Originally Posted by Wren
You need to know calculus. So many of the financial models have derivative aspect. If you do not have university level math, I think it would be difficult. And you could not be innovative in your structuring. What if you wanted a derivative to the nth degree and make it equal zero at the end of term.
What you are saying is true for derivatives specialists and quants running portfolios, but the majority of spreadsheet-wielding MBAs on Wall Street, analyzing companies, are using just arithmetic, with maybe some algebra. I'm not saying their jobs are easy. A good stock analyst has the business models of dozens of companies in his head and is constantly updating his industry knowledge. But the best stock analysts are not using higher math than the weaker ones.

For many professions, math requirements are just a filter. Pre-meds take calculus in college, but doctors never use it in their practice.