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Do you plan on/do you live a conventional life? - Page 5

post #61 of 75
8/31/10 at 7:10pm
^ Your userID goes along quite well.
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post #62 of 75
8/31/10 at 7:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
This thread makes my academic/career plan sound depressing. I plan to soon start my Ph.D in mathematics with a specialization in computer science and something related to finance at a top 20 university and become a hedge fund quant and eventually a hedge fund manager. Heard hedge quants work 6am-10pm or even longer days 6 days a week.

easier route might be just become a trader directly in one of the big IBD.
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post #63 of 75
9/1/10 at 3:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by clee1982 View Post
easier route might be just become a trader directly in one of the big IBD.
But it pays less and has a lot of grunt work. I rather do something that requires more of my intellectual skills in quantitative fields like mathematics or computer science than reformatting a presentation and proof reading documents for hours.
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post #64 of 75
9/1/10 at 3:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
But it pays less and has a lot of grunt work. I rather do something that requires more of my intellectual skills in quantitative fields like mathematics or computer science than reformatting a presentation and proof reading documents for hours.

Wrong division entirely. Plus, initially breaking into academia isn't quite as easy as you might think, especially at any good university with a strong finance program.
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post #65 of 75
9/1/10 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
But it pays less and has a lot of grunt work. I rather do something that requires more of my intellectual skills in quantitative fields like mathematics or computer science than reformatting a presentation and proof reading documents for hours.

How about you wait until you have some actual skills before you figure this one out?
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post #66 of 75
9/1/10 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
But it pays less and has a lot of grunt work. I rather do something that requires more of my intellectual skills in quantitative fields like mathematics or computer science than reformatting a presentation and proof reading documents for hours.

So you basically don't want to pay any dues?

You are aware that there will be "grunt work" associated with graduate study, right? If you want to be employed after grad school, you're going to have to be good enough to get funded in grad school, which means at some point you'll probably have to work as an RA. Being an RA is pretty much entirely grunt work, at least at the outset.
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post #67 of 75
9/1/10 at 3:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrG View Post
So you basically don't want to pay any dues?

Almost no one wants to pay their dues now, dude. We're dinosaurs.
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post #68 of 75
9/1/10 at 4:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by v.freeman View Post
Wrong division entirely. Plus, initially breaking into academia isn't quite as easy as you might think, especially at any good university with a strong finance program.
I am confident I can get into a top 20 mathematics Ph.D program (finance is not preferred for hedge fund quant position, but Ph.D. in math, physics, stats, or comp sci) with my 3.86 GPA at a top 20 university, Math subject GRE score is in the top 10% percentile, my research background, and I have four professors that will write me great letters of recommendation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrG View Post
So you basically don't want to pay any dues? You are aware that there will be "grunt work" associated with graduate study, right? If you want to be employed after grad school, you're going to have to be good enough to get funded in grad school, which means at some point you'll probably have to work as an RA. Being an RA is pretty much entirely grunt work, at least at the outset.
I have already began mathematical research and looking to start some computer science related research. I am pleased that my mathematical research is not really grunt work, they treat me more like the graduate students, unlike my siblings who have done research in the biology field, which had them wash test tubes and things like that before doing real work.
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post #69 of 75
9/1/10 at 4:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hombre Secreto View Post
Almost no one wants to pay their dues now, dude. We're dinosaurs.

The worst part is that it's not like I'm 25 years older than he is. I figure if he's headed to grad school he's in his later years of college. I'm 31, so we're talking about maybe a decade, but I guess a lot of things have changed in 10 years.

Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
...
I have already began mathematical research and looking to start some computer science related research. I am pleased that my mathematical research is not really grunt work, they treat me more like the graduate students, unlike my siblings who have done research in the biology field, which had them wash test tubes and things like that before doing real work.

Ah. Then you don't view data collection and such as grunt work. When I was an RA, I felt like that type of stuff was the grunt work the profs didn't feel like doing (though I did the work without complaint).
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post #70 of 75
9/1/10 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrG View Post
The worst part is that it's not like I'm 25 years older than he is. I figure if he's headed to grad school he's in his later years of college. I'm 31, so we're talking about maybe a decade, but I guess a lot of things have changed in 10 years.

I'm still in my 20's, but I guess it's how you're raised. My parents are very old school, and didn't believe in giving me anything unless I earned it. Earning your stripes just seems like the normal thing to do, and a natural process.
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post #71 of 75
9/1/10 at 4:29pm
No one on the forbes 400 lives a conventional life, I am sure.
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post #72 of 75
9/1/10 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdream View Post
I have already began mathematical research and looking to start some computer science related research. I am pleased that my mathematical research is not really grunt work, they treat me more like the graduate students, unlike my siblings who have done research in the biology field, which had them wash test tubes and things like that before doing real work.

With my math abilities, I got unleashed on a lot of cool research as an undergrad. . . purely because math skills are hard to come by in undergrad research assistants. Usually I was spared any shit work since I was too valuable in other areas.

In the real world (with an MBA as well), it doesn't work that way. If shit needs to get done, then I do it. That includes stuff like washing glass.
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post #73 of 75
9/1/10 at 6:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Milpool View Post
With my math abilities, I got unleashed on a lot of cool research as an undergrad. . . purely because math skills are hard to come by in undergrad research assistants. Usually I was spared any shit work since I was too valuable in other areas.

In the real world (with an MBA as well), it doesn't work that way. If shit needs to get done, then I do it. That includes stuff like washing glass.

That can work later in life too...

I get the feeling that I get spared a lot of shit work at my real job because I can handle more non-shit work.
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post #74 of 75
9/2/10 at 1:04am
growing up in an environment isn't a choice, but i lived a very unconventional life until i met my wife. Raised by young party girl mom, was homeless, joined the military to travel, went all over the world..and then i met my wife. Now have a child, live a normal life as a student going to a private university in town, and planning on being a CIS major. I finally get to raise my son in an environment i've always dreamed of, and it's an awesome feeling.
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post #75 of 75
9/2/10 at 11:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
I was, but I guess I stepped off that path. I followed the exact path that you described, and was work for a big law firm getting paid a lot of money. Had lots of security Then I left and started my own law firm to practice criminal defense law. I make a lot less money (though the firm is growing). Recently I got involved in the film industry as an executive producer and legal adviser. I will be working on more film projects in the future too. So, my life was conventional, but I guess it's not.

There's nothing conventional about being a New Jersey mob-lawyer by day, porn-"executive producer" at night.
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