<p>Does an econ curriculum actually prepare you for anything career-wise? Or is it just a science to learn that helps understand how people behave? </p>
<p>Would it be wise to pursue a business program over an econ one? Like if you plan work in accounting, wouldn’t be more wise to get a degree in accounting? The same question goes for finance, marketing, and management. I just don’t get how an econ program prepares for any of these careers.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t. The thing is, a lot of really bright kids end up in really well-established schools like Harvard, for example, which don’t have business programs.</p>
<p>A lot of top universities are the same way, and the alumni base and reputation attract good jobs for their students regardless of major. There are Harvard history majors managing hedge funds. Did Atilla have a hedge fund? Were the ancient greeks trading derivatives? No, but networking is key, and alumni come back to hire.</p>
<p>That said, if you plan on working in accounting, go to an accredited program. You will need to to sit for the CPA exam. If you really want to learn about finance or management, get a degree in them. However, I would only recommend accounting or finance, because they will cover the basics of marketing and management in the business core classes most likely and you’ll have more valuebal quantitative skills that aren’t as easy to learn with experience and common sense as marketing or management.</p>
<p>Many businesses like to hire bright kids and do their own training. This is why econ and other majors at top schools do very well in the business job market.</p>
<p>If you want to be an accountant, study accounting. For other jobs in business, go to the best school you can get into.</p>
<p>Please note that hmom5 is strictly talking about if you want a highly-competitive/lucrative job. It’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>If you want a decent job, you don’t have to be at a top school.</p>
<p>I have friends who were econ majors at my average state school who have landed pretty good job offers.</p>
<p>And as much as hmom5 would hate for me to admit this, I have to say that I know a few (at my average state school) who have interviewed at investment banks alongside ivy league grads.</p>
<p>Oh ofcourse, economics can be applied to many different areas. Plus, there is a lot more to economics than what you’ve described " how people behave."
I myself plan to major in economics and political science, or ecnomics and international relations/ studies.
I personally would prefer economics over accounting, finance etc… even if there is a top buisness undergraduate school. I say, if you have in thought of graduate school, such as buisness as you show interest, economics would be better. Though if your absolutely sure you wan’t to be in the buisness field, and would love a great vocational opportunity as a undergraduate… then you should likely look at undergraduate buisness school.</p>
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<p>Not true. For business jobs, as I said earlier, go to the best schools you can get into. Major is less important.</p>
<p>Yeah I wish I was a minority and a female, with my HS stats, I could have gotten into any top schools+scholarships, Eh?</p>
<p>However I am not a minority and a female.</p>
<p>You must understand that finance, etc. majors from average state schools with a good enough GPA, solid resume, etc. can get decent jobs.</p>
<p>However you seem unprepared to admit this.</p>
<p>My definition of a decent job is not a super high paying, Manhattan based, Giorgio Armani suit wearing job.
It may be to you since you are an ivy-league grad and you are expecting it, but I am not.</p>
<p>My b-school isn’t a top school at all, I initially went into this school as a pre-pharmacy major. It’s too late for me, ya know?</p>
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<p>If you don’t mind sharing sp, what undergrad did you go to, because some people say they go to a state school, and then when you ask them, they say they went to Haas, Ross, Darden, etc., which is anything but average. </p>
<p>But I agree with you for the most part still. You might not make 500k+ doing the high finance stuff, but I’m sure if you work hard, you can still make a very handsome living by going to a state school and climbing up the ladder (by handsome, I mean 150-200k if you work very hard and get a bit lucky, 100k+ if you work hard and things don’t fall your way completely). And hell, if you get very lucky and get really high in a company, you could end up making huge bucks as well, so really, it depends on you, but I agree with hmom that if you go to a top school, lots of stuff becomes significantly easier.</p>
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<p>Lets say I majored in physics instead of economics, would I be at a disadvantage entering the business world? What is it about majoring economics that gives you the edge? Or is just having a college degree just a pre-req in entering the biz world and everything else is based on your drive, how hard you work, and the ppl you know?</p>
<p>hmom does make it seem like people who can only afford state universities will fail at life, and the defence of them has so far (in this thread) said they can still be upper-middle-class with luck, but that’s not true.</p>
<p>Franks is more correct when he says your success is based on your drive.</p>
<p>For example, I go to UT Austin. It’s a state school and I went there for affordability. However, USA Today called it “the number one source of new Fortune 1000 CEOs,” not HYPS, UT.</p>
<p>As far as I’m concerned, when you’re talking about C-level management, numbers are pretty obsolete because you’re in a position to expand and make more money than an investment banker many times over.</p>
<p>I know UT is a “Public Ivy” but you can bet there are CEO alum from all top business programs and that they’ll come back to hire.</p>
<p>It’s not my intention to belittle state schools and I’ve never commented that it was hard to get a job in anything other than ibanking or management consulting from one. In fact, those are the only two types of jobs I ever comment on because that’s where I have depth of knowledge. Clearly all sorts of kids get jobs they are happy with from all colleges.</p>
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<p>sp1212, it is easier for males to get into college, there are many more qualified female candidates.</p>
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<p>The math skills a physics major needs would be attractive to many businesses.</p>
<p>hmom is actually correct. physics can be applied to finance actually largely because of calculus that is involved. my dad is an engineer and has described to me many times how you can apply physics to economics, finance, stocks, lots of thing. personally, i didn’t follow it one bit, but he knows what hes talking about and holds his own in a conversation with my investment banker uncle.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>The only thing it prepared me for is an ability to grasp why Obama and the Democrat Congress will prolong the recession and harm the country with their leftist fiscal policies. The first econ classes you take will make that very clear, even if liberal professors want to corrupt the message.</p>
<p>Here is what my experience was like as an Econ major: Sitting in classroom after classroom, year after year, with bright, ambitious students and angry, leftist professors. They taught us little more than that the USA was an imperialist, evil empire. Of course, Reagan was in office back then, and things really weren’t going their way. I know some are still teaching (I can’t believe it, but they are). They are probably as happy as can be, these days.</p>
<p>For the best career prospects, if you must major in economics, I would combine it with as much business math as possible (even a double major). It’s a more practical approach. If I could do it all over again I would not major in economics. Intro to Economics, Macro, and Micro teach you everything which is really worthwhile (and objective). Take those as electives. A business major would be, IMHO, more interesting and valuable career-wise.</p>
<p>No one was talking about politics in here. Keep your stupid politics out of here!!</p>
<p>^Wow, in addition to your insecurity about the school you attend you seem to have anger issues.</p>
<p>Hmom5, just to let ya know, I am VERY proud of my school and I absolutely LOVE it here. I would chose this school over Wharton anyday.</p>
<p>As far as the “anger issues” are concerned, these boards aren’t the place to discuss politics.</p>
<p>Now is it me or is an older, intelligent, I-banking Ivy Leaguer trying to point out the flaws of a 20 year old…ONLINE? Real mature.</p>
<p>sp1212 -</p>
<p>The issue of whether or not to be an economics major cannot legitimately be discussed without at least referencing the potential experience of being assaulted by subjective politics, rather than being properly prepared for the future with an objective, marketable education. </p>
<p>On the other hand, introductory economics courses do prepare a person for the critical thinking necessary to responsibly participate in our society, and to make the types of decisions which could lead to being a successful jobs creator (a business owner and employer). </p>
<p>My experience was exactly as described. </p>
<p>Fear not the free speech of others. You are correct - this is not the political forum, nor are politics being discussed. The experience of being an economics major is the topic, and that is what the post was about. A question was asked, and it was answered honestly. That the truth I want to share involved a necessary and brief touch upon something controversial is no reason to get one’s knickers in a knot.</p>
<p>Attempting to sanitize and control the opinions of others is not helpful to anyone. Students have a right to hear the whole truth about what they could possibly experience with this major, and after listening to input from many different sources, they can decide for themselves what to do.</p>
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<p>It’s you. Most of your posts are not helpful or accurate and others are downright nasty. I was trying to encourage personal growth.</p>
<p>^Seriously, sp1212. When you are blessed with time and effort given freely to you by experienced, well educated people who have decades in the real world, you should be grateful (at least for the intention). You don’t need to agree, but a little politeness goes a long way. That is what maturity actually looks like.</p>
<p>You want fries with that?</p>