Excited for First Summer Internship in Quant Finance – Any Tips for Preparation?

Hey everyone,

I'm thrilled to share that I've secured my first summer internship at a large bank ($1TN in assets) in a quant finance role! I'm currently enrolled at a target university and have just finished my second semester, so this is a huge opportunity for me. The internship will start in June, and I'm both excited and a bit anxious about it.

One of the reasons I'm feeling a bit nervous is that a lot of the people on the team have significantly higher educational backgrounds, like PhDs or Masters degrees. They know I'm just an undergrad, so I'm sure they'll consider that when assigning me tasks, but I still want to make the best impression and contribute as much as possible.

For those of you who have been in similar situations or who are currently working in quant finance, do you have any tips on how I can best prepare for this internship? Here are a few specific areas where I'd appreciate advice:

1. Technical Skills: What specific technical skills should I brush up on before starting? I have a decent grasp of programming languages like Python and I've taken a couple of advanced math courses.
2. Soft Skills: Are there any soft skills that are particularly important in this kind of environment? Communication, teamwork, etc.?
3. Learning Resources: Any books, online courses, or resources that you recommend to get up to speed with the latest in quant finance?
4. Work Environment: What should I expect in terms of the day-to-day work environment in a large bank's quant team? Any tips for fitting in and standing out in a positive way? What is the prefered dress code?
5. General Advice: Any other general advice for someone in my position?

I'm really looking forward to this experience and want to make sure I'm as prepared as possible. Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!

Cheers.