Advice Needed: Masters vs. Double Major vs. Minor from Non-Target School
I'm a freshman who is transferring to a non-target college next semester (think Penn State, UMD, Ohio State, UW Madison etc) and I'm trying to pick between just one major (finance) double major with finance (either math, econ, information systems, operations management & business analytics) a minor or two with finance (statistics, business analytics, data science) or a 1 year Masters during my senior year (Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Information, Systems, Management Studies, Marketing Analytics, Quantitative Finance, Supply Chain Management). I'll be coming in with around 45 credits, and be at around 60 by the end of my freshmen year, so I'm having some trouble figuring out what to do because I know I'll have a lot of space in my schedule. I'm targeting IB, so I want to know which option to pick to optimize for that, but general advice is also welcome.
Thank you very much!
Edit: I think my post got automatically sorted to the business school discussion, and I can't change it back to IB. Sorry that this post isn't relevant to this forum.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights to help you decide between a double major, minor, or a one-year master's program from a non-target school:
Double Major
Minor
One-Year Master's Program
General Advice
Conclusion
For targeting investment banking, a double major in finance and accounting or a quantitative field (math, statistics, computer science) is highly recommended. If you prefer a minor, choose one that adds quantitative skills like statistics or business analytics. A one-year master's in accounting, business analytics, or finance can also be beneficial if you have the time and resources.
Remember, the current time is October 15th, 2024, so plan your academic path accordingly to maximize your opportunities in the upcoming years.
Sources: Best Undergraduate Double Major at a Non-Target B-School?, What should I major in to get into investment banking from a non-target school?, Best college major for IB at Ivy?, Target schools for IB, Networking 101 – 8 tips from a “non-target” school student
You have a lot going on. What are you really interested in because you can't truly be interested in all these things? If all you want to do is get into IB then a lot of this is overkill. You need to prioritize your GPA and networking - that's where the bulk of your efforts should be. If you're coming from a non-target then you're going to have to network harder than a kid going to a target school. All these extra majors and minors have diminishing returns that will make getting a high GPA harder.
You have to show interest in finance and as a non-target you don't have the luxury of taking some bullshit and watching the seas part for you because you went to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale. Take something finance-related that proves your interest in finance which can add to your story, develop a relationship with your finance professors (even non-target finance professors can be helpful with getting a job sometimes because you never know who or what someone knows), get a high GPA, and network your ass off. Don't give yourself extra work and make things harder for yourself when all you want is a job at an IB. Unless you're genuinely interested in operations management and economics then it's not worth it. That's my 2 cents.
accidentally replied to my reply, sorry
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