Major question
I've read the FAQs and M&I about what to major in if one wants to pursue a career in investment banking, finance, consulting, etc but still have a couple questions. I was planning in being an Econ major until I started taking the required math and Econ classes and found out that they are extreme weed out and dry hard classes. I'm an athlete at a top ten school, and that takes up time, but that on top of these very hard math and Econ classes might be bad. I am thinking of withdrawing from math and majoring in International Comparative Studies (Europe) with a minor in markets and management instead. I know my GPA will be a lot better that way (I've bombed math even with tutoring and help and stuff). I've read that if I do that and find some finance related internships, I should be fine. Is that true? Any help on my situation would be appreciated. Thanks
Yes, you will be fine if you change your major.
The 3 things you need to demonstrate on your resume are:
1. An interest in finance 2. Strong intellectual capability 3. Large capacity for leadership roles
You've got the leadership somewhat covered by being an athlete at a top-10 school. Being at a top-ten school by itself qualifies your intellect as well. You need to demonstrate an interest in finance.
It sounds like you're a freshman or sophomore, so you have time to figure how you'd like to go about doing this. Your major isn't very important so long as it can be related to business (international studies is a lot easier to work with than "east Asian history") and you have a high GPA.
That said, you have to demonstrate your commitment and eagerness to join the field in other ways; clubs, internships, and any other extracurricular involvement you can think of will help you do this. In the end, your degree will not make or break you (again, as long as it isn't something like Asian history).
I recommend going with what you find easiest to get a high GPA in.
Tom Brady sucks
I'd go for econ tbh if your at Northwestern/Chicago/Duke but if your at an ivy or Stanford then choose related humanities like government or political science.
Why do you want a career in investment banking/finance/consulting etc. if you can't handle a freshman/sophomore econ class? Just wondering.
Thanks guys. I'm at a school like northwestern/duke/Stanford and if I switch my major it would be to International Comparative Studies with a focus in Europe. The math classes here are severe weed out courses were the average grade is like a C+ and for an Econ major I'd have to take 4 math classes, which is a GPA killer. I'd still peruse a business certificate and I'd try to get some internships this an next summer, so I can try and get a good internship after my junior year. I'm not someone to back away from a challenge, just feel like there might be a better way to reach my goals.
I also plan on joining an entrepreneur club to help with my start up
So you swim at Duke huh?
If you're at Duke I hear their math program is ridiculously hard. Where I went to high school, we had the guys making the text books teaching our math classes and at least one friend in particular barely passed his math classes at Duke after doing well in high school advanced math courses. PM me if you want and I can try to find out specific classes/profs to avoid if it comes to that.
Regardless of where you are specifically, if you have the intellectual capacity to do the math it will only open doors for you. It's on you to decide if you can do it before you try. It's better to pick an easier major and get a high GPA than it is to take a hard major and then have a horrible GPA come recruiting time. This is true for all but the most intense quantitative jobs out there. Think Jane Street for an example of this.
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