Physics or Finance Degree?
Just curious, what do you think would be better to pursue? I think getting a degree in finance is pretty generic nowadays.
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Find me one job posting that specifically asks for a Bachelor's degree in Physics. I'm actually amazed anyone would consider getting a degree in a field that doesn't lead to a specific job. Computer Science or Finance should be your choices. CS is far from generic, and there are plenty of no name non-target regional schools where kids are graduating and landing 90k starting jobs in low COL cities.
http://blakeschool.atsondemand.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=512201.viewjobd…
I'm sorry. I had to. It's one of those degrees where you study it to become a teacher in it. Like history.
A physics degree can be useful, IF you are EXTREMELY smart. And by that I mean, not the OP, because if you're one of the people where a physics degree would be useful for, they wouldn't be debating on if they should do finance. They're already half way to their PHD by the time they're 19.
Even so, they want you to have an advanced degree :-)
I agree. There are jobs for physics degrees, especially if you get a PhD from an Ivy league school. The simple truth is, outside of an elite background and some luck, the opportunities don't compare to CS, Finance or other useful degrees.
Have you actually seen those job postings? They all say "Computer Science or related degree preferred (physics, math, electrical engineering etc.)."
Yes. Here are the types you'll see:
CS only CS or CE CS or related (CE and EE) CS or related degree preferred (physics, math, electrical engineering etc.
That last one is in the minority. If you continued reading the thread you'd see me spell out the point that physics can lead to those jobs but any job that states "or related degree preferred (physics, math, electrical engineering etc.", would also apply to CS degrees. Making it far more marketable than a physics degree because there are far more job posting that prefer either only CS or CS over the others. To continue that point, in any job posting in any field where "or related degree preferred (physics, math, electrical engineering etc." is listed, a CS degree will do the same thing as a physics degree. Sure, in a few cases that I'm sure you'll point out, physics may be more marketable than CS. Play the numbers, you want more opportunity not less.
Upper level physics clases are super hard.
For the purpose of doing what? I have heard that a degree in early childhood education can be very useful if you want to be a kindergarten teacher, but I am not sure it will get you you very far over at Goldman Sachs.
Although 95% female classes never hurt anyone, either.
Honestly it depends.
If you want to do grad school, go Physics because it can lead to many different masters (even CS/Math/Stat/Geo). If you want your best ability post undergrad go Finance/Econ. It's not as generic as it's made out to be and has a lot more versatility than you think.
Since you posted on this board, I am going to assume you are interested in a career in Finance.
The keys to getting a job in Finance
Knowing Finance
Having a high GPA
Networking with others in Finance
How would a physics degree help you with any of the these? I believe a common theory in Mathematics and Physics says the quickest way from Point A to Point B is a straight line.
I did mathematics and wish I had done finance. Mathematics is a lot harder (at least at my school), which led to me having a lower gpa, which has made recruiting more difficult for me. Not to mention that a lot of people think that I don't understand the finance because I didn't major in it. The only real benefit it has bestowed upon me is that my major confirms that I'm good at math.
Where to begin with this thread. Holy shit.
"Find me one job posting that specifically asks for a Bachelor's degree in Physics."
D.E Shaw, Jane Street, Goldman Securities, etc. all would be more than happy to look at an applicant from physics. I just saw a Goldman listing on OCR looking for math, physics, or engineering undergrads for a trader roll.
"I'm actually amazed anyone would consider getting a degree in a field that doesn't lead to a specific job."
I'm amazed that someone presumably in college is so void of understanding what the purpose of college is. Thank Christ all these non-targets are pumping out finance majors who all break into high finance, not sales associates at retail banks or tellers...
"They're already half way to their PHD by the time they're 19."
This describes virtually almost no people.
"Upper level physics clases are super hard."
Sure, that's why people who come out of it will always be able to go down into finance/accounting and easily understand them. The opposite is not true for finance/accounting folks.
"...and he already had his PHD dissertation and thesis or whatever they call it done before he was done with his bachelors"
lol, no he didn't. If he's lucky he was a co-author on a paper.
"For the purpose of doing what?"
The youngest managing directors at Goldman Sachs have recently come from pure/applied maths backgrounds. Physics majors are rarer to get applications from, but are viewed for similar attributes that those from math have.
"If you want your best ability post undergrad go Finance/Econ"
You'll never get into a STEM graduate program with this undergrad and you'll be completely narrowed in on finance.
"I believe a common theory in Mathematics and Physics says the quickest way from Point A to Point B is a straight line."
Jesus.
...
Look, unless you're going to Princeton for financial engineering then you're probably looking at the same boilerplate finance degree that every non-target pumps people out of. Go learn something that will make you think entirely differently, that will challenge you, and that will make you smarter.
If you can't learn basic finance or accounting on your own, then you have larger issues. However, if you stick with a physics/CS/math background you'll be able to start finance at the purest levels. You'll be able to study concepts, with the mathematical nomenclature, from finance journals that others will never be able to understand. You will have a real asset, which is an ability to understand all areas of finance on your own terms. Especially if you're coming from a non-target, it's in your best interest to do something worthwhile like physics or math. If you're coming from a target, trust me it only helps.
Damn, why do I always get drawn into this shit. OK, let me come at this with a more articulate view of my point.
1) Name one job that Physics can get that CS can't. 2) Do you actually believe Physics has more opportunity than CS?
If you're coming from a non-target you better choose CS and not physics or finance. Physics and CS both are heavily quantitative, both will allow you to "study concepts, with the mathematical nomenclature", but CS will lead to jobs at tech companies, engineering roles, trading roles, financial tech roles and every possible path that Physics can also lead you down (except for teaching physics...), with the added bonus of not needing a Graduate degree to be relevant. Before you jump the gun, YES, physics can lead to some of those roles as well in all of those fields, but CS will always lead to more. Case and point, in the next 15 years 70% of all job growth in STEM careers will come from CS.
Now if you want to compete for those limited physics roles against target school math majors, go ahead. There was what 13k new CS grads last year and how many millions of jobs requiring those skills? In the example above a kid I know just walked out from a 'regional non-target' (made that up just now), with a 90k base in a low COL city. The salaries are self-evident and if you're willing to move to one of the hubs the salaries are great. That doesn't mean majoring in Physics will lead to living under a bridge but it does mean you're making it harder on yourself.
You like to bring up Goldman Sachs a lot. Applied math may be where some of the youngest MDs come from, but I'd bet if you added up all the MDs at every investment bank (I can think of 39 IBDs off the top of my head) and at all PE firms, I'd wager the vast majority didn't major in physics or applied math.
The simplest way to put it, if Math could lead to a position in Aerospace Engineering... so could majoring in Aerospace Engineering. More to the point, if I'm looking for an Aerospace Engineer, why would I hire a different major over an Aerospace Engineering major? That isn't the type of competition I'd recommend anyone to sign up for.
As always, do what you guys gotta do, I'm not the authority on the "correct answer" but sure as hell hope I've provoked some thought beyond the "broaden your horizons" rationale. Which is the same rationale Psychology professors say will make their students more marketable than business majors... in business.
There are quite some physics guys in high finance but these are usually the extremely smart ones, often those with a PhD. Talked to a guy from a large HF not too long ago and he said they had several physics PhD's working at their place but only because they knew these people were brilliant. If you do physics and are not brilliant it's gonna get you nowhere whereas a finance degree will still help you land a good job, even if you're not brilliant.
Physics! Hands down! Engineering degrees are superior over Finance degrees. Those things you can learn on the job. You can always go into Finance easily with an engineering degree, not the other way around. I speak from experience as I am an engineering major at a BB. Classes are harder, but recruiting is so much more easy
Wtf, how can you compare physics to engineering? It's really not the same at all dude.
Engineers and Physics professors always made fun of each other when I was doing a Physics degree... always thought it was odd too... "He's too theoretical" vs. "He's too focused on turning it into something".
Physics! Hands down! Engineering degrees are superior over Finance degrees. Those things you can learn on the job. You can always go into Finance easily with an engineering degree, not the other way around. I speak from experience as I am an engineering major at a BB. Classes are harder, but recruiting is so much more easy
I think always do what you like but a relatively quantitative one, it helps
"Wtf, how can you compare physics to engineering? It's really not the same at all dude. "
How can't you compare them? It's about instilling certain attributes and ways of problem solving that are looked for in applicants, not what the course load is. Also, physics is just applied math. Engineering is just applied physics.
Here's my two cents, speaking from the perspective of a STEM major going into finance. When I first started out I thought I was going to be a researcher in my field and I fucking loved what I studied. Still do, in fact. And because I was passionate about it I will likely place into some groups that are tailor made for someone with my background. And I'm excited to be able to combine my hard fought STEM knowledge with finance. You see these kind of things happen with engineering and oil&gas, lifescience and biopharma, CS and tech. The things I learned in my major will complement my future work, but I also could have just been a finance major and done almost as well for my respective group if I would have done a couple extracurriculars.
I studied what I did because I liked it - not because I thought it would differentiate me or give me am advantage. It did, but I couldn't have predicted that. So would physics differentiate you? Sure. Will it give you an advantage? If you get good grades. But so would aceing all you finance classes and having well rounded extracurriculars. And I guaran-fucking-tee you it will be harder to get a, say, 3.7 in physics than a 3.9 in finance. Way fucking harder.
My classes curb-stomp me on the daily, but I legitimately enjoy the material. Do you feel that way about physics? Because if you don't you'll be in your advisors office a year from now switching your major to finance with a bruised GPA to repair.
At my school it's really impressive to keep a 3.5 in physics, a 3.7-3.8 would make you a god (or a shut in). Aside from chemical engineering, physics is at least as hard or harder than engineering.
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