“You Can Do It”: One Alum’s Take on a Graduate Program That Builds More Than Quant Skills
In 2024, before the Fall Semester, Kunj Shah ʼ25 had a moment of worry. He was about to start his Master of Science in Financial Mathematics (MSFM) at the University of Chicago. It was a program that peaked his interest at a university he calls his “dream school,” but was he making the right call?
“It was daunting,” he says, recalling thinking, “I have a great job already. Am I really leaving this and taking this big risk?” He worried, too, if he could keep up with the program’s rigor—was he “smart enough”?
It didn’t take long, however, for those fears to be not only quelled, but to become almost laughable to Kunj.
“Don't get me wrong, it was extremely challenging,” he says. “But the main thing that it gave us is the attitude that you can do it, that you have the strength within you to overcome anything that's in your way.”
“UChicago not only taught me the content,” he adds, “but instilled this idea that to be smart, it's not just that you know everything. To be smart is to truly never stop learning.”
Landing at his Dream School
When he decided to apply to the Financial Mathematics (FinMath) program, the Chicago native was working as a financial analyst at quant trading firm DRW after graduating from college with a Finance and Psychology degree from the University of Illinois.
He enjoyed the work he was doing, but he wanted more exposure to quantitative finance. He remembers thinking, "I'm not going to be happy unless I give myself this chance to learn more."
For Kunj, there was no other place to learn than the University of Chicago.
“I was born and raised in Chicago, and UChicago's always been my dream school,” says Kunj. “It has this high level of rigor, but another thing that is really special—and my experience confirms it—is that everybody around me has that same willingness and drive to learn.”
“When you're put in that environment where the teachers are happy to teach, and they’re super successful in the industry, and everybody around you has that drive and energy to have discussions and talk about the assignments, the learning just goes so much further.”
The reassurance that he had picked the right environment for grad school started even before his first class, at something called “September Launch.”
A Four-Week Start Unlike Any Other
Kunj’s graduate experience began with September Launch, a unique four-week intensive "boot camp" that brings FinMath students in the in-person program together before the official quarter begins. From about 9 AM to 7 PM daily, students engage in workshops, networking, onboarding classes, and social opportunities.
Among the events for the September 2024 Launch that Kunj attended were alumni panels, professional development workshops, and the UChicago MSFM Quant Finance Career Fair, featuring over a dozen employers.
Kunj says the fast-paced and action-packed weeks served as a "huge bonding opportunity" where he met close friends and began to build his professional network.
It also steadied him for the coursework ahead.
Coursework Designed for Specialization
Once the main curriculum began, Kunj immersed himself in core courses like Python, options pricing, and portfolio management. Those courses “build the base,” as he says, and prepare students to go deeper, following specific tracks.
Available degree concentrations in the MSFM include Financial Computing, Machine Learning and AI, Options and Derivatives, Rates, and Credit and Trading.
The degree concentrations are meant to help students specialize, but they don’t restrict what they can learn. The program is designed to help students build the skills that match their goals. In Kunj’s case, there were a few in particular he wanted to hone.
“I was more interested in the trading side, but also I wanted to pick up a lot more computing skills,” says Kunj. “ I took a lot of classes in C++ and high performance computing, and I took trading courses such as quantitative trading strategies, building and pitching, and macro finance, which all helped build who I am today in the finance industry.”
Applied Learning with Industry Mentors
A major highlight of Kunj's time in the program was the Project Lab.
The Project Lab allowed Kunj to work with industry leaders and firms for course credit, providing real-world experience that was "invaluable" for someone transitioning into the quantitative side of the field.
Project Lab is a 10-week collaboration with each team of 4-6 students supported by a project advisor. It concludes with a final presentation to the firm and completion of specific project deliverables.
This hands-on work, combined with mentorship from the advisor, helped him bridge the gap between theoretical models and real-world market impact.
“I think the program did a great job on drawing connections to what was happening in the real world,” says Kunj.
“We were able to have discussions that connect what's going on in the real world straight up into the program and take that a step further into our models,” says Kunj.
This focus on application was across the board.
“Classes such as macro finance and QTS quantitative trading strategies did a great job on connecting the two between the physical world and the machine learning models or the quantitative models,” says Kunj.
A Career Development Team in Your Corner
In addition to providing access to prospective employers in the Project Lab, Kunj says the Financial Mathematics Career Development Office (CDO) at UChicago provided a level of proactive support that exceeded his expectations. He recalls receiving regular check-ins every week or two from the team to monitor his interview progress and offer specific networking connections, which fostered a sense of community during the job search.
"I highly doubt that there's any career development team that's as strong as the one that we have here,” he says. Ultimately, the team’s dedication ensured that students felt empowered throughout their transition, Kunj notes.
Beyond the support he received on campus, Kunj has already felt the impact of the university’s global network.
“I think the UChicago network is going to be hugely beneficial for my career,” says Kunj.
“I've had multiple people reach out like, ‘Hey, let me know if you ever need anything,’” he says, adding that he’s interacted with alumni who served as mentors for projects, or shared advice. “I was able to build that student–mentor relationship with a few of them. And it's great. We went out for lunch. We talked about the industry, and I’m getting advice on what I should be doing for my future career.”
“Knowing that I always have somebody in my corner like that is huge, right? It's like knowing that you're not alone,” says Kunj.
Graduating with a New Mindset
Kunj graduated in December 2025 and began a new role as a Power Trading Analyst at DRW on January 5th. Beyond the technical skills, Kunj believes the program changed his fundamental approach to problem-solving. He is re-entering the workforce, and his new role, with a newfound confidence and excitement.
“I think it will be different,” he says of how he might approach his work. “I think I'm a little bit of a different person…I have this mentality that hey, it's okay if I don't know it. I can figure it out, and I can ask questions, and I can go and get help, and I can talk to a few people, and we can solve this problem together,” he says. “I’m bringing that type of confidence in with me, which I didn't have before.”
