Neft was born in New York City, received a BA, MBA, and PhD (Statistics) from Columbia University, and worked as chief statistician for the polling company Louis Harris & Associates from 1963 to 1965.
nˈɛft wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn nˈuː jˈɔːɹk sˈɪɾi, ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐ bˌiːˈeɪ, ˌɛmbˌiːˈeɪ, ænd pˌiːˈeɪtʃ dˈiː stɐtˈɪstɪks fɹʌm kəlˈʌmbiə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, ænd wˈɜːkt æz tʃˈiːf stˌæɾɪstˈɪʃən fɚðə pˈoʊlɪŋ kˈʌmpəni lˈuːi hˈæɹɪs ænd ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪts fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈaɪv.