NUS SCIENCE(STATISTICS)

[Darkzi0n]

Hello, fellow student year seeking academic advice, right now i am in NS thinking about life and hope to seek advice!

I did PCME/GP and H3 Math in A levels and got all A. I have a decent aptitude in Math(also joined math olympiad and stuffs) and do read widely beyond A levels.
So I was wondering about the following options and i want to know which route is best for me if i aspire to work in finance.

1) NUS QF- a bit risky i think if i cant make it into QF, don't really know much about the math programmes in NUS also(whether its good)
2) NTU Math and Econs- sounds like what i want to do because both play to my strength(which is math), just wondering if this course is good
3) NUS Business- Just staying to the safe track, maybe do another major and maybe purse a MQF
4) NUS Econs - is the programme good also? i heard its more qualitative than quantitative but i could be wrong.

i would also like to know if business is a good degree and whether it is heavy in mathematics. the proes out there, especially current QFers/ Biz students, please advise me!

1) u cant really tell much from A lvl math as the switch btw JC and uni math is quite large.. i got a friend with 6A and H3 math.. i think he onli got B+ or A- for his 2 MA mod in his first sem. To be able to qualify for NUS QF, ur CAP must first be more than 4.5 (atleast for my batch)... this same friend of mine whose cap is 4.5 was not even given the chance for an interview... but dont let my words discourage you... wat im saying is just that Alvl result is not a good gauge on how u will perform in uni.
2) no comment
3) no comment
4) by quantitative i guess u mean alot of math? if yes, den i think NUS econs is quite quantitative.. atleast thats wat they claim.

or u can join my track - stats + econs

anyway if u wan to tok to current QF'er, u can try to pm Raichu29125.. altho i dun see him in this forum anymore for quite some time liao

 

[Raichu29125]

Rai?

 

[Raichu29125]

Hello, fellow student year seeking academic advice, right now i am in NS thinking about life and hope to seek advice!

First things first, ORD LO!

1) NUS QF- a bit risky i think if i cant make it into QF, don't really know much about the math programmes in NUS also(whether its good)

In BSc. QF, what I did is scratching every bits of stuff in Finance (in School of Biz), Math, Stats and Computing. As a result, I might run into the risk of not being able to understand fully on one subject matter because I'm multitasking literally everywhere.

Case in point - because of the time frame, and the fact that NUS Science needs me to take 4 faculty requirement modules (1 in Bio, Chem, Physics each, the CS and ST component is counted as 1, unlike Math & Stats majors), I have to overload to take some core mods. I told myself it's too crazy to balance my life, CAP and whatnots, so in the end I didn't take **** (but important in QF) mods like MA2101 Linear Algebra 2, CS1280 Java to C++, CS2010 Data Struct and Algorithms 2 etc.. It's only after my batch that they decided to fine-tune their degree requirements.

Reason why QF only accept high CAPs initially is because they (the profs) know that your CAP would fall (and it did for mine) since you're disadvantaged from someone who would devote more time in their field of choice. "Away team disadvantage" is the football equivalent that I'd always like to mention.

In this juncture, you might want to explore joining the SPM (Special Programme in Math). It might benefit you more than QF. What darkzi0n is doing (Stats + Econs combo) is smart choice too - packages you well with the working knowledge required in the working world.

3) NUS Business- Just staying to the safe track, maybe do another major and maybe purse a MQF

You'd better have a solid Engineering/Physics/Math/Stats (no particular order) background in order to do MQF. Stuff like Partial Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis are things that would never be taught in a core level in a Business School but is essential in MQF.

Note that some universities need you to demonstrate a strong mathematical competency (and I mean a honours-level Math, not H3 Math ) in order to be enrolled in Masters in QF / Financial Enginnering.

As one of my profs in NUS said, it's easy to pick up Finance anytime, anywhere, but since when was the last time you started studying Math alone effectively?

i would also like to know if business is a good degree and whether it is heavy in mathematics. the proes out there,

Enrolling in the School of Business is a good degree - helps you alot in the working world - you'll be in an advantage than a typical Science student because you probably would have been exposed to various industry tie-up throughout your course.

Not forgetting the people you'd meet in School of Business, too. Most probably they would be your co-workers in the future. Whereas in QF, it's the people in the Middle Kingdom that I'd meet. Lawl.

A Science student would have to take the extra initiative to seek for industrial help because it's not tied-in to their curricula - and the fact that Math modules would probably bind you to your study room. But then again, his technical knowledge would be superior.

Hopefully this would clear up some of your doubts, lay down some paths for you to venture on. Probably you want to take CFA + PRM/FRM to further your career options, too .

 

[drzen93]

hello, thanks both of you, darkzion and raichu, for your replies.

i am wondering if there is a track for you to do business and yet satisfy the rigour that is demanded by MQF (that is to go through numerical analysis and pde). and without doing a double degree. what i mean is that can you also take on some additional modules if you find yourself capable to do so?

and also, hopefully you dont mind me being intrusive, but can you all shed some light on your career paths? like what you intend to achieve after studies? thanks again!

 

[Raichu29125]

hello, thanks both of you, darkzion and raichu, for your replies.

You're welcome !

i am wondering if there is a track for you to do business and yet satisfy the rigour that is demanded by MQF (that is to go through numerical analysis and pde). and without doing a double degree. what i mean is that can you also take on some additional modules if you find yourself capable to do so?

It is possible, to a certain extent. I know of Business students who did math modules for fun. The particular advantage is that you're free to choose the modules you want to study, and that should you *touchwood* screw up, the S/Us are available for help. Better still, you can also double count as your breadth modules.

and also, hopefully you dont mind me being intrusive, but can you all shed some light on your career paths? like what you intend to achieve after studies? thanks again!

Still enjoying my exchange life in New Zealand. Meeting people from different nationalities and backgrounds. You could always do that in NUS no doubt, since NUS is a world-renowned university, but then again time is not on your side (studies and such).

 

[Darkzi0n]

hello, thanks both of you, darkzion and raichu, for your replies.

i am wondering if there is a track for you to do business and yet satisfy the rigour that is demanded by MQF (that is to go through numerical analysis and pde). and without doing a double degree. what i mean is that can you also take on some additional modules if you find yourself capable to do so?

and also, hopefully you dont mind me being intrusive, but can you all shed some light on your career paths? like what you intend to achieve after studies? thanks again!

you can try for a second major in Financial mathematics. In a way, it is somewhat like QF with less computing. However, i think it would be quite hard to cope.. cos if ur primary major is biz, u will most likely be spending alot of time doing project and preparing for class participation, which would leave u with little time to mug for all the MA mods. but of cos u can try out 1 or 2 MA mod first before u decide whether u wan to apply for the second major anot.

Career wise.. based on wat i gathered from ppl, they gave me the impression that with a stats degree, the career options seems to be quite wide.. although wont be earning outlier figures but sldnt be that difficult to find a job bah, cause u can find stats in alot of different fields. And for me, im trying to work towards being an actuary.

Hey darkzi0n
i tink i noe ur identity...
If i nt wrong, u r the guy that wears puma watch...
Haha sexposed

haha tio sexposed liao.. u from my tutorial group arh?

Rai?

Hello Raichu, so u have been lurking around here all these while

 

[Rusty89]

Hey darkzi0n
i tink i noe ur identity...
If i nt wrong, u r the guy that wears puma watch...
Haha sexposed

Haha good job! how you know its him? haha now need to look around someone with puma watch liao.

 

[Darkzi0n]

sianz... i tot ST2137 onli will have 1 lab quiz.. now got another one

Haha good job! how you know its him? haha now need to look around someone with puma watch liao.

haha time to change watch

 

[Rusty89]

Sianz lo... Another quiz...

haha...Chill... It will juz remain a secret btw two of us... i will NOT sexpose u since i already noe hu r u le...
Haha

Eh druid pm me leh. haha. how u can tell its him?

 

[Darkzi0n]

next week no ST2132 tutorial arh? or chingway forget to post it on ivle? lol

 

[Rusty89]

Haha I was just about to ask this question. Haha yarloz. Why this week tutorial so long one? Wait until my neck long liao.maybe chingway celebrating his holidays.

 

[Darkzi0n]

Haha i think he see long holiday so he go pia diablo 3 until he forgot to upload it.

 

[Rusty89]

LOL diablo 3. Haha yar sia. He like a enthu gamer. Even set exam question can talk about legendary and magical items. Duno final will talk about the probability of killing diablo not

 

[mgx-alander]

last sem he got a question from tbbt episode of sheldon flipping coin for mudane stuff

 

[Rusty89]

last sem he got a question from tbbt episode of sheldon flipping coin for mudane stuff

U gt take st2132 last sem? Haha he like so hapz siol. Got ear stud and **** games. Abit different from the stereotypical lecturer.

 

[mgx-alander]

last sem he teach st2334 rah

 

[Rusty89]

Fwah! Walk past lt25. The queue for goodie bag is super long at science sia. Queue until md walkway. Lucky I took mine on mon liao. Lol pity those ppl there.

Sidenote: shadawn(jk) was flirting with the red bull girls loh. Lol

 

[Darkzi0n]

Lol I saw the queue too. Ppl are really determined to get it despite the long queue lol. But den I every sem also nvr take one.. Lazy to carry it around

 

[Rusty89]

Lol I saw the queue too. Ppl are really determined to get it despite the long queue lol. But den I every sem also nvr take one.. Lazy to carry it around

Wa like a boss. Haha. Yea kinda mafan to carry the thing. I will normally filter out what's impt then throw inside bag. Then the rest throw away.

 

[Rusty89]

Wa. Chingway last time hair like quite long de. Lol.

Sidenote: How come ST2132 like skip here and there ar? quite mafan to read the textbook like that. Prior prob quite useful de leh.