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New To Quant Finance
Shailesh Agarwal
posted
Seeking Help Getting Started

Hi - I am brand spanking new to quant finance. My background is a degree in theoretical math, but I've since taken a career path in medicine. My research however is heavily linked to statistical analysis and it's refreshing to get a chance to apply my statistical knowledge to a new field. It'd be great if anyone could point me in the direction of appropriate resources to begin learning aside from the statistics.

To avoid redundancy, I have already watched the lectures available through the website. My deficiencies are a lack of Python knowledge and a lack of experience in financial models -- basically figuring out where to start so that I don't go chasing down a blind alley. Any thoughts on resources would be helpful. Obviously things on the internet would be easiest, but if anyone strongly recommends a specific text that is prerequisite to reasonable success on Quantopian, please let me know.

Also another thing that I should ask - most people devote their entire lives to quant finance. Is this something that I could reasonably expect to learn by studying for 2 or 3 hours a night and practicing coding?

Thanks!

4 responses
Grant Kiehne

Here's one starting point:

https://www.quantopian.com/posts/trading-strategy-ideas-thread

Shailesh Agarwal

Thanks! I've started reading from post 1 and will make my way down the postings. Any formal texts that you would recommend, or do you think that is not necessary? I'm also going through all the notebooks as well.

Grant Kiehne

Shailesh,

You might also have a look at:

https://www.quantopian.com/posts/new-here

Simon's bookshelves:

https://www.quantopian.com/posts/whats-on-your-bookshelf

A beginner-level intro to some Python:

http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkpython.pdf

I'm not sure how Quantopian is handling it these days, but you should request access to their research platform; there may be a waiting list.

John Fawcett

Hey Shailesh,

Another great resource comes from another community member - Sentdex did a series of video tutorials on how to use Quantopian: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQVvvaa0QuDeN06s5ervxTfTcVvt-xpZN

thanks,
fawce

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The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation or endorsement for any security or strategy, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory services by Quantopian.

In addition, the material offers no opinion with respect to the suitability of any security or specific investment. No information contained herein should be regarded as a suggestion to engage in or refrain from any investment-related course of action as none of Quantopian nor any of its affiliates is undertaking to provide investment advice, act as an adviser to any plan or entity subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity, or give advice in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the materials presented herein. If you are an individual retirement or other investor, contact your financial advisor or other fiduciary unrelated to Quantopian about whether any given investment idea, strategy, product or service described herein may be appropriate for your circumstances. All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Quantopian makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the views expressed in the website. The views are subject to change, and may have become unreliable for various reasons, including changes in market conditions or economic circumstances.