It depends on the school. Hopefully you can at least complete an economics minor. The reality of polisci is that most schools hve pretty laid back departments, ie. easy A's. If you go to a top target (and not a bus school target ala NYU/UVA), you should be fine. I would recommend trying to get the econ though as it will make the road easier...

 

The issue here isn't how relevant econ will be to ibanking, but how difficult. If you can't handle econ, how would you handle 14 hour work days? I'm not saying this as an absolute, but the obvious reason ibanks hire finance/math/econ majors, aside from the relevance factor, is the difficulty factor.

Of course, some people just don't like/aren't good at specific things, and in your case econ. If you're going to drop econ, I'd suggest picking up something to make yourself look more competitive.

 

If you aren't in stern it would be a bad idea.  I would try to transfer into stern if not though.  I will admit, though, that there are some tisch kids trying for IBD.  I think they have a decent chance comparatively.  As for CAS, I would be skeptical as its not reeally a renown program for anything.

 
Best Response

I am an NYU College of Arts & Science alum, I'm in IBD.  Don't listen to Pmcgui.  I majored in econ, I think it probably helped.  Looking back, I probably would've rather majored in something else (ie. politics), but I think the econ major definitely helps a lot.  Granted, I had a strong resume (not to be 'that guy'), but I still think an econ major helps.  I did make sure to take plenty of non-econ classes (politics, history, art history, etc.) for the sake of fun and interest. 

Note that some of the real sternie types might talk some shit to you, but pay them no mind.  Those kids usually end up doing audit work at PWC, hahaha.  Work hard, have a good resume with solid work experience and leadership crap on there and you will be fine, and chances are you will have enjoyed your undergraduate classes a helluva lot more than the douchebag that was taking "M-O-A" or "M-A" or whatever the hell else they have to suffer through.  I've got plenty of friends from Stern, but there is a whole subset of sternies that are such fuckin' tools, Pmcgui sounds kinda like them. 

 

That is obviously the case with the subsets but you have got to be fucking kidding me about the PWC and other shit.  25%+ of stern seniors go into BB ibd.  I was not saying that is not possible to go from CAS, rather that it is much easier to do so from stern.  Plus, if you have an interest in finance, why not further it through your education.  Also, IB does not exactly require genius level quant skills or analytics.  For an analyst position you mainly need to be a hard worker.  That said, its not about what you learned in school so much as who you know, your grades, and your school's reputation.  Its the same deal with UPenn.  The recruiters come mainly for Wharton and pick up some liberal arts kids along the way.  I really don't think you know too much about stern's curriculum too.  The econ major for CAS requires much more math than the regular (not theoretical) econ major in stern (though core classes and others will be much harder and have a lot less grade inflation that in CAS).  I wish people would think about what is being said on these threads and not assume its an attack on CAS.  I am just saying that if you want to go into IBD from NYU, stern is a far better place to be than in CAS with a political science major.  Please, try to argue that.  

 
Pmcgui:

That is obviously the case with the subsets but you have got to be fucking kidding me about the PWC and other shit.  25%+ of stern seniors go into BB ibd.  I was not saying that is not possible to go from CAS, rather that it is much easier to do so from stern.  Plus, if you have an interest in finance, why not further it through your education.  Also, IB does not exactly require genius level quant skills or analytics.  For an analyst position you mainly need to be a hard worker.  That said, its not about what you learned in school so much as who you know, your grades, and your school's reputation.  Its the same deal with UPenn.  The recruiters come mainly for Wharton and pick up some liberal arts kids along the way.  I really don't think you know too much about stern's curriculum too.  The econ major for CAS requires much more math than the regular (not theoretical) econ major in stern (though core classes and others will be much harder and have a lot less grade inflation that in CAS).  I wish people would think about what is being said on these threads and not assume its an attack on CAS.  I am just saying that if you want to go into IBD from NYU, stern is a far better place to be than in CAS with a political science major.  Please, try to argue that.  

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, slow your role young man. 

There are two tracks of econ in both schools, doesn't really matter which you take.  The theory track in CAS requires that one takes more math.  Though, I think it's a total waste of time to study econ theory unless you want a masters degree in econ or to be a quant.  Also, all talk of grade inflation in CAS econ is ridiculous, there is a curve, might not be the Stern curve, but it exists and it hurts people.  Furthermore, even if 25% of Stern students got into BB IBD (which is almost unquestionably too high a number, I'd say 25% is more accurate for IBD in general), there is still another 75% of students (approximately 375 kids) who do not go into BB IBD or IBD in general.  I did not attempt to attack you, but to brush the kid off and suggest he should try and transfer to Stern is non-sense and sounds very much like the typical Sternie response.  Clearly Stern is a great school and all that, but it, fairly, gets a rep for having a lot of know-it-all, holier-than-thou, douchebags.  Past that, with the right grades and maybe taking an accounting class and macroeconomics, I don't think a top politics student would be unable to do it, at all.  I never said it'd be EASIER than being a top finance student, don't mince my words and tell me to "argue" a point I never made.  Now, get back to your MOA homework and work on your resume so it doesn't look like crap when you send it in and I review it. 

 

I'm doing econ and politics myself.  I know english majors at NYU that go into IBD.  I've met plenty of alumni that didn't go to stern, some of whom didn't major in econ either.  Since NYU politics is more quant-based than other programs (lots of game theory), you can use that to your advantage.

 

so its a top target.  no one really gives a shit what u majored in - that econ major really wont help ESPECIALLY if u r sacrificing any of ur gpa to get it.  Go get a high gpa in poli sci, network ur butt off, list relevant coursework on ur resume, be able to nail the technical interview questions - ull be fine.

 

Econ was a joke major at my school (Top 10).

I did a science myself, but took a couple of Econ classes for IB. Aced them. All the classes were full of jocks and dumbasses who sat in the back of the class and didn't say anything. The curve was fantastic as well. A 75 in my Physics class was C, in Econ, it was sometimes an A-! Econ outside of say UChicago is pretty easy (I know lots of friends at other top schools who are doing it). Also, Econ doesn't really build any "quantitative skills". Take a Physics class and you're realize how much of a joke all the math and modeling you do in Econ is.

 

Thanks! I'm definietley afriad it might hurt my GPA, especially with all the recruiting going on

How are joint majors looked upon? any difference in a Econ-Poli Sci vs. Poli Sci-Econ major? The one you take more classes in goes first, but I don't know how that will be looked upon.

 

Completely agree and is basically what I was saying earlier.  At Ivies, BBs recruit the whole school actively.  At a place like NYU, the distinct between colleges is apparent in recruiting efforts.  Math would be good too.  I know a lot of schools will count stats as math and you probably already had to take lots of math for the econ major anyways, so that might be a good idea (though not much easier than econ unless its the theory that is killing you).

 

must - have - strength...whew. Im Ok. Im Ok. All right, to the quesiton at hand: Im assuming you listed the double major on your resume to these firms? And you dont want to have misrepresented yourself? Dont be concerned. It prolly wont even come up. Just be prepared on the long shot theres a background check at somepoint and you have to clear up the confusion. Obviously, I would have a different spin than the naked truth you wrote here.

I think double majors are a definite positive, they hint at work ethic and multiperspective, but as defined as Econ-Poli v Poli-Econ? Shouldnt make a difference. I have to disagree somewhat with the comments above though. While I do agree that being from an Ivy gives you a certain advantage, dont forget you are also competing w/ other Ivy candidates. There are a lot more Econ/Engineering/Finance/Math majors sitting in these seats than most other disciplines for a reason - they are targeted. And its all about continually upping your odds. I wouldnt drop Econ completely, at least keep it as a minor.

On a more harsher note, if your not being able to handle an EconStat class hints at being uncomfortable w/ mathematics and statistics, I would really re-evaluate getting involved in this business. I wouldnt call it hardcore math/stat intense, but youll live and breathe numbers every day. Are you sure you want that?

 

It is not so much that the math or numbers bother me, I just find stats and regression analysis SO BORING and we have to write a paper in the end of class.

I am so stressed with this class.

and with recruiting.

 

oh I definitely know what you mean.  Can you still drop the class and pick up another?  I would try that if you can and then switch your major to something else.  If you go to one of the top ivies, it definitely doesn't matter what you major in and if you go to one of the others, it most likely doesn't matter either.  Do a math major and take the easiest classes if all you care about is a high gpa and getting by.

 

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