AMA - Quant Campus Recruiting

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM PDT. Hosted by Fiona Taft.

This AMA covered the quant campus recruiting landscape and timelines for summer 2027 internships and graduate roles, comparing sell-side and buy-side…

What this session covered

This AMA covered the quant campus recruiting landscape and timelines for summer 2027 internships and graduate roles, comparing sell-side and buy-side employers and the quant researcher, trader, developer and risk tracks. Fiona Taft walked through what firms screen for, each stage of the hiring process, action plans by stage of study and common mistakes. She closed by answering questions on GPA, publications and pivoting from a business and finance background.

Key takeaways

Fiona said quant recruiting runs 12 to 18 months ahead, and the cycle is now for summer 2027 internships and graduate roles.
She noted that buy-side firms have been posting internships since late May on rolling applications, while banks tend to run structured cycles, with JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs among the first to post and more expected in September and October.
She warned that graduate role applications tend to close in late October, so holding on to job links and applying only when graduation gets closer is a mistake.
She described internship return offers and graduate programs as the main pathway into a quant firm for undergrads and master's students.
She called starting on the sell side for a year or two and then moving to the buy side a really good pathway, citing the training and desk rotations at big banks.
She outlined the process as a resume screen, an online assessment often on HackerRank, an HR interview, technical interviews, possibly a superday, and then an offer, noting some firms hold the HR interview before the assessment.
She advised applying on both the sell side and the buy side to increase overall chances, keeping a broad focus while tailoring each resume to the role.

Questions covered

Answers are edited for clarity.

Do you need a high GPA to get into quant?

It's helpful to have a high GPA, but it's not a deal killer if you don't. What matters is whether you're familiar with the foundation areas, took those courses in your undergrad or master's program, are ready, and have a passion for the industry. If you're only in it for the money, recruiters, hiring managers and heads of quant teams will know that, and you won't make it very far.

Is it important to have publications?

It's not important, but it is beneficial if you're going into the quant research side. Having a background in research and having publications are going to help you.

Is there any chance of getting into quant when pivoting from a business and finance undergrad background?

Yes. You have a background in finance, maybe in PE, IB or another area. But you will need some technical skills, so if you don't have coding skills or that technical background and skill set, you're going to need to upskill.