"Honestly I think you should just become a trader if you want to learn to develop automated strategies. I can think of many, many different ideas for trading systems to the point where I believe I can pull a profitable idea out of my ass because of all the experience I have watching stocks move and scalping for 5-50 cent profits. If you know how to make money in the market, the only thing that can get in your way of making a living is poor money management and poor management of one's emotions... but with a good computer system, all you have to know is that your idea actually works. If you watch how market works it's pretty obvious what patterns are worth using. For years you could have looked for size stepping down on the offer and then hit the bid using a bullet. Don't try to make markets, try to take liquidity in situations where there will be srong demand for it.
Get your degree to get your degree, but don't get it thinking it will make you better at developing quantitative trading systems because it won't. I believe simpler is better when it comes to developing automated trading systems, and having knowledge of why markets move is more important than having knowledge of advanced abstract math.
To answer the thread title, becoming a quant is a waste of time - becoming an independent trader who uses automated technology to automate entries and exits, however, is a great way to spend your time if you have the heart, brains, and balls."
Actually this whole statement is excellent.
