What was your UG Courseload like?

Hey guys, I'm interested in knowing what your undergrad course loads were like and how they affected your recruiting outcomes.

I'm going to be attending a pretty academically intense target (UChicago) and I'm a little worried about the GPA. 

To improve my odds of being able to achieve a 3.8-9 GPA, I'm thinking of reducing the intensity of my courseload.

For example, there's a Business Econ major that's considered to be a lot easier as it cuts out a lot of math. I'm also thinking of not going for the highest honor-level courses so that I'm not being curved against a full class of geniuses. 

From your experience and knowledge, would having an easier courseload like what I detailed above be a considerable disadvantage in the recruiting process? 

7 Comments
 

Yeah that’s what it seems like, I’m just worried taking the easier major and easier courses will look less appealing to top firms and MBAs down the line. Is this a legit concern?

 

Lmaooo. No one gives a fuck. Firms don't even check your coursework when they screen resumes. They only care about GPA. Same with MBAs, I believe. Please take only the easiest possible courses at UChicago before recruiting.

 
Most Helpful

Upperclassman at an academically tough school (MIT/Princeton/UChicago) currently and I'd say that you should challenge yourself with courses (don't go with econ because it's easy). GPA is less important if you network because you can still get your resume pushed that way. Ultimately, hard courses are meant to make you think, whether it's a tough course in political thought or a rigorous proof-based math course. Although something like proof-based math is probably not directly applicable to the roles I assume you will be gunning for in a few years, by challenging yourself academically, you've taught yourself how to learn under pressure. I have spoken with alumni from my school and multiple have independently claimed that learning how to learn is one of the best things they took away from their undergrad experiences. Only thing I'd say is that you should ease up on the load in sophomore spring so that you can actually focus on recruiting. Otherwise though, push yourself. Take the honors courses if you think you can handle them. Also, when you actually interview, these courses can give you great talking points, might make you a well-spoken candidate, and will definitely make you stand out rather than coming across as a run-of-the-mill business major.

 

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