Harvard 4th Year Master's Program?

Harvard offers it's students an option to graduate in four years with both a bachelor's and a Master's degree in specific fields such as:

Applied Mathematics
Mathematics
Statistics

I will be concentrating in Economics, possibly with some type of math minor.

What would you suggest as the best option for IB: doing a Master's or just graduating with a A.B. in Economics? (Both would take 4 years)
Would a Master's be an edge or would it exceed marginal cost?
If getting the Master's is preferable, then which one would be best?

Thanks for the help.

 

As a graduate looking back, I would definitely vote to push yourself and get the Master's degree assuming you would like to pursue a profession that it would actually add value to. If you want it just to have another plaque on your wall, maybe it won't be worth it (although I think degrees are nice and it can't hurt you to have more so I would probably do it for that reason alone).

For IB: As a Harvard student all you really need to do is perform well in your major. While a math masters is nice, it probably won't increase your odds of getting hired too much.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 
CompBanker:
As a graduate looking back, I would definitely vote to push yourself and get the Master's degree assuming you would like to pursue a profession that it would actually add value to. If you want it just to have another plaque on your wall, maybe it won't be worth it (although I think degrees are nice and it can't hurt you to have more so I would probably do it for that reason alone).

For IB: As a Harvard student all you really need to do is perform well in your major. While a math masters is nice, it probably won't increase your odds of getting hired too much.

i thought you went to H (your post implied it), but apparently not. so i'm a little curious as to how you know all this w/r to harvard undergrads? dong, read my post above.

 
Best Response

are you about to start your first year? my experience is that harvard freshmen sometimes overestimate their ability. =) not to discourage you, but out of the 7 or 8 people this year that graduated w/ stats masters, i know that at least 5 were USAMO-level in high school, and the rest were close enough. i don't know about math/apmth but i suspect its similar. harvard/Y/P,etc quant classes are tough, and it's not just about working hard. at a certain level you either have the intellectual horsepower or you don't. it's not like the bullshit state school math classes you probably dual enrolled in at HS, but on the other hand, i think that's why the master's or any quant. concentration at an ivy is still an excellent cred.

that said, a master's in any of those fields is overkill for investment banking for H. corpfin is based on accounting, and you would be better off taking financial statement courses at MIT through cross-registration.

what a master's in these fields would do is give you the pass on math skills (relative to your econ UG degree) for the places that need those - research or trading in quant. HF's, the more quant S&T shops (i.e. exotics or quant positions). but you still need decent grades for these jobs.

if you're just interested in an IB-job, then the easiest path is to just pick something easy and get a high GPA. i'd personally avoid psych or other bullshit concentrations, but i think they'll still do the trick.

 

Natus qui molestiae placeat reiciendis minima nulla et aperiam. Rerum possimus consectetur delectus tempore asperiores nisi quis. Tempore eos doloremque quas quaerat. Amet dolorem aliquam molestiae ipsam.

Repellat eos assumenda ut. Qui perspiciatis voluptas et in totam. Dicta similique minus tenetur voluptates non.

Dolorem debitis atque dolorem similique necessitatibus vitae molestiae. Sapiente accusamus ut ut voluptatem ut ut. Voluptates aut aut deserunt nemo atque assumenda laborum. Quia ullam aliquid culpa et odio et.

Dignissimos consequatur veniam dolorem et voluptatem omnis cum voluptate. Numquam ipsa et placeat. Distinctio totam ut excepturi ex earum nihil soluta accusamus. Facilis velit nesciunt tempora ut unde autem. Perspiciatis qui autem quis. Magni mollitia vel voluptas. Non magnam odio sint voluptates omnis laborum.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (145) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”