Abhishek Rane

Rane first heard about WashU from one of his aunt’s neighbors—a university undergraduate student—in Phoenix. Back in India after his visit to the United States, Rane did a lot of research. He looked at several finance and financial engineering programs—as well as mathematical finance and computational finance tracks—online and decided WashU’s program was right for him.

Top three takeaways from the Quantitative Finance program

“First, the things I learned in the program became the foundation for my finance career,” Rane says. “Second, I came away with a strong understanding of the business environment and US business culture. Third, the relationships I had with professors and classmates enhanced my WashU experience.

“For me, the program had the right balance of computer science, math, and finance. My skills were enhanced in a big way. And I learned to speak the industry language.”

His favorite course

Rane’s favorite course was Advanced Derivative Securities, taught by Hong Liu, director of the Master of Science in Finance program. “I use class knowledge extensively to develop option-pricing models and trading strategies at work. They’ve given me a real competitive edge.”

What he likes about St. Louis

“St. Louis is a big city without big-city hassles. I like the barbecue at Pappy’s Smokehouse, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, Sauce Food Truck Friday, the accessible golf courses, and my Central West End neighborhood.”

Thoughts for students who are considering the program

“The program delivers more than you’ll need to be successful in the finance industry. There are so many avenues you can explore; it can be hard to narrow down what you want to do.

“Put another way, WashU gives you the branding you need. St. Louis is a growing financial hub. And there are university alums all over the world.”