Add econ major to my math degree?

I know a lot of people post of whether to double major, but I found it usually was the other way around from my current situation.

I'm a junior studying pure math and realized today that I could probably also add an econ major if I pick my electives carefully. I was wondering how helpful would this be for landing an IB gig? what about Bschool?

It is very clear from my resume I am interested in finance since I've done 4 finance internships already.

I am at a non-target with a 3.7 GPA in pure math.

 
Best Response

Doubt it will add much value to the internships for IB, but wouldn't know for sure. B-School I'm shooting pretty much blind as I get a sense they look at things beyond experience/major(s) more carefully than finance people typically do.

One data point that maybe more relevant to you: I was an econ & math double major until my senior year. I dropped the econ major in order to free up time to get drunk and tap ass (even if econ is very easy compared to analysis/algebra, it isn't as easy as basket weaving 101).

No regrets.

Looking back on my under grad, I am of two minds: first, I think every class I took outside of STEM was a waste of time as I learned very little from them. Second, I wish I had partied even more than I did. I have never wished I finished my econ major, though I did manage to land at a buy side shop and I might feel differently if I had not (could imagine feeling silly for not finishing it if I were stuck in a bad job).

 

Similar story to Marked to Market -- I'm a math major. I thought about majoring in Economics until I realized that the way Econ is taught at the undergraduate level literally makes it completely fucking useless.

They treat the very basic mathematical concepts with kid gloves, so that the B.A. "I could barely pass me my Single-Variable Calculus Class" can keep up, and any value you could extract from the study could be better spent: A) Studying it yourself; B) Learning some more useful skill; C) Drinking; 4) Tapping Ass.

 

I don't think it could hurt. My college roommate was a pure math major and added econ in his junior year as well. He pretty much rocked all of his econ classes and has a gig doing muni finance now.

 

the only double major I can squeeze in would be math and econ. They separate econ and finance completely at my school so I wouldn't be able to take anymore finance classes as I'd need those elective spots for the econ degree.

 

econ is a useless major and a useless degree. take classes in stats, other areas of math, or some science. you will never absorb as well as you do in college. don't waste your time on stupid bullshit taught by clueless second rate minds that is not taken seriously by any financial practitioner.

 
melvvvar:
econ is a useless major and a useless degree. take classes in stats, other areas of math, or some science. you will never absorb as well as you do in college. don't waste your time on stupid bullshit taught by clueless second rate minds that is not taken seriously by any financial practitioner.

LOL, why so cynical?

I agree that Econ is an absolute bullshit of a major at undergrad level. And, I say this as an Econ major.

Honestly, Econ isn't that marketable to employers anyway. It is just as marketable as any other liberal arts degree, which isn't saying much.

 

Econ is the best non finance/statistics/math/accounting/business major you can have coming out of undergrad if you want to work in finance. The biggest disadvantage would be you wont be able to get a job at a boutique because they won't want to teach you the basic finance and accounting you need to get going -- but they wouldn't hire a history major either. From my school being a math econ major was pretty marketable. Among all jobs in the economy, economics is probably the most valuable undergraduate major because they know you can think critically about shit in a quantitative sense -- and that can translate broadly to many fields.


the single most annoying thing about being an econ major (regardless of what career path you chose) the average person you encounter (even quite a few people in business) will think you studied and know finance and accounting. so annoying.

 

Math = Physics = Chem = Engineering > Econ = Biology > Business degree. Everything else, largely, is crap.

"When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is." - Oscar Wilde "Seriously, psychology is for those with two x chromosomes." - RagnarDanneskjold
 
UncleMilty:
Math = Physics = Chem = Engineering > Econ = Biology > Business degree. Everything else, largely, is crap.

I would say, based on the employment prospects at my Ivy and other peer schools ---

Engineering >> Statistics > Business = Econ > Physics >>> Math, Bio, Chem >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Psych, History, Soci, English, etc.

 
seedy underbelly:
UncleMilty:
Math = Physics = Chem = Engineering > Econ = Biology > Business degree. Everything else, largely, is crap.

I would say, based on the employment prospects at my Ivy and other peer schools ---

Engineering >> Statistics > Business = Econ > Physics >>> Math, Bio, Chem >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Psych, History, Soci, English, etc.

Hmm. Interesting observation.

So, in your opinion, Employers regard Econ degree with much more favorable light compared to humanities/ liberal arts majors?

However, I don't agree that Econ is more marketable than math or physics. I don't know how marketable Bio or Chem major is at undergrad... actually what kind of jobs can you get with a Chem degree?? Research assistant at a pharmaceutical company?

 

The reason I don't think too highly of my Econ degree is because when I applied for equity research jobs and quant/ high frequency trading jobs, many of HR recruiters shot me an email saying that my degree and coursework wasn't quantitative enough to merit a consideration for their posted jobs.

Outside of banking and consulting, is Econ degree even valued by any employers?

 

guys, I think I won't do the extra econ degree because I feel college is the my last chance to study some philosophy, politics, physics, math etc...

The econ degree won't make my schedule very flexible, so I'll just pick and choose a couple interesting econ classes and not worry about taking the shitty econ classes just to fulfill major requirements.

If I ever do get into IBD, I know i'll never have time to learn those subjects. If I don't get into IBD, I probably be networking even more and still won't have anytime to study them.

what do you guys think?

 

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