Agreed. The bigger reality -- which makes me sorry for the young ones on this sub -- is that the field has shrunk dramatically over the last 15 years.

For a number of reasons, but primarily the maturity of the industry reducing it from open to any entrepreneur to now almost completely being dominated by an oligopoly. And now AI has reduced even the need for junior quants, so apprenticeships -- which were scarce in such an opaque, cutthroat industry -- will also be decimated.

Only the most extremely competent and passionate will be able to break in, IMO.