Applied Stats vs. Business Data Analysis for finance? (Sophomore at a tier 4 school, need advice)

Hi all,

I’m currently a sophomore at a Tier 4 school majoring in Business Administration & Data Analysis, but I’m seriously considering switching to Applied Statistics.

I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth grinding through a much harder major, or if I should stick to a more general path. To be completely honest, I don't have a hyper-specific career locked in yet, but I know I want to end up in finance. I’m trying to figure out if the added pain and heavier workload of switching to a more rigorous major will actually help me, or if I should just stick to my current path. Specifically, I want to know if Applied Stats will genuinely teach me better, more valuable hard skills that give me an edge, or if it's overkill when I'm already starting from scratch.

Right now, I have zero experience, I need to catch up on fundamentals, and I need to start networking aggressively. I'm ready to put in the work, but I want to make sure that effort is being spent on something that will actually move the needle for finance.

If you were in my shoes, would the skills and resume boost from an Applied Stats degree justify the extra difficulty, or am I better off sticking to a more general major and focusing my energy elsewhere? I would really appreciate an honest perspective.