[SuperChihuahua]

Ive studied a lot of math in school (including financial mathematics) and I think its hard to learn that type of stuff on your own. Its easier to learn how to code on your own since there are plenty of resources on the subject - but its harder to learn math. Maybe we have a business opportunity here?

One should also remember the Hedge Fund Long Term Capital Management who hired 2 managers who had won the Nobel prize in economics - and they blew up (so math skills is not everything) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-Term_Capital_Management

[InclinedPlane]

I'm not sure that it's harder. A good textbook or two combined with diligently reading, rereading and doing the problem sets is probably about as successful as class attendance in the average case, I would say. I think the problem is finding a good textbook and forcing yourself to do the work.