Financial engineering vs. Finance
Hi everyone,
I'm a high school senior and am wondering about the difference in majoring in finance vs. in financial engineering in undergrad. I'd like to break into IB after graduation, preferably working in M&A or a similar FO position. Two of the schools I'm applying to (Columbia and Princeton) offer undergrad degrees in financial engineering. What would be the pros and cons of majoring in financial engineering vs. financial economics (at Columbia) or financial engineering vs. econ (Princeton)? Will they prepare me for different types of careers after graduation? Overall, for IB, am I better off majoring in finance/econ or financial engineering? And how do quant jobs (after graduation) compare to traditional IBanking roles? Are quants considered a front office position? Lastly, which degree would better prepare me for moving over to the buy side (PE/HF)?
Thanks!
At the ‘Ivy League and peers’ level, your major doesn’t really matter. There are psych majors from the schools you listed who get gigs at MBB, top EBs, and solid buy side firms. Pick a major that you’ll enjoy, get solid grades, and take advantage of the amazing network. That’s my advice for IB, PE, and consulting if you’re interested in that.
I’m not that familiar with the HF space, so someone else can cover that.
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