Student Spotlight: Nigel Kok

As a current resident of Singapore, Nigel Kok started his degree at WorldQuant University in order to get hands-on exposure and experience in the world of quantitative finance with a cost-friendly option. As someone whose current work already overlaps with the financial sector, Nigel is able to put what he has learned to work on a daily basis, continuously growing his field of knowledge.

Like many other students at WorldQuant University, Nigel both works in a technical field while also focusing on gaining the skills needed to prepare for new roles in the quantitative finance industry. With a background in software engineering that intersects with financial markets, he’s well poised to transition into roles into the future.

Nigel credits the program’s focus on applied group work with giving him a broader exposure to relevant materials and — just as importantly — a diverse set of professionals that he would not otherwise have access to.

As the pandemic has increased isolation for many people working remotely around the world, students at WorldQuant University are also forging new bonds with their peers from different backgrounds and regions. As Nigel noted, “The group work projects are probably my favourite aspect of studying at WQU. They provide me the opportunity to interact and work with people from different backgrounds, work experiences and seniority.”

Family and work life balance are always important issues for our students, as they come from such a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and geographies. For Nigel, in order to find the right work life balance, he recommends dividing the workload up into smaller chunks throughout the week. “It may just be an hour on a weekday and two on a weekend,” said Nigel, “but these hours eventually add up.”

And for new students just getting started in the program and dealing with complex and difficult assignments, his advice and encouragement is simple: “At some points, the content may seem difficult to grasp. In these situations, it may be good to first develop a high-level understanding of the topic, then proceed on with the subsequent contents of the module.”

As Nigel succinctly put it — “The journey is not always smooth-sailing, but it is definitely worth it!”