TestMagic Forums - View Single Post - Questions regarding PHD in Finance admission

joetheplumber · 2009 July 1st, 09:01 PM

I agree that math is your primary problem. Finance becomes highly mathematical at the grad level. They say that calc3, linear algebra, and stats is needed at a minimum. However, in all likelihhod you need more than this to stand a chance at top 20 schools.

In your first semester of a finance phd you'll prob prove black scholes in a class. This proof often uses Feynman-Kac, Ito, PDEs etc...not really trivial stuff and def not stuff you can pick up if you havent seen math past linear algebra.

I do disagree with the point about LACs tho. If the OP attends a top LAC like Swarthmore/Amherst then this is generally viewed as being in the top 20 overall and they often sends students to PhD programs in every field.

2009 July 1st, 09:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
joetheplumber Eager! Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 72	I agree that math is your primary problem. Finance becomes highly mathematical at the grad level. They say that calc3, linear algebra, and stats is needed at a minimum. However, in all likelihhod you need more than this to stand a chance at top 20 schools. In your first semester of a finance phd you'll prob prove black scholes in a class. This proof often uses Feynman-Kac, Ito, PDEs etc...not really trivial stuff and def not stuff you can pick up if you havent seen math past linear algebra. I do disagree with the point about LACs tho. If the OP attends a top LAC like Swarthmore/Amherst then this is generally viewed as being in the top 20 overall and they often sends students to PhD programs in every field.