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Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s what you need to know:

For a career in investment banking (IB) with a potential pivot to MBB consulting, your choice of a double major should balance relevance to IB, versatility for consulting, and your personal interest in STEM. Here's a breakdown of your options:

  1. Economics:

    • Pros: Economics is highly regarded in both IB and consulting. It provides strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are valuable for M&A and strategy work.
    • Cons: It may overlap significantly with your business administration major, offering less differentiation.
  2. Industrial Management Engineering:

    • Pros: This major combines business and engineering, giving you a unique edge. It’s particularly useful for consulting roles that require operational or supply chain expertise.
    • Cons: While it’s versatile, it may not be as directly applicable to IB as other options.
  3. Data Science:

    • Pros: Data science is increasingly relevant in both IB and consulting, especially with the rise of data-driven decision-making. It also opens doors to tech-related roles if you decide to pivot further.
    • Cons: It may require significant effort to maintain a high GPA, especially if you’re not deeply passionate about coding or statistics.
  4. Financial Engineering:

    • Pros: This is highly specialized and can be a strong asset for quantitative finance roles or risk management.
    • Cons: It’s less relevant for traditional IB M&A roles and consulting, making it a narrower choice.

Recommendation:

  • If your primary focus is IB with a strong backup plan for consulting, Economics or Industrial Management Engineering would be the best fit. Economics is a safer, more traditional choice, while Industrial Management Engineering offers a unique blend of skills that could set you apart.
  • If you’re passionate about STEM and want to future-proof your career, Data Science is an excellent option, especially given its growing importance in both finance and consulting.

Ultimately, choose the major that aligns with your interests and strengths while keeping your career goals in mind. A strong GPA and relevant internships will matter more than the specific double major.

Sources: Best Undergraduate Double Major at a Non-Target B-School?, What College Major ??, Majoring in Wall Street?, Choose Between Two Offers (BB/MBB) - Looking for Advice, This is going to be a special topic (Highschool Junior)

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Bump this - unless you're going into some form of quant, Accounting and Finance simply is the best combination to prepare you for the work. Especially regarding trying to break in as the interviews largely focus on accounting-related questions, among behavioral of course. 

 
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Finance & Accounting / Finance & Math / Finance & Data Science

 

I interviewed with ~50% of BBs and EBs when I was in IB recruiting. Every single process required accounting knowledge. Some were basic "how does xyz flow through the 3 statements?" but they were often more difficult than this. Not sure how you avoided a single accounting question or case problem.

I will say... I think that finance + accounting is overkill. I majored in finance, and we had several required accounting courses. Those were definitely sufficient for IB prep / IB work (FWIW I generally did well at the interviews and signed with a BB). I think that finance + [CS, math, etc] is a much better use of time than doubling down on two majors that are already overlapping

 

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