Thoughts on Econ major vs Business if offered

[Anonymous]

Econ is better by a large margin unless it is penn, MIT or a couple of others top ones for business. Look at targets for recruiting: many ivy+ schools do not have business degrees and yet still are top targets. Econ at penn despite wharton’s existence still is a highly targeted group over a couple of the T10s for econ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which business major? I’m not a fan of General business, management, marketing (especially if lacking math) for undergrad. Accounting and finance can be ok, depending on the school. On the Econ major, depends if the student wants a liberal arts education. And Econ at the top schools is much better than at most schools. Look for programs where calculus is required for the Econ major.

I desperately wish Econ programs would cement themselves into the liberal arts and prepare their students more towards graduate education than the workforce. I know it’s unrealistic, but most economics graduates do not have anywhere close to enough math.

There are a few Econ phd programs that take more applicants from math and physics departments than Econ ones. Linear+Calc 1-3 should be the minimum.

This is true. In fact, most Econ PhD students at top schools double majored in math and econ. Some even just studied math.

[Anonymous]

I think you need a masters if you go the Econ route and plan to work as an economist. If you plan to be some type of finance career, at least take the first two accounting courses and some finance courses as most economists majors end up in some starter FP& A job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious if people have opinions here

Econ unless there's a separate business school with a significantly lower acceptance rate.

[Anonymous]

I hire on Wall Street and would strongly prefer Econ major

[Anonymous]

There are some very old timers saying Econ, but in reality if the schools have business programs they are almost always harder to even get in and more prestigious.

For example, UPenn, Cornell, Notre Dame, NYU, Georgetown, Berkeley, UVA, Emory, etc. etc.
For many schools you even have to apply again to the business program in your freshman or sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some very old timers saying Econ, but in reality if the schools have business programs they are almost always harder to even get in and more prestigious.

For example, UPenn, Cornell, Notre Dame, NYU, Georgetown, Berkeley, UVA, Emory, etc. etc.
For many schools you even have to apply again to the business program in your freshman or sophomore year.

“Old timers.” The most prestigious schools don’t even have business programs.

[Anonymous]

Undergrad business unless from Wharton or Babson is worthless. I’d go with Econ for the rigor and math because from there you can go to b school more easily.

[Anonymous]

Why plan to waste more $$ in b school.
If you have good undergrad business degree, you don't need to go to a B school.
In terms of usefulness, business majors are much better - Finance, Accounting, Analytics, MIS, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some very old timers saying Econ, but in reality if the schools have business programs they are almost always harder to even get in and more prestigious.

For example, UPenn, Cornell, Notre Dame, NYU, Georgetown, Berkeley, UVA, Emory, etc. etc.
For many schools you even have to apply again to the business program in your freshman or sophomore year.

“Old timers.” The most prestigious schools don’t even have business programs.

Back then, they didn't have CS major either. Even today, some of the schools considered 'the most prestigious' are not really known for CS and Tech. Things slowly progress, MIT has a top notch business program.
Brown and Rice relatively recently started business programs.

[Anonymous]

Econ has broader applications, more opportunities.

Business is a bigger edge for more specific job opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Undergrad business is meh because real world experience is valuable before business school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Undergrad business is meh because real world experience is valuable before business school.

Undergrad business students get internships, then jobs and get real world experience more easily.

[Anonymous]

OP - my DC is attending a T20 national university that has a business school. My advice is to double major in business (maybe finance) rather than Econ for purposes of getting a job later. I get the snottiness around liberal arts Econ vs business but it seems like the right move esp since he’s not a big math wiz. Strong enough to handle business classes but not the type who will become an Econ PhD. Am I thinking about this correctly?

[Anonymous]

I double majored in Econ and Accounting.
If you are not at a T25, then do Business (preferably finance or accounting). I do not think Econ majors get too much respect if you are not at a top school.
Totally opposite - you can go to University of (insert state), major in accounting, pass the CPA exam and get a job that pays well. If you don't want to be an accountant, it is trickier and have to find a school that has a good business program in what you want to do plus be at top of class.