Who Started Trading Straight Out of College?

i never went to college other than to take a few classes i was interested in at night. anyone can do it if you have tenacity.

btw i worked for the biggest firms in the industry. i came in as a programmer and computer guy which meant i installed sat dishes, ran cables, and programmed systems. soon i was trading systems and no longer messing with tech related stuff.
 
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never2old said:
2) long before on-line trading - I was 40 years & 9 mths old, married 2 kids, full time job, was introduced to a full brokerage that got me into buying $20k worth of something a week or so before Black Monday 1987.
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Hey gramp, what's up? :D You have my respect for being alive this long, both physically and financially (trading-wise, that is). :finger:

BTW this is a really old thread. I don't even remember I created this.
 
schizo said:
1) Anyone started trading fresh out of college? In another word, was trading your first professional career?

2) How did you get started?

3) Did you blow up your account and were forced to get a "real" job? If so, have you since made enough to jump back in as a full time trader?

4) Do you believe that, deep down, you can leave trading for another job now that you have acquired the taste for (financial) freedom and whatnot?



As for me, I made my debut a couple months before my graduation. This was in the early 90s when the elder Bush was still in the Oval office. As you might recall, the economy was in the gutter back then as well. Not so ironically, the cause was pretty damn similar to the current mess. That's right, savings and loan crisis. Now I wonder who said history wasn't created to be repeated?

Anyway, the job prospect at that time was dreary to say the least. So you could imagine how I reacted when I heard from a friend that he made a quick $50,000 in the stock market. Hence my odyssey as a trader kicked into a high gear. Unfortunately, I literally drove my trading account into ashes in the first six months. But, with the generous contribution from my aging parents, I have since managed to make a comeback and, believe it or not, still trade actively to this day. I plan to outlive my shelf life as long as possible.

On the question of whether I can leave this profession for good, I don't think I can. What can I possibly do? I've never held a job in my life. Moreover, I ain't so young any more.
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Schizo u been around this long ? Damn bro
Respect for staying consistent
 
schizo said:
On the question of whether I can leave this profession for good, I don't think I can. What can I possibly do? I've never held a job in my life. Moreover, I ain't so young any more.
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Actually, I'm about to renege on my earlier promise. I plan to retire as soon as we come out of this bear market. I've since learned that there are higher callings in life. I hope you find your higher purpose as well. :finger:
 
schizo said:
1) Anyone started trading fresh out of college? In another word, was trading your first professional career?

2) How did you get started?

3) Did you blow up your account and were forced to get a "real" job? If so, have you since made enough to jump back in as a full time trader?

4) Do you believe that, deep down, you can leave trading for another job now that you have acquired the taste for (financial) freedom and whatnot?



As for me, I made my debut a couple months before my graduation. This was in the early 90s when the elder Bush was still in the Oval office. As you might recall, the economy was in the gutter back then as well. Not so ironically, the cause was pretty damn similar to the current mess. That's right, savings and loan crisis. Now I wonder who said history wasn't created to be repeated?

Anyway, the job prospect at that time was dreary to say the least. So you could imagine how I reacted when I heard from a friend that he made a quick $50,000 in the stock market. Hence my odyssey as a trader kicked into a high gear. Unfortunately, I literally drove my trading account into ashes in the first six months. But, with the generous contribution from my aging parents, I have since managed to make a comeback and, believe it or not, still trade actively to this day. I plan to outlive my shelf life as long as possible.

On the question of whether I can leave this profession for good, I don't think I can. What can I possibly do? I've never held a job in my life. Moreover, I ain't so young any more.
More...

I was in college in the 70s and joined military in 78, I had always been good at target shooting/parachuting in high school. During basic bumped in a Colonel when I was running and he volunteered me for shooting and parachuting at Bragg, start at 1000 feet and down to under 500 hitting jungle, learned how to track, go days without much and wait, longest several months of my life, so I thought at the time. Sent to another duty station in El Paso and WSMR, worked evenings which gave me time to go downtown Merrill Lynch's office, listened to retired investors on fundamentals. 100 shares use to cost $125 bucks

For most part always had something on the side whether full time or investments like real estate, have traded for myself and 401k, co-owned brokerage long ago for a year, didn't like it, managed money and mentored some. Retired at 43, most years just trade, when I got bored I work at other things till it gets like work and quit, one thing nice bout trading, more knowledge you have, speed not an issue. Now have automation, trade manually new stuff am developing. I doubt I can ever walk away, like the challenges of beating myself.
 
schizo said:
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BTW this is a really old thread. I don't even remember I created this.
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HAHA, who is the grampa NOW? Mmm hmm. Whassa matter Schizo, can't remember a thread you started 10 years ago? Old man!

*needles Skizty. *
 
The old CME was at 444 W Jackson - about a 5 minute walk from the UIC. So everybody started as a runner or clerk in the 70's. Many went on to trade, plus the IMM began, as did the CBOE and financial complex of the CBOT. All were cheap access. The MidAM still existed then and it was the least expensive of the four.
 
schizo said:
Actually, I'm about to renege on my earlier promise. I plan to retire as soon as we come out of this bear market. I've since learned that there are higher callings in life. I hope you find your higher purpose as well. :finger:
More...


What are your higher callings? If you want to share
 
Handle123 said:
I was in college in the 70s and joined military in 78, I had always been good at target shooting/parachuting in high school. During basic bumped in a Colonel when I was running and he volunteered me for shooting and parachuting at Bragg, start at 1000 feet and down to under 500 hitting jungle, learned how to track, go days without much and wait, longest several months of my life, so I thought at the time. Sent to another duty station in El Paso and WSMR, worked evenings which gave me time to go downtown Merrill Lynch's office, listened to retired investors on fundamentals. 100 shares use to cost $125 bucks

For most part always had something on the side whether full time or investments like real estate, have traded for myself and 401k, co-owned brokerage long ago for a year, didn't like it, managed money and mentored some. Retired at 43, most years just trade, when I got bored I work at other things till it gets like work and quit, one thing nice bout trading, more knowledge you have, speed not an issue. Now have automation, trade manually new stuff am developing. I doubt I can ever walk away, like the challenges of beating myself.
More...
Nice one
 
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