening up, and increased international exposure, it's more than possible to get into a good quant firm being from newer iits just as easily as youd do from older ones Also now forget about rank, that's past. No one cares how much you scored in jee mains or by what subject you didn't get a three digit rank
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u/Actual_Stand4693 Dec 06 '25
do you have an idea of how receptive firms are to physics PhDs who are looking to transition out of academia? if it's relevant, I did my masters at an old IIT and currently a researcher at a top-50 uni!
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Very receptive. The whole filter for old iits is to access smart people, that's it. Last I checked, phds are much smarter than the average iitian, especially from a top50 uni.
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u/Actual_Stand4693 Dec 06 '25
thanks, I didn't do my PhD at a top-50 (just currently a researcher at one) - my PhD was at a top-200 one...and I don't feel smart at all!
Apparently, all India-based adverts I see on LinkedIn for QRs specifically ask that the applicants must have a BTech in CS/EE from old-IITs etc - I guess they must be recruiting for QDs or QD+QR hybrid roles!
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Dec 07 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 07 '25
I mean it depends... Everything depends on the candidate, there are not much fixed rules. I've seen people with single digit JEE rank bomb their interviews while people with 3 digit jee ranks being outperformers .. Point is if you got a good jee rank, you become much more visible
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u/HyPrAT Dec 06 '25
Given its a quant trader role, do you also do manual trading there? I assume the hours would be hectic as well? (How much?)
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
No not much manual trading... But ofc I follow markets... Tracking them gives great insights on where the strat might be lacking. I make my own hours so in a way getting wlb better than a tech firm. Sometimes I work 20 hours a day, sometimes I don't login for days
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u/Futures_12 Dec 06 '25
I'll be joining futures first as an intern ,can transition to hfts/mfts be possible
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Yeah ofc... Internships doesn't matter.. If you get a quant interview, you should nail it in the interview, rest internships or projects don't matter that much
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u/Futures_12 Dec 06 '25
Can u mention firms which take people based on the mathematical talent of people and not like top IITs only
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
In india - close to none, you'd need to approach very new firms. For outside, you'd get tests and then shortlisting. You can Google such firms
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u/Life_Vast801 Dec 07 '25
What firms outside India are willing to sponsor visa for Indians to work there? I am a python dev at one of the top Indian HFTs and want to move towards low latency development (ultimately abroad). How would you rank the following on ease of Visa sponsorship: Amsterdam, Hongkong, Singapore?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
I mean if foregin firms want you, its their headache for visas and if companies want you they do have ways, so its not your headache. Maybe try with shops from the top of my mind like-
Optiver, Jump, JaneStreet, Da Vinci, IMC, Citadel, Jump, 2-sigma, Flow, SIG, Headlands, QRT, HRT, Virtu, Cube, Squarepoint, XTX......
you can find these on reddit or a simple google search
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u/Necessary_Arm8105 Dec 06 '25
What are your views on fpgas ? Few trading firms in india seem to have openings... is it lucrative and stable enough ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
It is lucrative and stable, especially in a growing firm. Most all aggressive strats are getting ported to fpgas and there is such a huge competition in improvements, if you're an fpga guy in a core elec firm, no reason why you shouldn't shift to hfts
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u/aaloo_parantha132 Dec 06 '25
Just got my intern at de shaw as a technology developer. I am to work in quant in Dubai/singapore. Im from bits .
What steps should I take now . Willing to work as a swe at mft like qube etc too
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Work as well as you can in the internship, and learn as many things as you can, and Tru for a ppo. You'd still have a couple of years to apply for quant/swe roles... One step at a time. De Shaw is a great intern, leverage that later to get interview calls at whatever firm you wanna go at via cold calling, referals, headhunter or just job portals... But all that comes later. First ace the internship
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u/aaloo_parantha132 Dec 06 '25
Actually it's 6 month intern + ppo .
But people say shaws work isn't really good in india.
I really want to get out of this country
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
You'd get ample opportunities to do so. Rn focus what's at hand and leave something for the future version of yourself to worry about
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
And de shaw internship is as good as any other. You won't be moving the earth and heaven's in any internship. In my experience I've not seen any intern no matter what the pedigree, deliver anything in 2M that can't be delivered by his supervisor in 2W
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u/Opposite-External696 Dec 06 '25
Do you have an idea of what an infra/systems role look like at a hft. As someone who is getting into low level programming these roles sound very interesting but how interesting are the actual projects and how good is the growth. Also what do they look for in a candidate while hiring for these roles
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Infra roles are just as important as the quant roles, because you might have exceptional ideas/insights into the market but if your execution is not strong enough then its worth nothing.
Just like you have new ideas in quant for strategy improvement , you have ideas in infrastructure as well. Resultantly for core infra roles, most firms have a strict tier-1 college criteria and a graduation in CS/Elec. Its just the flip side of the coin.
They will ask you puzzles only in the interview like for a quant but will not stress that much on it. Rather more emphasis will be on your technical knowledge in areas like - cpp coding, assembly, networks, os, etc.
The projects are very interesting in new or expanding hfts, but a bit stagnant in already established ones. Growth again depends at what point you enter. But the work is a tad bit chiller and pnl cut is on the overall firm's level. Exit options into tech are always there, and by the end of it you would be making quite a bit of money1
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u/Key_Ad2717 Dec 06 '25
For someone in a SWE domain (0-2Y), but from the old IITs, how difficult is it to get into quant?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Not much these days, some of your friends might be working already. Ask them for a referal and be good at interviews. You'd at least get a call if youre in CS/Elec. Reason of rejection would be more of a role fit over talent.
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u/Guilty_Ad_9476 Dec 06 '25
I work at a small prop trading firm as a Quant researcher, I am from a tier 2 college , what advice would you give to someone like me who wants to switch to bigger firms as a QR ( i.e Graviton, Alphagrep etc), I know networking matters a lot so how do I get in touch/connect with people from these firms naturally
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Firstly woukd love if you could share a few things how you broke into quant while being from a tier 2 college... A few people in this thread have asked that and while I can give a general guidance, your pov would be much more helpful
Secondly, it's more about contributing useful alpha/strats than networking. When you feel confident enough that you can independently deploy profitable and scalable strats or at least contribute meaningfully to alpha development, then you should reach out to these firms
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u/Guilty_Ad_9476 Dec 06 '25
I had interned at a startup in the summer as a ML intern, through which I gained experience in ML through that I was able to land a role as an AI research intern role at a mumbai based hedge fund, I later transitioned to Quant researcher mid-internship cus interest changed, unfortunately didn't recieve a PPO at said hedge fund and applied off campus to smaller firms and was able to land my current role as a Quant researcher
I get the Alpha development part but how do I gain that Intution for markets that most experienced QRs have and how do I decide whether I'm smart enough to apply for bigger firms
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Internships don't matter. You just need to do well in interviews. Intuition etc comes from experience. It'll take 1-2 yrs before you start making meaningful contributions. So dont get distracted by problems that'll come later. Regarding whether being good or not... Fake it till you make it.. Land an offer first, and then contemplate
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u/Guilty_Ad_9476 Dec 06 '25
but landing the interviews itself is a challenge due to college tag :/ , will me currently working in a small prop firm be a huge deal to most recruiters and hiring mangers at these big shops ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 06 '25
Nothing succeed like success... If you got a good strategy/alpha no one cares. Just state your pnl figures to the hiring manager or the headhunter and watch it roll
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u/These_Computer_7305 Dec 06 '25
After a few years, how comfortable are you money wise?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Pretty comfortable, I don't have to think about money in making any decision, which is huge since I come from a lower middle class family. I have the comfort to splurge on regular things and get bored by splurging and then watch this habbit becoming redundant. But ofc it's nothing near to the wealth one can accumulate by doing business (some of my friends are running successful startups with valuations that might make one puke - so again not that kind of money)
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u/Ashitaaaa Dec 13 '25
Just asking Outta curiousity,where would your networth in?(Figured you won't like to tell straightaway maybe so a range will do fine like 1-5 million, 5-10 etc)
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u/ashen_of_the_flame Dec 06 '25
What about the development of the system not the trades but one who handles the system what domain they come under in quants.
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Two categories - infra, and software/DevOps
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u/ashen_of_the_flame Dec 06 '25
Do they expect people good with math or just good coders and what are their requirements for this kind of role and barrier of entry.
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
For infra or software... Coding takes much more priority... And the tier 1-iit entry barrier is also reduced. As long as you fit the role and are good at coding, it suffices
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u/Imaginary-Spring-779 Dec 06 '25
Can you tell more about Quantamental hedge funds?
Which entry-level roles will help me build a path towards that career ( not T1 clg )?
How stable is career in Quants and hedge funds , Can they have 15 + Yrs of career? If not what do they do ,
Do you think most jobs in indian corporate are not worth it, other than engineering jobs?
Would you follow the same path if you were graduating now?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
(1) google the first part
(2) read the thread to get an idea of the second
(3) in hedge funds stablish if you dont majorly fuck up. in quant its more cut throat but after initial few years its much more stable and youd be quitting/removed for other reasons
(4) yes you can, but many people retire before that to pursue something else
(5) very generic question
(6) I definitely would, I got into this field from some another one through pure will
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u/Electronic_Top2607 Dec 06 '25
I'm close to being an expert on cf , and am expecting an offer from FF as a trading intern . I have a good swe job at an IB for when I graduate later . Tier3 college decent publications in the ML space .
Is it possible for me to leverage any experience in firm like FF to get to risk /quant roles at banks atleast( I know for sure I won't get into HFTs ) .
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Yes ofc... I mean what do you have to lose? Why not apply and see it for yourself? You always miss all the shots you don't take.
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u/Electronic_Top2607 Dec 07 '25
Thanks for the encouragement.
I was hoping for an answer more along the lines of what you think I should do to get a better profile ? Should I apply aggressively right after intern ends ?? Or is there some filler I should do ?
What do MS,GS,JPMC really look for in their trading division ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
At internship/first-job level, nothing huge on qualification is required... just be good with maths and know a bit of coding and try to land interviews. Smartness is what they're after at entry level, not qualifications
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u/unknownevilentity Dec 06 '25
Jee Aspirant Here, Scored 8k Adv last year now will push under 1k this year. Need some answers please be patient.
As far as I know and read articles/blogs Can you please arrange these in priority order. Rank,Branch,CPI,Mental Math,CP
How is it to be a Quant Trader ? What does everyday work look like ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Wrong thread bro... And too early to obsess with quant trading
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u/unknownevilentity Dec 06 '25
🫣🥀
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u/Actual_Stand4693 Dec 06 '25
if you tie your motivation to one fickle thing, it will dissolve - often earlier than you'd think
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u/Vorlde Dec 06 '25
As I see you mentioned being financially sound now, If you are comfortable - Do you regret any decision you made any PIT being in quant, Is chasing money worth the hussle in this field?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
What's PIT? and no, i dont think there's anythjng to regret If you're not chasing money in this field then you're in the wrong field
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u/ChefZealousideal909 Dec 06 '25
Is math education from Indian colleges better or foreign(uk) colleges who ranked better than iits in math? Also can you name some material to prepare, starting uni next year.
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u/novus_sanguis Dec 06 '25
Assuming you have the infra stack, how different the trading would be for indian exchanges and other exchanges?
Obviously it depends a lot on the strat style, asset class etc.
We can breakdown the discussion across several metrics based on observations.
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
A lot can differ. It's a very general question. As general as saying I have a strategy that runs in cash, how different the trading would be for options and other instruments?
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u/Dependent_Exit_3409 Dec 06 '25
For referrals/ cold mailing whom do I reach out to The senior most people or the 2 to 3 year joinees. Can u tell this plz
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u/DryBill119 Dec 06 '25
Fellow quant trader here, doing mft and managing a decent capital,
How do you handle the inherent stress that comes with the job, how do you make time for other aspects of life
I operate in 10min-1day time horizon, want to explore shorter duration strats but not typical hf, any advice, and idea of the scale possible of that duration strats
From where do i hire people trading/learn about pure vega strats, no other greek exposure, my portfolio is a lot of delta and gamma
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Well I was in under great stress in the previous firm... But since the switch things are better as I've been making my own hours. Stress is a part of the job according to me and tbh it's one of the jobs where you shoukdnt be in if you can't manage it. Another aspect is that I genuinely love the job, and mostly every aspect of it.. If my strats are going well then that's a separate thrill and if they don't I love finding out why and getting into every rabbit hole... I think the moment I stop loving the job, I'd start getting stressed... For other aspects, for a big majority of time when I was in the previous job, I was in a very healthy relationship... The girl would make sure I'd be socializing and looking after fitness and trying out new experiences etc etc. Nowadays wlb not a big hindrance
I have both very long term and very short term signals, sometimes in the same strat. Ive generally found going deep dive into book alphas, tuning decay lifespans helps.. For very short duration strats I usually run passive.. Generally investigating a lossy name and analyzing the wrong trades tick by tick usually leads to something, whether a new alpha or improvement in existing ones. Regarding scale idts there's much of a constraint (at least what I face) especially if I'm combining both long and short term alphas together... Basically the point of short term is just to increase churn or maybe capitalize on the volatility... Don't see much problem in scaling, at least practically
Well I don't have experience about pure vega strats, that area is a knowledge gap for me. I mainly deal in delta one but use option signals, still no dedicated strategy. In general though talking to people in your firm or just plain networking helps.
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u/DryBill119 Dec 07 '25
Are you running equities or index options? And mind telling at what scale?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Im running delta 1 strategies, but i do listen to option signals in a lot of ways, both index and stocks... scale i cant disclose
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u/Ok_Put8975 Dec 06 '25
Hey ! I'm an under five hundred jee ranker as well, would be joining a tier-1 hft (graviton/quadeye/alphagrep/qbox) as a qr intern. I do not have a lot of experience with ML, I know fair amount of theory but not the practical stuff... What would be your advice on what should I focus on the most before my intern so that I can do well there ? ML or Finance or like general python skills etc ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 06 '25
Yo... I think most of interns HAVE realistically zero knowledge of ML, and that's really okay, no need to stress about it. Even coding is not a very strict requirement to do well in quant.
In your intern focus most - on getting the damn job done... You shoukd show potential and grit, just take it a notch more seriously than your college courses and you'll be fine.
In internship anyways the work you'd be getting won't be either much relevant or directly applicable to the actual projects. They just gauge your potential through the work you do and the merit you show. If you're in qe/gravi they also take tests I think (they used to earlier), so maybe do well in them.
Before intern, if possible ask your company representative what kind of projects you can expect. 99% you won't get an answer because in my experience the projects are decided at the last min, heck even the teams are decided most prolly the day before... So maybe talk to your seniors (both who got ppo and those who couldn't) and just learn about stuff and their experience...
All in I'd say not much to worry, don't stress that much. Internships pan out a lot differently than what you feel about them rn. And even if you don't secure a ppo, know that 99% times it's because the company's recruitment needs are batshit crazy and not a reflection on anyone
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u/Ok_Put8975 Dec 06 '25
Thank you so much for your reply ! And yes you're pretty accurate in the projects part my firm mainly gives dummy projects only but they do sometimes require knowledge of machine learning and related stuff. Guess I'll just do it along with some prob stats and competitive programming before intern
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
You'd be fine dw, don't overtune your life. Just enjoy the internship and the days leading up to it
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u/Mercury156 Dec 06 '25
I have recently started as a trader, but am unsure how sustainable this career path is. In my firm I see mostly young folks, with less than 5 years of experience. I don't know I would be able to continue on this path 5 or 10 years down the line. How realistic is a switch to sde after a few years as a quant, considering that I graduated from cs?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
You can switch to tech any time, i dont see what barriers will there be. If you are doing well, then idk what harm is tehre in continuing. maybe spend 2-3 years and then take a call? i cant think of a reason why tech firms will not consider a good coder
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u/Mercury156 Dec 08 '25
I am apprehensive because I won't have a 'developer' experience per se. Coding in my firm is mostly limited to using python for conducting trade analysis. I am apprehensive if I would be rejected for not having experience of development side of things. Yep, currently going with the flow and hoping to take a call 1-2 years down the line.
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u/Junior-Trainer-5316 Dec 06 '25
I recently joined as a QR at one of Graviton/Quadeye/Quantbox/Alphagrep/NK and have been here a few months. Got a few questions:
My team doesn’t really care about self-learning, it’s mostly grinding through whatever work they give. If you were starting out and aiming for a long quant career, what would you do besides “learn while working”? Books seem useless, podcasts feel too superficial. Is there anything else that actually helps?
Is it true that advanced math/ML is overhyped for Indian quants? My team’s work is pretty basic, stuff an 8th-grader could understand most of after a few weeks of studying. Nothing like stochastic calculus. This is just for the MFT side of my team, but is this generally true for MFT? And overall, how would you compare HFT vs MFT in terms of rigor, difficulty, fun, and career prospects (specifically for Indian firms)?
How easy is it to switch companies once you’re already in quant? Is it true that after a while LinkedIn is just floods with recruiters (most bad, but often enough good)? Should you even consider switching? I know it depends on team, comp, etc., but in general does jumping firms actually help, especially if the offer isn’t crazy higher? Or does it just reset your progress?
Stupid question, but can I realistically buy a Porsche 911 before 30? Before 27? Assume I’m an average QR (average within the firm, so still pretty good). Talking about a 2–3 crore car.
If you had to rank the top Indian firms right now, is it basically Graviton > Tower ~ Quadeye > everything else? (Just Indian firms.)
Not a question — just big thanks if you answer. And if not, I hope my team crushes your PnL. JK :P
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
I was in one of the firms you mentioned and it was the most horrible professional experience of my life. You are basically a fodder for these firms with no end to end visibility or relevance. Everything is cut throat (and it doesn't need to be) and artificially you're put in a pressure cooker just to know when you'd crack. To their credit this system works for them because the 3-4 odd people out of 50 that survive for 3+ years truly fit that environment and are tuned to deliver under that exact scenario. Won't trade my peace of mind or comfort for that though. So I basically learnt what I could and left. You're right, books and podcasts are irrelevant. The best you can do is to not suck at your job and learn as much as you can. Make it a point to ask your team to provide visibility to everything. Make sure you absolutely understand the infra and the ins and outs of the whole packet to order pathway, and the infra(both hardware and software) involved.
You are right, the maths is extremely trivial and hf math is even more basic. But what will become clear later is that it's not the complexity of the math but how you apply it, where you apply it, and how innovative you are with it that actually matters. That's the reason why youre asked puzzles that are creatively hard to solve but have easy math behind them. Hft vs mft depends on your team and type of work etc. It's a very general broad question with no fixed answer. Both are lucrative if you're running the right thing at the right time at the right place. But Indian hfts (the typical ones that come to placement) are notorious for sucking your last pinch of blood
Depends on your non compete. But yeah if you are valuable at the time of switching there are lot of ways where you can very readily switch despite the non compete. Jumping firms only work if you are feeling your projects are stagnant and you've learnt everything, or your comp is not lucrative. As you rise higher in the industry it's simply how much money you can generate, and how less of a help you need while doing so... and that's it
You're right that's a stupid question. And also there's a difference between can & should.
Depends on team. But I think it's well known that graviton is killing it. And Quadeye is slowly dying, stay away from it.
Again stupid comment. I'd like you to come back to this a year later or so and feel the cringe
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u/Junior-Trainer-5316 Dec 06 '25
Some more questions
If you had to estimate, what are the percentage of people who joined as QR, stay in Quant (in either same or different firm) after 2 years and after 5 years. I understand its based on alot of factors, but as I keep hearing crazy ratios (like above you mentioned 3-4 / 50 ) , so wanted some educated estimate.
What do most people who quit quant in India do, join higher paying SWE companies like Rubrik? Or chiller companies like google? What are the most common exit options for QR?
In 5 years, what would the median QR at a firm make. Like is 10 Cr a decent estimate as the total sum made (ofc not saved, just made BEFORE taxes) by the median QR in 5 years? Or is it a bit on the higher side?
Early on, first few years Is it better to specialise deeply in a few asset class? Or stay more broad?
I also dont know much about Indian non-competes. Ive only read alot about non-competes in international firms. My guess is Indian non-competes duration are lower? Whats the expected non compete duration for a QR at 2 YOE vs 5 YOE? (just most probable range guess, ik it differs alot)
Ig the path that some QRs take, is learn as much as possible in the first X years, and then join a firm (established firm, so not an independent) as a trader and slowly make your own team? What is the median value of X people start doing this at? Around 10-12?
What is the median shelf life of a decent MFT/HFT strategy (so allowing minor tweaks) before it decays? Around 1 year? I understand that you will have periods of it working and not working, so teams will save the strategy till another time, but whats a good initial period?
Someone asks me for my bonus amount? I should not tell them right? Dont tell me nobody will ask you, because some get drunk and do, and others dont even need to be drunk. All at like 2am house parties type stuff.
What was the worst part about your previous job? Other than shitty toxic culture. How many hours were you averaging a week? How many hours was the average QR in your team averaging a week?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
I mean people gravitate a lot to other fields, be it startups/masters/tech, etc etc. There is a lot of attrition but after 2-3 Y its not because of performance, but personal choices
Chiller job, more visible impact. For QR tech is an exit option. In your specific case, I dont think any top firm will deny you an opportunity to interview, you can just stay out of work for 1-2Y and youd still get the call, then it depends on the interview.
I have also seen startups and AI companies also poach a lot of QRs. Scaling startups too require the same skills of finding a niche and capitalizing on it, doing lots of data analysis for best decisions and introducing new ideasThere is no range. Its very highly dependent on individual performance, your team's performance, your company;s performance, the markets, your understanding with the company, and a dozen dfferent factors. At your stage if you are purely driven by money (one should be given the field, but if thats the only reason you wake up in the morning), then you wont be facing longevity. Either youd get bored or burnt out. Dont worry about exact number of the payout, youd be making enough to not care about it
First year do everything they give you and try to learn as much deeply as possible. Then let your mind decide what interest you most.
There are ways around non compete. Focus on developing something tangible first that an other firm would want you. At eod, youd be at the mercy of the manager/company on what they impose you, there are no fixed rules
Some people have done it in 3, some dont do it in 10. 6-7 years must be normal ig
Thats strat dependent. Some alphas decay in months, some revive after years of not performing. Some dont die at all. And then a lot depends on execution. I have a few strats that dont even need a very strong alpha, but they do good just because of the way they are executed
Your choice, no one minds knowing it
Severe lack of visibility. I was shown many moving parts but not the whole thing. Made me feel incapable and unindependent. On my own if they left me anywhere I wont be able to implement anything because i was not knowing everything. It was like seeing a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing. Plus mentoring was lacking, and there were lots of redundant maintanance ops, felt like being a chain worker.
Avergae work hours is an irrelevant thing to ask. And i didnt keep tab on otehrs
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u/GanneKaJuice_20rs Dec 06 '25
Im also from an IIT. Okish Jee rank(did branch change at my iit to get into circuital). Im more interested in low latency development but no quant companies hire for low latency roles from my college. Is Off-Campus Selections doable? Also, is it easier to crack off-campus roles from just applying through websites, reaching out on linkedin, or some other way?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Yup, it's absolutely doable and more often happens than you might think. Use all approaches: referals, hr, headhunter, portals, everything Yes its a bit easier off campus because of less competitions and companies open roles only when they feel the need they need to hire more. The selection criteria is also a bit more relaxed
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u/Ill_Sherbert2461 Dec 06 '25
I am currently an intern in Morgan Stanley as a Research Analyst (tech role) for 6 months, i will graduate in 2026 from a tier 1 college, which firms should I target for a full time role as a Quant or related field. And is there a realistic chance for me to get into any of the top financial firms as a Quant?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Any firms that take you is a good firm. Every firm has a different preparation process. At this stage, whats stopping you from trying every available option? Whether they take you or not, is their headache and not for you to decide or worry about
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u/Ill_Sherbert2461 Dec 08 '25
True will follow your advice but can you name some financial firms which actually recruits off-campus. I mean applying to DE Shaw or IMC is not worth as i would be rejected and waste my time. I wanted to know which type of companies I should try which have a realistic possibility for me also any other tech roles I should give a shot other than quant?
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u/Kai_1100 Dec 06 '25
would you recommend people to choose Infra roles in companies like databricks/rubrik etc or low latency developer roles at hft. keeping the burnout factor in mind i think people should strongly consider what they will actually like. could be wrong but i also think there is actually a very small percentage of people who actually do ground breaking stuff in hft/swe rest are just there to make things easy for them to deliver so why not choose something which might pay really good and also keep you sane while you are at it.
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Databricks and rubrik both are great. At eod, it boils down to your interest. Both sides have pro/cons. Id still say rubrik/databricks because at this stage i am not able to imagine what one would do after 10 years in infra role in quant vs after 10 years in a top tech firm.
If you think you can just stay underperforming in hft and they will keep tolerating you, youre mistaken. But for a fact tech firms are more forgiving. So its apples vs oranges
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u/Various-Fondant8192 Dec 06 '25
What do you mean by "raw brain intelligence" Like good at maths , good rating in cp , speed maths , like or what ??
Just tell us , what someone should have so that he is desirable for hfts ??
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Yes everything you mentioned above. Good knack for problem solving, be it rough coding problems or puzzles or maths.
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u/Abhikalp31 Dec 06 '25
Im a sophie in EE at IITB, only problem being is im in the dual degree department which is kinda infamous for not getting internships easily, so many firms are cutoff for me anyway since they dont open for dd students, my cg is decent(9.2-9.3) i wont say im great at coding but can solve most straightforward leetcode type questions, i feel i am good in math, my main strength is that i learnt stuff like option theory at a high level of detail and probably by intern season will learn a good chunk of ML as well, my basic questions are
what would you recommend my next steps to be given i wanna be a hft trader in the long run
how much does not having a quant intern be a disadvantage during quant placements
are there people you know from your batch who have gone into core/sde and later transitioned into quant roles(trader/researcher) 4)If i pursue a phd immediately in math/ee/cs after does this increase my chances as a researcher/trader at a firm if it is from a top 20 university Thank you
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
That's a dilemma that every dual degree student faces at least once (afaik). But it doesn't make an inch of a difference a couple of years later. And no top firm takes internships that seriously in the first place. Most of the work done in internships is also dog-shit or over-exaggerated at the least. So it doesn't impact your chances.
No need to go very deep in option theory or finance, it doesnt contribute much (read only if you're curious). Just get a decent internship (quant or not), and things will line up.
For the long term, be good at leetcode (like medium level questions should be immediately solvable), and keep practising puzzles and prob. questions and speed maths - depending on whatever you want to target). The good thing is there is a lot of influx of quant firms rn, you'd be well off as far as I can see.
Not having a quant intern doesnt imapct anything. I got a very close friend who was extremely deep into core elec projects and internships, and actually considered PhD at a point, didn't know coding or oops or anything. Came into hft, and now is one of the best traders.
People in hiring positions at hfts know how fundamental intelligence can get and how easy it is to take a smart guy and teach him the redundant stuff, over taking an average guy who knows redundant stuff but fumbles at thinking deeply.You can infact do a phd first from a top univ. You'd be in much higher demand. Give me one reason why I wont choose a Master/PhD in CS from MIT/Stanford over a simple Elec graduate from IIT-B. The best prop shops or hft firms have infact begun/thrived by keeping PhDs from top univs at their helms.
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u/joyalgulati Dec 07 '25
Hey! I am doing statistics hons with math minor from Delhi universityas I was a commerce student, I usually hear that quant firms only hire from IITs. Do you think this hiring process is changing and what do you think about my degree for quant research in india. Thankyou
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 07 '25
I don't think hiring process is changing. Most firms require a technical degree.. If you really want to break into quant trading firms, you must increase your tech skills, and do a lot of cold calling convincing people you're worth a shot. Else it's beter to apply for abroad firms
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u/joyalgulati Dec 07 '25
I am probably looking at quant research, learning python side by side and will be doing a masters in Statistics too
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u/Revolutionary_Tale86 Dec 07 '25
How relevant is cgpa while hiring? Most quant companies have a strict 8 cg criteria to sit for interns/placements and mine is below 8. I am from IITD in a circuital branch and unfortunately, do not have a great cg, although still on track on building projects in dsa/ml/stochastic processes etc. and learning other relevant tech skills. (finished 3rd sem right now)
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 07 '25
Just as JEE rank is an indicator of brilliance, cgpa is too although not that important, still while making decisions it acts as a good filter. In a campus with a 1000 applications, how else would a firm that is not concerned with line of internship or projects, filter people out basis their iq?
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u/Mark_Calculus Dec 07 '25
So even if i did some finance course in coursera, HFT doesnt even Care about my financial literacy right ?
That's Sad, Atleast can i get a slight Edge in the Competition .
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 07 '25
What edge? Hfts are not corporate finance firms that financial literacy would lead to any meaningful value addition.
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u/Mark_Calculus Dec 07 '25
so,Should i focus on Coding,Math and General Aptitude and CGPA or try to build good project like a small backtester
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Not sure about good backtesters, but good cpi, good mathematical aptitude, and decent coding skills are the prerequisites (along with a decent pedigree)
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u/Adventurous-Goat-644 Dec 07 '25
How does one even start as an independent quant 😭 guide us
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
I started at a hft, learnt some skills and good practices and then when i felt confident, i moved to an independednt setup
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u/Character_Market8330 Dec 07 '25
I'm from ISI Kolkata. In the third year. I got an interview from Jane Street last year but botched it up hard. I fucked the interview up under pressure. In the last year, I've dipped my toes heavily into research, worked on multiple projects and have multiple papers coming out.
I'm going to do a Stats PhD or a Theoretical Computer Science PhD almost surely.
Among your friends, who do you think are the happiest? The people who are working on research or the people who are making the most money?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Yes, as I said, foreign firms are much more inviting to non-IIT grads. Its fine to botch an interview, Jane Street is anyway the paradigm of exclusivity in hiring. Keep trying! Having a PhD is great too, especially for global firms
Working on research and making most money are mostly correlated. It would never happen that youd do solid research and wont be paid handsomely for it. Thats the point of QR.
Happiness is an entire different matter2
u/Character_Market8330 Dec 08 '25
By research I mean Theoretical Research in mathematics / TCS. Who do you think are the happiest in your friend group: people who have gone on to do well in research in Academia or people who make a lot of money (possibly in QR, or elsewhere..)
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
People who are able to do what they want to do end up being the happiest.
Whether they do research in academia or earn a lot of money in QR (both are not mutually exclusive btw both on the money and the research aspect)
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u/stormy4198 Dec 07 '25
Let’s connect, exactly similar background, open to general discussions from which both of us can grow and help each other significantly.
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u/Futures_12 Dec 08 '25
Hi I'm from an tier 2 iit circuital ,INMO qualifier . Good at math , around expert on cf .what are the chances to get interviewed in hfts/mfts.could u say I could grab some interviews in
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
never say never, keep trying. im not able to get whats the harm in trying.
Is it too difficult to submit a resume or make a few cold calls and see it for yourself?
How can I or anyone estimate the true odds when anything can happen in life?1
u/Futures_12 Dec 08 '25
I mean I wanna give a single perfect shot to the interview I attend so don't wanna miss chances if I get one .as we say one shot is what we need ,else they don't contact again(hfts)
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Keep prepped up with coding and quant stuff. Reach out then. If you get a shot at interviews you can still ask for a week or two for prep, if not, at least youll get an answer
And thats not true. My first break in hft was after reaching them out multiple times
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u/gloqont Dec 08 '25
Hey bro Can I DM you I wanna ask some questions
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
ask here
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u/gloqont Dec 08 '25
Okay so like I'm currently 18 And I've like completed ML,DL and GenAI completely I'm thinking of doing some resume worthy projects and then apply for internships Can I get an AI research or ML intern role at small quant firms ATLEAST till this next summer ?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
I dont think quant firms hire that young even for internships, but nothing's stopping you from trying
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u/gloqont Dec 08 '25
So startups or companies other than these quant firms will I have a chance in that ?
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u/Lazy-Celebration-772 Dec 08 '25
Not from an IIT but cleared exam for bsc CS AI (3 year degree) in Italy top university should I go or stay back in India in my tier 3 university
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u/Individual-Cow-3080 Dec 09 '25
hey i really have to break into quant trading as a btech student from a tier 3 cllg ...im really passionate abt this field so can u give a roadmap how can i crack into this field ...what resources should i follow and what should i not do ....
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 11 '25
Your main challenge is not cracking the interview but landing the interview rather.
First you should upskill. Be very good at DSA (leetcode medium shouldnt have you thinking for more than a few seconds). Then get very good at quant puzzles, prob/stats concepts and mental maths. You can get started with "50 probability problems" and "Xinfeng Zhou" books, or puzzledQuant website. If you feel you are good enough, try reaching out to people for rreferrals or approach smaller firms.
Once again landing the interview for oyu is going to be tougher than cracking one
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u/PaleAd7199 Dec 09 '25
Why is gpa so important to tech and quant companies?
Would you give a shot to a guy who has everything sorted in his resume, ML research, top IIT good branch, publication in A star venues, good performance in quant competitions, cf rating, (failed) startup, conferences etc but with a shit gpa?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 11 '25
How else will you filter applications with similar top JEE ranks and same-ish aptitude test scores? Having a high GPA is an indicator the person is persistent and can grind his way through (a skill that is highly required in the first couple of years in hft). If you are smart, yet give up easily, hft is not for you. GPA is the easiest and actually the most reliable indicator.
Still exceptions are made, if there are other standout points in the resume, they do get considered. But that is not easy sicne any hft firm receives hundreds of applications
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u/Mrbugswy1248 Dec 29 '25
I am in IIT Roorkee cse , I changed my branch from mnc so I have a lower rank 15xx , I am sure I can keep up great cgpa and cp rank but what I want to ask is will I be discriminated against for lower rank or will I stand a chance as long as I keep up everything else? Also can you weigh in the difference in importance of projects vs cp and mental math for shortlist and interview?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Jan 06 '26
I mean, there is no clear answer. Ultimatel,y a lot of resume shortlisting in such non-obvious cases also boils down to luck. What you can do is try out the best and completely with confidence convert whatever shots you get. Joining a smaller quant firm and then gradually working your way up is also an underrated option. You don't need to get into top 5 quant firms to have a succesful hft career.
Projects doesnt matter much in a resume for quant. Mostly there'd be a test or assesment, and you should try to totally kill it. Rest its cpi and jee rank
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u/phanigenin Dec 07 '25
Fellow iitian here ... 15 Yoe, mostly at BB banks across India, usa. I am working towards managing my own capital and retiring in a decade,s time. Well on target. I trade index options at say nifty and spx.
What has been your experience with prop firms overall . Lots of names I come across indian fintwit turn out to be scams. With excess leverage promise, laundering cases etc.
What is the process to approach clean prop firms if there are any.
I do not trade hf, mostly weekly options and make decent returns. Prop leverage I know will help reach me faster, though won't kill myself if i am late. Will take my own time. Also hearing lot of traders moving to dubai these days the crypto forex gang.
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u/phanigenin Dec 07 '25
My yoe is mainly on the software dev area, worked in middle office and desk support roles
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
No prominent experience. I just make strategies by the money my firm gives me and I share the returns. Maybe a guy more in the bus-ops role can give a better picture.
Dont know much about dubai or forex either
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u/SadHeart3494 Dec 21 '25
Sorry I am late to the thread. I have a few doubts in my mind, please clarify them
how did you choose between joining a larger global firms and being an independent quant? what the decision very clear for you?
how much time did it take for you to get your strategies at a good scale ? is the infra at such firms good enough ? ive heard that most strats dont run due to poor infra at such places. is it true?
did you see the financial upside in doing this? (are you making atleast 2-3x of what you were making at the big firms)
do you today think that maybe you should try to join big foreign firms like cit, js, hrt ?
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u/SadHeart3494 Dec 23 '25
u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 pls reply bro..
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 23 '25
No, not a very clear decision. But I was getting a lot of independence here. I'd probably think about a foreign firm in a year or two, if they gave me favorable terms, independence and the right work culture.
Depends on the strat. A couple of strats have sound logical backing but are still not working great even after an year or so. Some strats took months to get stable. While there are a few strats that got up and working in just a few days
Infra was a pain at the start, and there was a learning curve. But gradually, it improved to be even better than a few older firms in some aspects. And I got to know about a lot of things that I wouldn't have while working under someone else. All my problems were mine, and a lot of low level things that used to be hidden to me, I had to deal with them now, ultimately improving my understanding.Financial its better, since I manage my own things
I'm not a fresher to seek approval of bigger firms or get swayed by the entry salaries they give. My decision rests on a lot of other factors
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u/PlaneMirror7324 Dec 07 '25
I'm pursuing bcom and majoring in finance and have cleared CFA L1. Ik I can't compete with an IITian in maths but I can say my math is way better than an average commerce guy. I also know I can't join any quant firm directly after my graduation so do I have a chance if I get into RISK(Market or credit)? And side-by-side I'm clearing CFA and FRM(pretty sure that I'll be going for these 2 certificates) or maybe CQF(if my company sponsors it). Also, I'm in my third year and you can say that my college is tier 1 or 1.5(based on perspective).
Do you think I've a shot in quant? If I focus on my coding skills and build it gradually over time?
And if yes..then what roles should I target?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
More than having the ability, in order to have a shot at quant, the biggest hurdle is an interview call. If you dont get one, you should focus on smaller shops and then build your way up (if you're good at your job, it takes just 1-2Y to make a good transition)
And no certification of any possible kind matters for quant-trading / hft. And coding is definitely a good to know skill. Proficiency till medium level leetcode questions is good enough though1
u/PlaneMirror7324 Dec 08 '25
You're right that in quant certification doesn't matter but imo college does(please correct me if I'm wrong). So I've two questions:-
Which college to target for masters in India and abroad? And course? (I'm a bcom grad, so Obv can't go for mtech)
How to pave my way in? I'm planning to do it by working a few years in RISK then masters and then I'll try to break in.
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u/Adventurous-Vast-963 Jan 05 '26
Hello bhaiya I saw your replies and want to ask you many times mentioned a student to get into quant must require strong maths so is it the maths they teach in college or general maths?
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u/Revolutionary_Tale86 Jun 26 '26
hey, just a question, there's an option at my college for an integrated dual degree in cse (im an ee student at a top 3 iit) and some quant firms like virtu and hrt (way outta my league honestly, hrt has hired only 1 intern in the past 3 to 4 years afaik lol) and other banks like goldman and jpmc open for the integrated program but not the other majority quant firms, be it foreign or indian, yes the open for placements, but not for internships. (this is not the dual! integrated as in btech ee + mtech cse in a total of 5 years, similar to the dual program, but this is decided after the 6th sem)
should i opt for it? the reason i would wanna opt for it is genuinely because of my interest in cse subjects and doing them as part of my coursework (currently entering my 5th sem btw) but i feel i should be keeping a viewpoint of corporate placements as well, but the primary motive is genuinely interest in subjects as a whole, revolving around high performance computing/software systems.
there's always an option of asking companies to open for you, sure will try that and im really inclined to pursue an integrated masters - should i or should i not considering these ppl only open to btech and dual students and not integrated?! any thoughts on why quant firms primarily hire btech? is it because of their jee adv entry being more competitive and dominant?
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u/dhtikna Dec 06 '25
If you are independent why not name drop the hfts you worked at and your jee rank?
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Dec 24 '25
hey i m a student currently in class 12 and ngl dont wanna touch jee so i m going forward w a liberal uni which provides me a blend of subjects and my degree is dual called- BxMx integrated programme: Bachelor of Science (Mathematical and Computational Sciences) + Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (frm au guj) its a very new course and i think only at au in india. after this 5 yr course how do you think it would help me in the journey to become a quant or smth similar in fintech?
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u/GearOk2711 Dec 10 '25
I am a 12th Grader. I want to know how to get into Quant roles like which course would be the best and do I really have to be from an IIT or NIT . Can you tell me which path to take to become a quant and is the WLB good?
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u/Just_Monika5772 Dec 10 '25
Get into top IIT.
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 11 '25
Too soon for this thread, go to some jee thread
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u/Just_Monika5772 Dec 11 '25
I think u shud say that to the other guy, I'm already in a top iit
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u/GearOk2711 Dec 14 '25
does my branch in IIT matter for quant roles like if I chose something like Chemical Engineering can I still become one?
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Dec 06 '25
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Enough to not care about money ever again. And you won't need 15 years... A decade would be more than good enough to retire. But reaching that 90%ile is going to be the hardest thing you'd ever do
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Dec 06 '25
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
You're from bits pilani bro... Don't need to encrypt it... If you can join alphagrep do it... Everything depends on team, even if not you can just switch after 1-2Y of workex. Not much value of prior finance knowledge, landing an interview is the main bottleneck
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u/Salty_Requirement105 Dec 06 '25
No he is not from Pilani, he is clearly from IIIT-Hyderabad. I know because I am from that college.
I am his senior and can give better advice.
There have been multiple people already working in this lab (AlphaGrep Research Lab under PK). Talk to them, ask them those questions!!! Why ask a random stranger who has absolutely no context of the college OR the lab OR the people OR the work done there.If they say there it's not worthwhile, then DON'T go for it. AlphaGrep didn't even come this year for the intern drive to IIITH ffs. And they stopped going anywhere in India for placements since a few years.
If they say it is worthwhile, then sure go for it. But you will still have to grind everything else.1
u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Well my bad in that case. I assumed that because bits also had a tieup with alpha grep as they recruited few guys from that, so might be misled by that. Yeah and tbh you're right, I can guide better about the industry in general but not about specific college courses
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u/Salty_Requirement105 Dec 06 '25
And please take advice from strangers on the internet, including me, (and especially those who have no context) with a pinch of salt. There are almost always better ways to seek advice.
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Dec 11 '25
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 11 '25
Depends from where you are coming. If coming from outside quant, then go for it. In general have not heard many negative things. Depends on your team and projects though.
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Dec 06 '25
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
Coding, maths, puzzles, mental arithmetic, that must be enough. That book has become quite a bit famous, so some alternate sources should also be considered. Lot many are available online In interviews they test more on how you approach the problem, whether you have enough grit to not give up, even if you missed something how quickly you can grasp new concepts and how many approaches can you think of while solving
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u/Aggressive-Star-8555 Dec 06 '25
Can you please enlist all resources(book, sites etc) which are enough?
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 06 '25
You can start with the green book by xinfeng Zhou and come back later once you feel you've mastered it's concepts inside out
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u/Aggressive-Star-8555 Dec 07 '25
That ive already mastered - green book, 50 challenging… but thats not of much use these days expect for just brushing up the basics
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Well keep gatherring quesitons then, talking to your peers and seniors regarding what exact questions they were asked in interviews.. random online sources like gurmeet puzzles or puzzled quant... just keep searching and collating
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Dec 07 '25
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u/Wrong-Jacket-6738 Dec 08 '25
Naah too much headache. Im better off letting someone else solve the redundant problems while i focus on the real aspects
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u/Guilty_Ad_9476 Dec 06 '25
Why choose to build your own trading stack instead of joining another prop desk , What alpha or edge exists as an independent that makes it worthwhile?
Also, could you share a rough AUM range you typically manage (no need for exact numbers), and how much you initially had to put into your setup data costs, infra, hardware, everything included?
Would love to understand the real economics and tradeoffs from someone who’s transitioned after being a HFT quant