17-Month Quant Trading Internship Prep Roadmap

Building elite quant skills requires rigorous planning. Over the next 17 months (approx. Jun 2025–Oct 2026),
you’ll balance deep study in mathematics, programming, contest training, and interview prep. The timeline
below breaks each month into weekly milestones covering quant math (probability, combinatorics, game
theory, expected value, mental math), programming/DSA (C++ STL, Python, performance coding), contest
practice (Codeforces rounds, Leetcode, Kaggle projects), project-building (trading simulators, data
dashboards), and interview prep (brainteasers, market puzzles, finance basics). We also incorporate rest
breaks (cheat days) every 4–6 weeks and habit/motivation systems (Pomodoro, accountability, habit
stacking) to sustain peak performance 1 2 . Free resources (open courses, textbooks, YouTube channels,
GitHub projects) are recommended throughout.

Month 1: Build Foundations – C++ & Python Basics, Simple Math

• Week 1: C++ Review. Refresh basic syntax and data types (loops, arrays, functions). Set up a coding
environment (e.g. VS Code or CLion). Study introductory C++ STL containers (vector, string, map) via
cppreference or free tutorials (e.g. cp-algorithms.com or GeeksforGeeks). Write simple programs
(e.g. sort a list, parse text).
• Week 2: Python On-Ramp. Learn Python basics (variables, lists/dicts, control flow). Use free tutorials
(e.g. Kaggle’s Python course or MIT OCW). Practice basic scripting: read CSV files, compute simple
stats. Start using Jupyter notebooks for data exploration.
• Week 3: Intro Probability & Combinatorics. Cover fundamental probability (definitions, simple events,
addition/multiplication rules, permutations & combinations) via free sources (Khan Academy, MIT
OCW). Solve basic problems: coin flips, deck of cards probabilities, expected values of simple bets.
Keep formulas and quick tricks handy.
• Week 4: Problem-Solving Drills & Cheat Day. Try a beginner coding contest (e.g. Codeforces “Easy” set)
to apply C++/Python. Review solutions and common pitfalls. Cheat Day: After 3 weeks of work, take
one full day off (no study) 2 . Downtime boosts creativity and productivity when you return 2 .

Month 2: Core Quant Math – Probability & Expected Value

• Week 1: Advanced Probability. Study conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, distributions (binomial,
uniform). Use open textbooks or Yale’s free course on probability. Solve puzzles like Monty Hall or
“three-cards” problems to build intuition (focus on intuition over formula memorization).
• Week 2: Expected Value & Risk. Practice calculating expected values for games and bets. Work
through problems involving insurance or gambling bets to grasp EV (Kelly criterion, risk metrics). For
example, calculate expected payoff of lottery, simple game theory bets.
• Week 3: Probability Combinatorics Drills. Solve combinatorial puzzles (e.g. handshake problem,
drawing balls without replacement, coupon collector). Use online platforms like Brilliant (free
sections) or AoPS. Build “probability intuition” through varied examples.
• Week 4: Contest Practice & Cheat Day. Participate in one or two Codeforces rounds (mixed easy/
medium problems). Focus on problem-solving under time. Continue PoC: apply probability in coding
problems (e.g. random simulations). Cheat Day this weekend – relax with non-quant activities 2 .

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Month 3: Data Structures & Game Theory Basics
• Week 1: DSA Primer. Learn core data structures: arrays/vectors, strings, stacks/queues, hash tables
(unordered_map), sets. Study their C++ STL methods (push_back, sort, find, etc.). Implement and test
each in short programs.
• Week 2: Algorithmic Techniques. Focus on sorting and searching algorithms. Practice writing binary
search, two-pointer techniques, greedy algorithms. Use free resources (e.g. USACO Guide online, CP-
Algorithms).
• Week 3: Game Theory Fundamentals. Watch free video series (“Game Theory 101” on YouTube) or MIT
lectures. Learn Nash equilibrium, zero-sum games, simple auctions, matching pennies. Solve basic
game puzzles (e.g. prisoner's dilemma, Stackelberg games).
• Week 4: Python/Pandas for Data. Explore Python libraries: use Kaggle’s Pandas course to manipulate
data. Practice loading stock or cryptocurrency data (from Yahoo Finance via pandas-datareader) and
computing simple metrics (mean, std, returns). Cheat Day: Take a break; do light review or hobby
coding (learned material will stick better after rest).

Month 4: Dynamic Programming & Contest Focus

Teams celebrating at a competitive programming contest (SWERC 2017). Contest success comes from teamwork
and deliberate practice 3 . Now ramp up contest training and advanced algorithms.

• Week 1: Dynamic Programming (DP). Study DP basics (knapsack, Fibonacci, LIS). Use free lectures or
the CP-Algorithms site for DP concepts. Solve practice problems on Codeforces or AtCoder (easy DP).
• Week 2: Weekly Codeforces/CF Gym. Commit to one official Codeforces Round and one practice
problem set. After each contest, review editorial solutions. Aim for at least 60–80% correct solutions
in practice.
• Week 3: Project Kickoff – Trading Backtester. Start a mini-project: build a simple “backtesting”
simulator. Using Python and a library like Backtesting.py or just pandas, fetch historical data (e.g.

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 daily stocks) and simulate a basic strategy (moving-average crossover or trend-following). Document
results.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Review. Light week: review months’ highlights (probability facts, code snippets).
Use Pomodoro study blocks (25min work/5min break) to stay focused 1 . Track productivity – write
down what you accomplish each Pomodoro 4 to build accountability. Cheat Day at week’s end:
fully unplug.

Month 5: Statistics & Monte Carlo

• Week 1: Statistics Refresher. Learn fundamentals of statistics: mean/variance, histograms, normal
distribution. Watch free lectures (like Khan Academy or StatQuest). Practice summarizing datasets
(e.g. returns distribution of a stock).
• Week 2: Monte Carlo Simulation. Study Monte Carlo methods: simulate random processes to estimate
probabilities/EV. For example, simulate random walks or option pricing by random sampling. Code
simple Monte Carlo in Python.
• Week 3: Intermediate Algorithms. Cover graph basics (BFS/DFS, shortest paths) and hashing tricks.
Implement Dijkstra or use map/set in C++ for frequency counts (useful in puzzles). Continue CF
practice (1–2 contests).
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Puzzle Practice. Tackle a few quant brainteasers (use Brainstellar’s Easy album)
to stretch thinking 5 . E.g. Monty Hall, “100 prisoners problem”, or “infinite hats” puzzles. Keep
sessions short (via Pomodoro) to avoid overload 1 . Rest Day on Sunday.

Month 6: Machine Learning & Data Analysis

• Week 1: Intro to Machine Learning. Take Kaggle’s free Intro to ML course or Andrew Ng’s free ML
lectures. Focus on core ideas: linear regression, classification. Apply sklearn to simple market data
(predict next-day returns).
• Week 2: Feature Engineering. Learn how to generate features from data: moving averages,
momentum indicators, Fourier transforms. Build a small data analysis dashboard (e.g. in Jupyter)
that visualizes stock price, volume, indicators using Matplotlib.
• Week 3: Leetcode & Math Puzzles. Begin Leetcode practice (twice this week). Also work on quick
estimation/Fermi problems (e.g. estimate annual stock market volume, number of trades in a day,
etc.) to sharpen mental math and business sense.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Habit Check. Reflect on habits: Are you studying at consistent times? Use habit
stacking – tie a study session to a daily cue (e.g. “After breakfast, I will code 1 algorithm”) 6 . Take a
cheat day to recharge.

Month 7: Finance Fundamentals

• Week 1: Market Microstructure. Read free articles or papers on how stock/option markets work (e.g.
Investopedia, QuantStart blog). Understand order types, limit books, bid-ask.
• Week 2: Options & Pricing Basics. Use free sections of Hull’s Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives or
open lecture notes to learn option payoffs and Black-Scholes intuitively. Do payoff diagram exercises
(calls/puts).
• Week 3: Coding Challenge Week. Focus on C++ speed: solve 5 Codeforces problems in C++ on
separate days. Optimize code (use fast I/O, reserve containers). Also practice at least one timed
mental math test (e.g. Optiver’s “80 in 8” style) to build speed 7 .

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 • Week 4: Cheat Day & Project Work. Continue developing your backtester: add another strategy
(momentum or mean-reversion) and compare results. Use Python performance tips (NumPy
vectorization). Take a day off to rest cognitive load.

Month 8: System Design & Projects

A programming contest winning team displaying their trophy. Consistent contest practice and collaboration lead
to such achievements 3 . Now scale up projects and apply algorithmic skills broadly.

• Week 1: Advanced Project – Trading Bot. Start a substantial project: code a market-making or trend-
following bot in Python/C++. Use a free data API (e.g. Alpaca paper trading or Yahoo data).
Implement basic risk management (stop-loss).
• Week 2: Data Visualization Dashboard. Build a dashboard (e.g. with Python’s Dash or Streamlit) that
plots portfolio performance, P&L charts, and key metrics (Sharpe ratio, drawdown). This showcases
both coding and finance skills.
• Week 3: Ongoing Contests. Enter a Codeforces contest and a Kaggle competition (choose a beginner
one, like Titanic or practice ML comp). Commit to solving Leetcode medium questions twice this
week.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Mock Interviews. Do a few mock trading brainteasers: e.g. “There are 100 light
bulbs, how many switches must be flipped?”, or “Two trains on collision course – whose turn to
move?” (found on Brainstellar) 5 . These puzzles build lateral thinking. Take the last day off.

Month 9: Probability Deep Dive & Combinatorics

• Week 1: Advanced Probability. Study continuous distributions (normal, exponential) and the CLT. Use
MIT OCW or free e-books. Solve problems involving density functions (e.g. probability a stock’s return
> X).
• Week 2: Combinatorial Problems. Tackle harder combinatorics: inclusion-exclusion, recurrences. Work
through puzzle examples like counting paths on grids, or the number of ways to split a portfolio.

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 • Week 3: Coding Grind. Intensify Codeforces practice: aim for solving several medium problems per
week. Use time-blocking (Pomodoro) to avoid burnout 1 . Review C++ STL algorithms
(next_permutation, priority_queue) to speed up coding.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Accountability. Implement an accountability log: after each week, write down
accomplishments and upcoming goals 4 . Reward yourself for meeting targets. Schedule a fun
break day this week.

Month 10: Numerical Skills & Brain Games

• Week 1: Mental Math Mastery. Practice fast arithmetic: play online mental math games (e.g.
Tradermath.org drills, AnKing flashcards for mental math tricks) 8 . Focus on multiplication/division
shortcuts from books like Benjamin’s Secrets of Mental Math.
• Week 2: Pattern Recognition Puzzles. Solve sequence and pattern puzzles (IQ-style). For example, find
the next number in a series or a hidden relation. These hone the “pattern-finding” skill used in quant
interviews (e.g. IMC’s sequence tests 9 ).
• Week 3: Leetcode & Brainteasers. Alternate days between Leetcode problems and brainteaser
puzzles. Each day review quick “Fermi estimation” questions (e.g. estimate the number of daily
Google searches or global trade volume) to build intuition.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Review Projects. Perform a code review of your projects: clean up code, add
comments, refine documentation. This makes a stronger resume. Relax on a cheat day before the
final stretch.

Month 11: Mock Interviews & Resume

• Week 1: Resume & GitHub. Create or polish a quant-focused resume. List your projects (backtester,
dashboard, contests), all-coded in C++/Python (highlight GitHub repos). Get feedback from peers or
mentors.
• Week 2: Behavioral Prep. Prepare “why quant trading?” answers. Use the STAR method to frame
stories (e.g. times you solved a tough problem or led a project). Practice articulating your motivation
clearly – firms value genuine interest.
• Week 3: Technical Mocks. Conduct 2–3 full mock interviews (with friends or through QuantNet
forums). Include math puzzles and coding (on a whiteboard or shared doc). Time yourself. After
each, review errors and re-study weak areas.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Mental Reset. Take a full week (or a few days) light. Review formulas and
algorithms via flashcards. Take Pomodoro breaks on tough prep days to prevent burnout 1 . Enjoy a
relaxing cheat day to recharge.

Month 12: Final Prep – Quant Topics & Contests

• Week 1: Complex Probability/Game Theory. Study advanced topics like Markov chains, expected
stopping times, and more game theory (minimax, subgames). Use Khan Academy or lecture notes.
Solve at least 5 challenging probability puzzles (e.g. gambler’s ruin, “information cascade” games).
• Week 2: CF Hard Problems. Push yourself on Codeforces Div1-2 tasks (if rating allows) or old ICPC
problems. Aim for problem-solving speed. Log your progress (e.g. maintain a spreadsheet of
problems solved). This builds confidence 3 .

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 • Week 3: Finance Case Studies. Read free quant trading blog posts (QuantStart, HFT YouTube
channels) about real strategies or puzzles (e.g. arbitrage examples, options Greeks intuition). Try to
simulate one idea in code (e.g. simple mean-reversion on stock data).
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Relaxation. Reward your effort: take the last weekend fully off. Lightly skim
interview guidelines. Prepare mentally: visualize success, use deep-breathing cues (stress → “do
3-1-5 breathing” 10 ).

Month 13: Apply & Interview Season (Jul 2026)

• Week 1: Submit Applications. Apply to Jane Street, Optiver, Jane, HRT, Quadrature, etc. Use your
quant-tailored resume. Continue online practice (quant forums, TraderMath puzzles).
• Week 2: First Rounds Prep. Expect online tests (prob/math puzzles). Review common brainteasers
(e.g. counting problems from Brainstellar) 5 . Do timed practice: solve 10 puzzles in 15 minutes.
• Week 3: Onsite Practice. Practice whiteboard coding. Do live sessions: pick a Leetcode problem and
talk through your approach as if explaining to an interviewer. Study strategy games (e.g. “gold
game”, “dice game” puzzles) to strengthen risk-taking intuition 11 .
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Reflection. After submissions, take a day to detach. Engage in fun activities to
keep morale high. Review any rejection feedback constructively.

Month 14: Summer Interviews (Aug–Sep 2026)

• Week 1: Math Brain-Power. Each day solve one new quant puzzle (e.g. probability for overlapping
intervals, expected length problems). Practice mental arithmetic daily.
• Week 2: Mock Behavioral Questions. Reflect on experiences: describe a past project, a failure, a
leadership example. Use colleague feedback to polish answers.
• Week 3: Final Coding Rounds. Solve 3–4 coding problems in a row under 1-hour constraint. Mix C++
and Python. Revisit any weak algorithm (e.g. graph or DP) until fluid.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Attitude. Maintain confidence – recall how far you’ve come. Use positive triggers
(e.g. “I am prepared for any puzzle 12 ”). Take planned downtime.

Month 15: Second Rounds & Strategy (Oct 2026)

• Week 1: Probability & EV Mastery. Re-skim probability notes. Work a few betting-strategy puzzles (e.g.
maximize EV in a die roll game). Keep phrases like “strong probability intuition” in mind as key
interview points 11 .
• Week 2: Strategy Games Practice. Simulate games of chance: coin flips, bluff games. Discuss strategy
out loud to mimic interview thinking. Review notes on “risk-taking intuition” – articulate when to take
gambles.
• Week 3: Peer Challenge. Pair up with another quant-interview candidate or friend: quiz each other
with puzzles and code interviews. Play “devils advocate” on solutions to get comfortable with
pressure.
• Week 4: Cheat Day & Visualization. Take your last deliberate break. Visualize doing well in interviews.
Reset mindset: you have 17 months of prep; rely on your habits, not just willpower, in the final push.

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Month 16: Final Interviews & Feedback (Nov 2026)
• Week 1: Lean on Foundations. If interviews arrive, focus on clarity. Walk through each solution
systematically: define knowns, outline approach, compute step-by-step. Confidence comes from
repetition – you’ve seen many puzzles in practice 12 .
• Week 2: Interview Polishing. Reflect on any interview feedback. If possible, ask interviewers for hints
on weak areas. Continue light contest practice to stay sharp but avoid cramming new content.
• Week 3: Rest & Maintenance. As interviews wrap up, switch to maintenance mode: 1–2 hours/day
reviewing key formulas or coding idioms. Enjoy more downtime to avoid burnout.
• Week 4: Celebrate Progress. Whether offers are in or still pending, acknowledge your growth. Keep
habits of focused work and regular rest. (Use any remaining cheat day for celebration.)

Month 17: Buffer & Future Planning (Dec 2026)

• Week 1: Gap Review. If you have downtime before internship start, review any weak subjects or
explore advanced interests (e.g. crypto markets, statistics).
• Week 2: Learn from Results. Analyze which areas you excelled in and which need improvement (e.g.
mental math scores, interview feedback). Plan summer projects accordingly.
• Week 3: Network & Continue Learning. Connect with new intern colleagues or mentors. Keep solving
one puzzle weekly to stay sharp.
• Week 4: Prepare for Internship. Congratulate yourself on the offer. Deep dive into any pre-internship
reading list the firm provided. Ensure your coding and math basics remain fresh.

Mindset & Habits Throughout

• Pomodoro & Time Management: Work in focused intervals (e.g. 25+5 minutes) to maintain
concentration 1 . This encourages accountability and efficiency 1 . After each interval, log what
you accomplished 4 .
• Habit Triggers: Build study habits by attaching them to routines (e.g. “After my morning coffee, I’ll
solve one algorithmic puzzle” 6 ). Keep a dedicated study space (your “quant cave”) – environment
cues boost new habits 13 .
• Accountability Partners: Pair with peers or join study groups. As James Clear notes, we become like
the people around us 14 – surround yourself with motivated coders/quant students. Regularly
check in with a mentor or friend about progress.
• Regular Review & Reflection: Every 4–6 weeks, review goals: are your habits sticking? Adjust if
needed (maybe reorder study topics or swap resources). Use cheat days wisely: as research shows,
scheduled breaks improve creativity and longevity 2 .
• Motivation: Celebrate small wins (solving a hard problem, finishing a project). Keep a visible habit
calendar or checklist (checking off a Pomodoro or contest attended). Adopt the mindset that each
practice question builds “confidence” for interviews 12 .

By following this structured plan, leveraging free resources (Khan Academy, MIT OpenCourseWare, Kaggle,
Codeforces, free textbooks/notes), and maintaining disciplined habits, you will develop elite quant trading
skills over 17 months. Consistent daily effort, punctuated by regular rest and reflection, will keep you on
track to stand out in top-tier quant internship interviews 15 12 .

Sources: Industry interview guides and research on learning habits inform this plan. For example, quant
interns report that probability, expected value, and brainteasers dominate interviews 15 , so our roadmap

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emphasizes those. Strategy and risk-intuition practice are also critical 11 . Studies show scheduled breaks
boost creativity 2 , and techniques like Pomodoro improve focus and accountability 1 4 . Competitive
programming experience strongly correlates with interview success 3 . We weave these insights into the
monthly milestones above to ensure readiness by the July–Nov 2026 application window.

1 Pomodoro Technique: History, Steps, Benefits, and Drawbacks

https://www.verywellmind.com/pomodoro-technique-history-steps-benefits-and-drawbacks-6892111

2 Take a Break: The Importance of Rest Days

https://lifebritestokes.com/importance-of-rest-days/

3 12 Reasons to Study Competitive Programming - Red-Green-Code

https://www.redgreencode.com/12-reasons-to-study-competitive-programming/

4 Pomodoro Technique for Time Management & 6 Reasons to Use It | Lucidchart Blog
https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/5-reasons-to-use-the-pomodoro-technique-at-work

5 Brainstellar Puzzles from Quant Interviews

https://brainstellar.com/

6 10 13 14 The Habit Loop: 5 Habit Triggers That Make New Behaviors Stick
https://jamesclear.com/habit-triggers

7 8 9 Mental Math for Quantitative Traders

https://openquant.co/blog/math-for-traders

11 12 15 How to Land a Quant Trading Internship at Jane Street

https://www.quantblueprint.com/post/how-i-landed-a-quant-trading-internship-at-jane-street