Which major is best to get into Equity Research/ Asset Management/ Private Equity?
I'm trying to decide whether or not to change my current major...
I am an Econ major at a non-target, but have the opportunity to enter into the Accounting program. While my school is not known for its Finance/Econ/Business degrees, it does have one of the top Accounting programs in the country. With my current GPA, and assuming I will have at least a 3.5 at the time of graduation, I should be able to secure a job offer from the Big 4 if I major in Accounting.
Work there for 5 years, get into the best business school I can, get my MBA...then what?
What are my realistic exit ops graduating from a non-target as an Econ major? Is it very difficult to get an i banking/ equity research/ asset management/ private equity offer (in NYC) graduating from a non-target? What are my chances of getting into a top business school?
Alternatively, if I choose to go with an Accounting major, would this improve my chances of getting into a great business school coming from a prestigious auditing firm? What are my exit ops?
Dual degree accounting and
Dual degree accounting and finance if you have the time. Or maybe can you get a degree in accounting with a second major in finance?
I agree with above, I think
I agree with above, I think it would be in your best interest to try a dual major in acct/econ or finance/econ rather than simply econ. If you are looking for one major, if you want to get into IB, PE, HF, etc then finance is a really good bet. If your school has a top acct program that is well respected, then go ahead and do that: everyone needs to know accounting well.
Just because you are at a non-target doesn't mean you cant get into a BB IB, big 4 acct, or top tier consulting. All it means coming from a non-target is you have to grind it out and network as much as you can. I cant emphasize network enough....and network early. Informational interviews with alumni are the best place to start.
Good is the enemy of Great
VSL337 wrote: Alternatively,
Alternatively, if I choose to go with an Accounting major, would this improve my chances of getting into a great business school coming from a prestigious auditing firm? What are my exit ops?
Just so you're aware going from Big 4 to a "great business school" is not really automatic, or even likely. Its not like Harvard or Stanford ACs are falling over themselves to get big 4 audit alum into their schools.
andyinsandiego, I'm not
andyinsandiego,
I'm not assuming it's an automatic in. I'm asking if its more likely that someone would be accepted coming from a prestigious auditing firm, or a middle office position in IBD (and not at a BB).
What do you think?
Our non-target sent a kid to
Our non-target sent a kid to GS TMT this summer ( my friend) and 1 to ER and 1 to S&T.
My friend majored in Finance and Accounting, but he told me not to do that. He advised me against this because he said it is cookie cutter and a million other people do it. He said that he would dual in English and Finance, but lots of the job is writing, editing etc. Since I am more interested in ER it would make more sense for me to do that.
So I am a Finance major and Professional Writing minor. I feel like this will work well for ER or even IBD.
I want a lady on the street, but a freak in the bed,
Go Bucks!!
Unfortunately I studied
Unfortunately I studied economics... wish I had pursued something less silly such as accounting. If I could go back to undergrad I would try to minor in one or two of these:
- Math (anything quantitative).
- Computer science
- Psychology
^^ Psychology also seems very
^^ Psychology also seems very interesting. Idk but i think minoring in Professional Writing with Finance will look better for ER though right since half your work is writing reports?
I want a lady on the street, but a freak in the bed,
Go Bucks!!
Honestly, it doesn't really
Honestly, it doesn't really fucking matter what your undergrad is. It seems to me like you're placing everything on where you get your MBA. For that, you will need a few things:
1) Good GPA coming out of undergrad (the major can help spin your story, but honestly, why would you think people care what you majored in when you've spent 5 years in industry?)
2) GMAT (get a high score)
3) work experience (get great experience, work your ass off, impress people)
4) Extracurriculars (start a company, start a non profit, volunteer, whatever)
If you want to be an accountant out of undergrad and think this is your best way to an MBA, then get a freaking undergrad accounting degree. Just make sure you do well in it. There are a million ways to break into the industry you want to. If you think your best bet is going through an MBA, than start figuring out how you're going to do that. Maybe start working on a website now while you're an undergrad. That gives you whatever time you have left in school + the 5 years in the workforce to try and build something that people follow. If you can get up to like 5,000 unique visits a month, that's a pretty successful website (even if it's not making money).
Getting into a good MBA program and then getting a good job afterwards is GENERALLY the same as getting your first FT job after undergrad and getting into the undergrad school you want. You spin your story. You use that story to show your interest. They decide whether you're legit and your story works towards what they're working towards, or if it gave you some skillset that they can use.
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