<p>As an econ major, it’s really important to keep in mind that CAS Econ and AEM are two very programs. Economics is a social science while AEM is business. I suggest you compare curriculum/courses for both programs and see which you are more attracted to. I further suggest taking a sample of courses required for both programs and compare course descriptions. Also keep in mind CAS vs. CALS in regards to requirements. Econ is somewhat more flexible (I think) in that the major itself only requires 8 classes. Both usually lead towards similar careers, though economics tends to be more flexible. AEM is also definitely considered easier than econ. It’s common for econ majors to take AEM courses and vice versa, it’s a general consensus that economics is more rigorous (because it is more of a “science”). That said, pick what interests you the most, not what you think will be easier to apply for.</p>