What I Learned From Citadel's Training Software

Introduction

During my undergraduate studies in Finance, one of the courses I eagerly anticipated was Financial Trading Strategies. While other classes relied on academic materials such as textbooks and PowerPoint presentations, our professor, a former market maker, chose a hands-on approach. Throughout the semester, we were immersed in simulated trading “cases,” utilizing the same software as professional traders at Citadel, among others. Our grades weren’t solely determined by profits but by how our performance compared to our classmates’. At times, the pressure felt greater than trading with real money.

Here are some key insights I gained from that memorable semester:

Isolate your exposures and hedge whenever possible.