CAS Econ vs. Stern Econ, CAS Econ vs. Stern Finance

username101 · 01-20-2009, 07:57 PM

OK I have three questions.

1. What is the difference between CAS economics and Stern enonomics? I read on the website that they are the same thing and the same courses are taken for both majors, but the CAS economics major is more of a liberal education instead of a core business education. So what will be the outcome, as in job placement, if I do CAS economics, and outcome if I do Stern economics?

2. And what will be the outcome (job placement) if I do CAS economics in comparison to Stern finance?

3. Am I still considered a legitimate "Stern student" by majoring in economics at CAS since the same courses as a Stern economics major are taken?

collegeapp09 · 01-21-2009, 05:50 PM

I don't attend NYU but from my understanding at least, I think that being a Stern student would help you more in getting a job. NYU's Stern has an amazing reputation and more companies are probably looking for students from there. Although CAS also has economics, I'd recommend going to Stern for econ (that is, if just based off of job placement). However, as you stated, if you prefer more of a liberal arts education for econ, go w/ CAS.

Stern has one of the top finance programs in the nation so the job placement for investment banking and such out of Stern is awesome, I'm sure. It all depends on whether you prefer finance or econ, though. Not everything is about job placement.

nyuking · 07-26-2009, 11:45 AM

hey. both econs are the same. however, stern allows its students to get the same major for less credit hours and less classes.

job placement? well, u have to be in stern to do stern econ, the one with less credits. usually when recruiters come, they want to hire the stern econ people first cause most have an additional major like finance.

stern finance vs cas econ. stern finance is WAY better for job placement. econ isnt even ranked really high i dont think. but stern finance is number 2 among undergraduate business schools after wharton

and no. if u major in CAS econ, u are in CAS. u are not a stern student unless u can take more than 4 stern classes.

nyuking · 07-26-2009, 11:50 AM

stern students can get all the opportunities that a CAS student can get, but a lot more from Stern. CAS students can get zero opportunity from Stern.

some say it isnt fair. but if u go to nyu, u know that Stern is the best.

som1 · 07-26-2009, 12:52 PM

lol nyuking

Dude NYU ECON is highly rated, not just stern econ or cas econ.

Id much rather do finance over econ if i was in stern (which i am and am gonna do :P)

But if u are really set on doing econ then yea major in econ. I doubt itll make a really huge difference if ur in stern or cas. Just get a high GPA , take a few stern classes and ur all set.

Alix2012 · 07-26-2009, 01:45 PM

CAS-Econ is a Liberal Arts major and it is taught more theoretically with less real-world applications - you will learn about Classical and Keynesian economic theory, economic history, and not as many real-world business applications. Stern Econ is a business curriculum, it's a lot less theoretical with more real-world applications. Most employers have heard the Stern name and it's considered a prestigious undergrad degree, but they also realize NYU-Econ (whether Stern or CAS) is pretty good - you take similar classes and share professors.

As for Stern-Finance, this is one of NYU's most prestigious programs, ranked just under Wharton. My boyfriend's in Finance and he says (so I don't know this for a fact) that it's more difficult than the other Stern majors and more competitive for admissions since people often associate Stern with Finance.

If Finance is your goal, NYU-Econ can also get you there, but Stern would be better for Finance. If you want to study Economics, Stern or CAS will do, pick depending on whether you want a liberal arts curriculum or Business curriculum.

ohgod · 07-26-2009, 01:55 PM

I'm in Stern and planning on majoring in Econ, but I think that's partially because I've never taken a finance class before and don't really have much of an idea of what it is. Hopefully the first year I can take some sort of finance course to see what I want to do. (Who knows, maybe I'm not cut out for either.

)

som1 · 07-26-2009, 07:02 PM

^^^

I dont think u can take a finance class in ur freshman year though I could be wrong

326qbbsm · 07-26-2009, 07:32 PM

I would only go to Stern for finance. Unless you really like Manhattan, everything else (including economics) you can do at another cheaper university for the same recruiters. CAS is not on par with Stern in terms of finance recruiting. Studying economics at CAS is gives off the idea that you weren't good enough for Stern regardless of what the reason was.

Bottom line, for anything business related (including economics):

Stern > CAS

som1 · 07-26-2009, 08:37 PM

stern finance > everything else at nyu :P

that doesnt mean ur doomed with a cas econ major. If u get a really good gpa (on par with ur stern counterparts) then u wont be loosing out on much. remember a good GPA is key. Even if you are in stern, it wont mean much if u dont have an impressive gpa.

Alix2012 · 07-26-2009, 09:07 PM

If you want to do something else with an Econ degree - work for a non-profit or NGO, work for the Govt or in International Relations, go into Law, Medicine, or Grad school for Econ - then CAS-Econ is better because it provides a solid liberal arts education which grad/law/med schools like to see. At many colleges, Business is also considered a "joke major" (not nyu!) so Econ will look better if you're going into law or something.

If your interests are purely in Business/Finance, go with Stern. It has the 2nd best undergrad Finance program in the country, and all the perks of NYC to boot.

ohgod · 07-26-2009, 09:12 PM

Hmm, would it be possible to be econ/finance double major in Stern, and how hard would that be? Also, what is the proper timeframe for declaring your majors?

plasma99 · 07-26-2009, 09:52 PM

@ohgod

You can do a double major in Finance and Econ in Stern and I heard(not completely sure though) its easy to do since so many of the requirements are identical for both majors. I'm also pretty sure that you official declare your major the end of sophomore year/beginning of junior year.

NuclearPakistan1 · 07-27-2009, 02:59 AM

If you're so worried about placing above Stern grads for investment banking or the equivalent, then you should major in mathematics. Mathematics majors often get hired just as much if not even more than Sternies. Math is a very hot field right now in the business world, and many white shoe boutiques will hire a mathematics major over any other major because the actual problem solving skills learned by mathematics majors correlates to the business world better than the types of problems you solve as a finance major.

This is all assuming you can maintain a high GPA as a mathematics major.

som1 · 07-27-2009, 05:36 AM

^^^

Just realize one thing that after linear algebra and probnstats maths gets VERY different from that maths u have done in HS or in ur early college classes and more importantly stuff like topology and abstract algebra arnt really that applicable to the business world (yet). Its not for every1 and even those who are good at it often struggle. I was gonna do a math major along with my finance one but my advisor told me it might not be possible so im doin a minor in math with a finance (and maybe stats as well) major.