<p>NB201,</p>
<p>There is no one best way to do what you want to do. Consider:</p>
<ul>
<li> “quant analysts” don’t all do the same thing or use the same tools. And the approaches, goals and such are constantly evolving (except for the overarching one: make money!)</li>
<li> people doing quant research have a wide variety of backgrounds</li>
<li> there will always be a tension between people with very specialized backgrounds who may only fit a few positions in the country, versus those with broader backgrounds that can either learn on the job or can play in more diverse roles.</li>
</ul>
<p>There’s a lot of time for you before you need to make hard decisions. In that time, the profession will be further evolving, so what works now may not work in a few years. So focus on what you enjoy and can do well in, and keep asking questions once you get to college. Most importantly, if you are serious about quant analysis, start thinking about internships and outside the classroom experience from the beginning - making contacts, asking questions and such.</p>