Ruining my chances with a college minor?
Hello everyone! I am a freshman in a "non-target" school with a 4.0 gpa. I'm studying finance with a concentration in investment management coming into school with 28 credits from high school courses. I'd really like to get involved in AM, PE, IB, or ER.
Although I enjoy my classes, I feel like I'm not being challenged enough with my finance curriculum. I have a strong liking for math and statistics, and I really believe it's going to help me later on. However, after taking a linear algebra course this semester, I think a math or stats major would lower my gpa because I would most likely get B's in those classes. Additionally, taking those harder classes would take away time from my investing club at school and other opportunities. I heard it's bad to graduate a semester early, and that is what I would probably do with only one major. What are your thoughts?
Do you guys think it's worth it to pursue a minor? If so, what minor do you guys think I should do? Does a stats or math minor benefit me more than working on recruiting and internships? I would greatly appreciate any comments you guys have.
Comments (13)
I honestly expected a different thread...
Very misleading
Title had me worried lol.
For your question, as much as I want to tell you to follow your interest and explore math, I think the impact on your GPA and time (ability to be involved with studying, networking, recruiting, job experience, club experience) will not be worth it.
If it were a math major and you could still beat the 3.5, I think recruiters would excuse more because you'd easily clear the smart stamp, but I don't think a minor offers much.
For the extra semester, maybe focusing on an intensive internship or studying abroad would be great ways to spend that time.
If you want IB, just get the 4.0 unless you can swing a math minor and keep the 4.0.
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
My friend graduated early and said it was a great decision. College is fun at the start but by the end you just want to get out and start making big money. If/when you start in IB/ER, you're gonna have no life and no time to do the things you like or wanted to. Take the extra semester, rest and recuperate so you're ready to start the long hours. If you get bored, use your SA money or any additional savings/work money to travel or do fun things.
I don't think a math minor will help in recruiting, but it sounds like it could sure do harm.
Worst comes to worse after you secure your SA/FT offer, take the extra semester and do your math minor then in your senior year.
Thanks for the insight!
I've heard I won't be eligible for a senior year summer internship if I graduate a semester early. Is this something your friend encountered as well?
Not too sure. He did a SA stint in his junior year summer and FT recruited separately.
Never clicked faster on a thread on WSO. Was wondering if you'd get WSO into trouble
No. Hell no
Please don't
okay I've changed my title. Sorry for the misleading wording!
If you did take on a few minor classes, take some interesting econ classes that back your finance degree like game-theory or behavorial economics. Used to be you could have a double major Econ & Finance, so not sure if that's available to you that'd soak up your interest for more to do. Don't bomb those minor classes obviously. Even still, sake your finance classes first so you at least have the solid major GPA and then can explain away the minor courses that may have dropped your overall GPA. (Hint: I only ever talked about my major GPA in interviews coming out of undergrad)
Beyond that, graduating early in my experience is a sign of ambition and "gumption". Everyone I talked to in interviews about how I pulled that one out was impressed. You don't even want to know how I graduated highschool early and then rounded out the college degree with 54 hours in just under a year.
Don't do the minor, I got IB from non target with no minor. Keep GPA high and learn math or stats through coursera online!
Does anyone think a minor would help in any finance industries? Even if it might not directly relate material wise, could it look good on a resume? A minor in mathematics (at my non target) is 12 credit hours, which I already have 10 of due to being an engineering student coming into undergrad. Genuinely curious as I might take the last class in fall for the minor and might be applicable for others.
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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee