Is a math major worth it?

Have never heard of anyone taking math as an easy second major to boost one’s gpa because soloing in Econ is too hard.  Math at any hard theory school like U of C is way harder than Econ.

Math != financial math

if it isn't too late and you're not going to be a quant or actuary, then I don't think its worth it

I'm a math major and I don't think it's worth it.

It doesn't really matter. Your GPA is high enough anyway. You'll be in the running for buy side gigs if you get good experience. For what it's worth, I did math/finance doue major, and in my opinion, there is a big difference in the analytical ability you gain from theoretical, higher level math (analysis, abstract algebra, etc.) You just learn to think more rigorously.

If by buyside you mean quant, I would stick with math. Otherwise it doesn't really matter.

I took a ton of math in college but didn't major (took abstract algebra, diffy q's, galois theory, adv number theory..etc.). It's pretty irrelevant. At most, I think people were impressed that I enjoyed math and actually had people skills..since its usually either one or the other.

If you're at all interested in trading then I would stick with it. But if by buyside you mean something like long/short equity or PE funds, then yes its probably a waste of time if you don't actually enjoy math. Anything >= 3.5 is pretty solid for a math or engineering major at a top 25 school, so that really shouldn't be too big of a concern if you actually like the program you are in

i'm a Math major. It's not worth it. Use the time you would otherwise spend on difficult Math classes to focus on recruiting instead.

People major in Math because they enjoy it and the experience they get from the subject, not its immediate applications (which, unsurprisingly, are not abundant). If you're only concerned with getting a job then majoring in Math is meaningless.

Whoa, am I the only person who thinks that a math major - especially with the finance minor - is definitely worth it?

When it comes to recruiting from undergrad, firms tend to use major as a weeder more than a selector.

Check the boxes: -Did they major in business, engineer, economics, math, statistics, or something else that is otherwise quantitatively and analytically rigorous? -Does the person have a high GPA?

So a biz major with a 3.1 will not be as valuable as a math major with a 3.6. I would argue that many firms almost prefer someone with math, stats, or engineering, as it shows heavy quantitative rigor. That being said, pairing it with the finance minor shows that you can apply the analytical mindsight you've developed to the formulas finance and so on. Ultimately, little of what you learn in a finance class is going to be used when you get to your buyside firm - your excel doc is going to do most of the work for you. Math major + Finance Minor or Finance concentration, as long as you have a high GPA and some leadership in business-oriented positions, along with STRONG internships (banking if possible - and remember, there's are ways around not getting a summer internship, like being a "night banker" at a bank that shores up the models) - that's what will get you to where you're trying to go.

Depends on many factors like whether you go to a target or whether you enjoy math. If you like Math and are confident you can keep a decent GPA (preferably >3.6) it won't hurt you and people will be impressed with it. If you don't go to a target, a math major is a good signal of intelligence but this will matter less if you are already at a target.

If you want to do deal-based finance (IB, PE) or fundamental analysis buyside shops, a math major won't be too relevant, but it will open doors at quant based shops and prepare you for more advanced graduate work.

I don't know your background, but if you like math, I encourage you to go for it. If you can maintain a decent GPA, it will make you smarter and that will help you in the long run.

I almost changed from finance to math my freshman year of UG, ended up not doing it and regretted it every minute of my upper level finance classes. Advanced math is interesting, strengthens your problem solving ability and opens up more opportunities for you. If you're this far in, just stick it out, it'll be worth it.

I was a theoretical math major at school (real and complex analysis, finite field theory, abstract algebra) with a 3.5 gpa. Never even heard of COGS until my first day of training for the bank

Working as a first year at a BB and clearly haven't used a lick of theoretical math at the bank, however I think it was incredibly useful. Math teaches you to think logically and makes you a creative problem solver (when you have to prove abstract theories and statements). More broadly it just plain and simply teaches you how to really think

After 3 months you will be caught up enough that it doesn't matter. People at my firm respect my degree and think I'm an above average analyst

I would echo many of the comments on here. You're GPA is good enough so I wouldn't change degrees on just this basis. Also, you need to think past your first job. Assuming both math and business will get you that first job you want, what's going to teach you the skills you want later in life. Certainly, business is valuable but you'll learn much of what you need to know in a high finance job. The same can't be said for math so you can carry that knowledge with you through life. In my view it boils down to do you want to be good at math and business (giving your more opportunities down the road for more quantitative finance etc) or do you want to be good at just business?

If you want to be a quant or be in risk management, def major in math or if you REALLLY REALLLY enjoy it. I used to be a math major in undergrad and grad, and nothing that I learned in my math classes is ever actually used in ibd. To be frank, I did not particularly enjoy math, but I mostly only enjoyed how challenging it was. But then again, it is just my perspective. If you enjoy it, then stick with it. If you are unsure, maybe think about what you want to do down the line and whether it would be useful to your career.

If you have decent social skills and can convey an interest in non-quantitative areas, you would be competitive as a math major for any of the finance jobs. The same can't be said for the opposite. As others have said, GPA is the most important part, but you've already cleared the hurdle.

Undergrad is very likely the last chance you have to study something interesting (and still will lead to a solid-paying job). You probably won't ever learn stochastic processes, abstract algebra, topology, etc. Not to mention, you probably won't be scratching the interesting stuff of finance in the undergrad curriculum.

One of the most important things someone mentioned above was how math teaches you to think. Once you start getting deeper into the studies, you'll not only have a lot of powerful tools at your disposal, but also the mental flexibility to take on many problems. It's way easier to learn finance with a quantitative foundation than vice versa.

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It won't matter much for fields that don't require math skills. For S&T and risk management, it will help. Only do it if you like it. Don't do it to make yourself more marketable. You'll have a tough time doing well in upper-level math courses if you do it simply to gain an edge in the job process.