Risk vs. Trading

[Sky]

Hi,

I have been reading recently that quants should start considering risk and trading roles, as opposed to the typical "quant" roles. Given this, what schools and degrees would you consider for the risk and trading sectors? I have been reading a lot of disparate information regarding the schools / programs that would be considered attractive by employers.

 

[Ken Abbott]

Any respectable 4-year institution and either a connection or a lot of persistence will get you an interview. As long as you have taken some math, stats, comp sic, and finance and/or economics, no one will laugh at you. (My firm -a big one- just hired a music major into its op risk area.). Some SQL helps.

 

[Sky]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for the reply, but I think I need to be a little more clear in terms of my intention with the question. I already have a bachelors degree, and I'm wanting to pursue a masters in financial engineering (or something similar). Which "quant" schools / programs would be considered desirable for somebody wanting to go into the risk and / or trading sectors? I ask because, given the news that quants should start considering these somewhat atypical sectors, I figure there will be an exodus of quants into these roles, so I'm trying to predict what schools / programs will produce "quants" with the most desirable skill set in these sectors.