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Computer Science/Math/Physics/Engineering/etc. undergrad -> IBD = waste of u-grad degree?
 

wolverine19x89's picture
O
(King Kong, 1,849
 
Points)
 on 8/13/11 at 10:44pm

I know Illini said that you pretty much need to use programming when you get out of u-grad or else it'll be a waste, but I was wondering what some of you other guys think about it (along with math/physics/etc.).

Obviously your degree won't be a "waste", but how much of the stuff that you've learned do you think would be forgotten over the first 2 years?

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
blastoise's picture

if you don't enjoy learning

O
 
Points)
 on 8/13/11 at 11:05pm

if you don't enjoy learning math/cs/physics just for the sake of it being interesting you will fail

i didn't major in economics bc my schools program wouldn't give me skills required for phd econ/MFE program

see above for non finance ^

<3

LTV's picture

It's not a waste if you a

HF
(Gorilla, 548
 
Points)
 on 8/13/11 at 11:16pm

It's not a waste if you a like the subject. It also develops a good approach to problem solving, and it helps to be good with numerical concepts. If you take it just because it looks good, yes...it's a waste.

I studied arguably the hardest major at one of the hardest schools. Worth it though. Fucked my gpa over, but learnt a lot. Do I use what I learnt on the job? hellz no. But I do use the general approach to problem solving when analyzing markets and models.

In reply to LTV
blastoise's picture

LTV wrote: It's not a waste

O
 
Points)
 on 8/13/11 at 11:25pm
LTV:

It's not a waste if you a like the subject. It also develops a good approach to problem solving, and it helps to be good with numerical concepts. If you take it just because it looks good, yes...it's a waste.

I studied arguably the hardest major at one of the hardest schools. Worth it though. Fucked my gpa over, but learnt a lot. Do I use what I learnt on the job? hellz no. But I do use the general approach to problem solving when analyzing markets and models.

Sociology @ Harvard ?

Going Concern's picture

It looks good that you've

(King Kong, 1,872
 
Points)
 on 8/13/11 at 11:57pm

It looks good that you've challenged yourself but unless you're really good at it or want to be in a quant role it's not a great idea or very useful. Stick with econ/stat.

You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game.

In reply to LTV
ivoteforthatguy's picture

LTV wrote: It's not a waste

O
(Neanderthal, 2,210
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 12:28am
LTV:

It's not a waste if you a like the subject. It also develops a good approach to problem solving, and it helps to be good with numerical concepts. If you take it just because it looks good, yes...it's a waste.

I studied arguably the hardest major at one of the hardest schools. Worth it though. Fucked my gpa over, but learnt a lot. Do I use what I learnt on the job? hellz no. But I do use the general approach to problem solving when analyzing markets and models.

i did the same thing. i was in a gut major, decided that i was wasting my brain, took the hardest major at a school where the curve is murder, and got a worse GPA for it. absolutely no regrets though.

Thurnis Haley's picture

I major in math because I

CF
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 2:09pm

I major in math because I enjoy it immensely, but making a career out of it is unrealistic.

wolverine19x89's picture

Yeah, but it just seems like

O
(King Kong, 1,849
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 2:33pm

Yeah, but it just seems like it would suck to go from something like CS or anything like that (even if you enjoy it) to a job that doesn't use any of your skills. Lets say Wall Street isn't for you, what could you do afterwards? Would you be able to get jobs that people right out of u-grad typically get? Or would going back to school be one of the best options?

I'd like to learn CS and I'm not too sure if I want to try for IB, but it just seems like if I were to realize that IB isn't for me, then I'd be screwed if I got out of there after two years (assuming I have no time to practice programming because of shit hours).

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough.

"There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.

blastoise's picture

coding is a small portion of

O
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 3:13pm

coding is a small portion of cs

wolverine19x89's picture

Yeah I know but it seems like

O
(King Kong, 1,849
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 3:17pm

Yeah I know but it seems like something you need to use before you lose it... like math, stats, etc.

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough.

"There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.

blastoise's picture

well as long as you learned

O
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 3:23pm

well as long as you learned it before you should have no problem picking it up very fast and should have a lot of "oh i remember now!!" moments :D

wolverine19x89's picture

hopefully... I'm mainly

O
(King Kong, 1,849
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 3:29pm

hopefully... I'm mainly leaning more towards s&t than ib anyways even though pe seems like it would be cooler than hf...

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough.

"There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.

Working9-5's picture

Got a degree in math and

ST
(Gorilla, 614
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 8:16pm

Got a degree in math and finance. I mostly use calculus from my background in math. I would have a hard time going back to the theoretical math again (think quintic equations in radicals and shit like that). It was great fun in my UG studies, but I don't come across these problems enough to keep my skill set at the required level (lots of 'oh... I've done that before. Just let me think about it...'). Though, as mentioned above, you learn a specific approach that I find quite useful in other areas.

CNBC sucks

"This financial crisis is worse than a divorce. I've lost all my money, but the wife is still here." - Client after getting blown up

In reply to scottj19x89
Thurnis Haley's picture

scottj19x89 wrote: Yeah, but

CF
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 12:18am
scottj19x89:

Yeah, but it just seems like it would suck to go from something like CS or anything like that (even if you enjoy it) to a job that doesn't use any of your skills. Lets say Wall Street isn't for you, what could you do afterwards? Would you be able to get jobs that people right out of u-grad typically get? Or would going back to school be one of the best options?

I'd like to learn CS and I'm not too sure if I want to try for IB, but it just seems like if I were to realize that IB isn't for me, then I'd be screwed if I got out of there after two years (assuming I have no time to practice programming because of shit hours).

If you're a top student in CS you have nothing to worry about.
As long as you complete a CS degree as a top student you'll always be able to go back and pick up the programming skills again down the line. I really don't think that 2 years of banking will make you forget how to think logically. Think of it this way: The vast majority of CS graduates suck at programming. If you're a top student, even after 2 years of no programming at all you'll probably be above their level still. And the worst possible scenario is that after 2 years of banking you take that money you earned and get a cheap one year MS in CS. However going the programmer route and then deciding you want to do banking will be significantly more difficult than going from banking to programming. And if you decide to work for a financial software company, they will drool over your two years in finance.

In reply to ivoteforthatguy
Optical_Illusion's picture

ivoteforthatguy wrote: LTV

IB
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 5:55am
ivoteforthatguy:
LTV:

It's not a waste if you a like the subject. It also develops a good approach to problem solving, and it helps to be good with numerical concepts. If you take it just because it looks good, yes...it's a waste.

I studied arguably the hardest major at one of the hardest schools. Worth it though. Fucked my gpa over, but learnt a lot. Do I use what I learnt on the job? hellz no. But I do use the general approach to problem solving when analyzing markets and models.

i did the same thing. i was in a gut major, decided that i was wasting my brain, took the hardest major at a school where the curve is murder, and got a worse GPA for it. absolutely no regrets though.

Well what are some of the benefits of choosing a difficult major over an easy one? I chose finance instead of math and engineering and I'm getting a pretty high GPA (approx. 3.8). Won't that look better than, say, a 3.2 in Engineering??

I actually DO regret not choosing a major that is difficult and interesting, but I justify it with a high GPA, scholarships, etc...

In reply to Optical_Illusion
ivoteforthatguy's picture

Optical_Illusion

O
(Neanderthal, 2,210
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 8:53am
Optical_Illusion:
ivoteforthatguy:
LTV:

It's not a waste if you a like the subject. It also develops a good approach to problem solving, and it helps to be good with numerical concepts. If you take it just because it looks good, yes...it's a waste.

I studied arguably the hardest major at one of the hardest schools. Worth it though. Fucked my gpa over, but learnt a lot. Do I use what I learnt on the job? hellz no. But I do use the general approach to problem solving when analyzing markets and models.

i did the same thing. i was in a gut major, decided that i was wasting my brain, took the hardest major at a school where the curve is murder, and got a worse GPA for it. absolutely no regrets though.

Well what are some of the benefits of choosing a difficult major over an easy one? I chose finance instead of math and engineering and I'm getting a pretty high GPA (approx. 3.8). Won't that look better than, say, a 3.2 in Engineering??

I actually DO regret not choosing a major that is difficult and interesting, but I justify it with a high GPA, scholarships, etc...

The advantages are all abstract. I can tell you what it cost me:

1. Rhodes/Marshall/Gates
2. Better FT offer
3. Better grad school slot
4. PBK/honors
5. Big dent to my ego -- a guy who's used to getting A's now dancing with job with a B in his real analysis class

But I knew this going in.

The advantage is that I'll never wonder if I could have been a crack mathematician -- I know for sure I cannot, not in a million years. And I can appreciate the genius of the guys like Jim Simons, who are truly gods among us men. Finally, after getting my brain twisted in all directions by a bunch of Fields medalists and Nobel physicists -- nothing after that ever seemed quite as hard, intellectually.

manbearpig's picture

Most people at my office

CO
(Neanderthal, 3,029
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 10:43am

-MBP

wolverine19x89's picture

So a 3.2 in engineering will

O
(King Kong, 1,849
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 2:04pm

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough.

"There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.

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