<p>I am very uncertain about what I would like to do for a career, so I'm asking anyone here for advice. I originally thought about engineering because I enjoy math and don't mind science, however I am not into designing things (I'm far from the most creative person in the world). I thought maybe about a degree in Finance, but I do not go to a top 50 school so getting into stocks or ibanking seems like a near impossibilty. Accounting is always an option, however...it seems like such an uninteresting field (no offense to anyone, it is just my personal opinion). Does anyone have any suggestions?
My credentials:
High School GPA - 3.75
SATs: CR 650 M 560 W 600
ACTs: 26</p>
<p>While I always have enjoyed math, my highest grades were always in writing and english classes. This has made me consider a field in journalism, since it always seemed like an interesting job. However, I hate writing classes and can't stand writing essays. This leads me right back to having no clue what career field to pursue.</p>
<p>Well, you could do accounting, work for a couple of years, and then go to a "top" b-school. Or, if you keep on getting good grades, you could work at Goldman/Lehman as an analyst (not an associate), go back to bschool after a couple of years, and then switch to the banking division (I am 99% sure that this can be done).</p>
<p>Orange 44, I went to a couple of other theads to get some background. I see you have ben at Syracuse, and looking to go back to a regional Penn State. </p>
<p>I have some familiarity with the Penn States, so the following comment --while more general --applies to you situation.</p>
<p>If you think FInance, may be of interest to you,. go for it. Your undergrad degree will not get in your way. ( A defeatist attitude might !) NOw it is true that probably some options are not open to you. Well that is life, but you have many many available. </p>
<p>For example, every consumer bank needs Finance mahjors, most industrial houses hire finance majors and accounts left and right. A good friend of mine got his Finance degree from Arkansas- Little Rock.. started at an energy company in Tulsa Ok, worked in numerous finance positions, ultimately lived around the world and was finance manager in an Overseas Division.</p>
<p>I could go on and on .....IF --and this is the IF ... FInance is of interest to you, do feel all is lost. You may have to be a little mroe creative, but hang in there</p>
<p>I greatly appreciate the effort of that post rty456. I'm not exactly sure whether finance truly interests me or not yet, I'm trying to learn more about it. I have always hoped for an interesting career that is also potentially lucrative (who doesn't?). Since being a pro athlete/movie star/hollywood producer/etc. is out of the question, I researched careers in business and have read that finance can be a very exciting field and is also good for those who like math. However, lately I have read (on this forum especially) that it is tough to get going in finance if you're not from a top 50 school and that it would be better to pursue a career in accounting, which as I have already stated, is not something that sounds exciting to me in the least bit.</p>
<p>Please keep the suggestions coming, any advice from anyone is appreciated.</p>
<p>Orange44, please keep in mind that CC forums are most decidedly NOT representative. For the most part, posters here focus on elite, highly competitive schools and you will find many posters who have what I consider to be a very condescending attitude towards any school not in the top 25 of the USNWR rankings (as if those rankings can really determine someone's future!).</p>
<p>To succeed in any career, you have to work hard. Simply having a degree from a top school will not bring you success -- just as having a degree from a lower-ranked school will not preclude you from being successful. Just consider how many thousands of jobs there are in the financial sector and how many finance/business/economics majors graduate from the elite schools each year. Obviously there are many people doing well in finance who did not go to a top school.</p>
<p>I have a brother with a master's from Wharton (undergrad at Fordham), who is currently unemployed and has been for several months. Another brother went to SUNY-Binghamton and is now making big, big bucks on Wall Street. Both situations have much more to do with their personalities and work habits than the name of the schools on their degrees</p>
<p>The key is to find something that really interests you so that you are willing to put in the effort it takes to succeed. You don't need to decide on a career path now. Look for colleges that offer classes in a wide variety of subjects, and use your four years as a time to explore different options.</p>
<p>
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The key is to find something that really interests you so that you are willing to put in the effort it takes to succeed. You don't need to decide on a career path now. Look for colleges that offer classes in a wide variety of subjects, and use your four years as a time to explore different options.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>To find something that reall interests me is my ultimate goal. My biggest fear is to graduate with a degree and then realize that I no longer desire to work in the field I chose. I look at kids who come into college knowing for sure that they want to be an engineer/doctor/lawyer/etc. and wish that I had a goal such as that, but the truth is that I have no idea what I want to be, other than perhaps a slight interst in finance. I can't help but feel that I'm sort of running low on time, since in a lot of places you must declare a major by your junior year.</p>
<h2>YOu know i was thinking about this thread. there are so many different jobs out there, For example, I was reaseching CNA insurance for investment resons. I was on there websit and they had a job for a financial analyst/ statistical modeller. Here is the description, obviously a Senior postion, but clearly people with less experience working with this job.... there are lots fo interesting things out there</h2>
<p>Acts as technical expert responsible for developing financial, economical and statistical models of a complex nature for a product line or business unit to be used by senior management for making business decisions and formulating business strategy.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
1. Performs complex modeling for the purpose of forecasting and analyzing various economic or business conditions and their impact on specific lines-of-business, the company or the industry and makes recommendations to senior management.
2. Develops methodologies, assumptions, quantifications, and computer programs to capture data for complex analyses. Includes designing and writing programs using a variety of programming languages and software tools.
3. Provides strong quantitative support in financial analysis, management reporting, and other financial and statistical research.
4. Produces highly technical reports and spreadsheets, and communicates with other analytical staff and management, including presentations to senior management.
5. Facilitates communication and provides technical guidance to business units and senior management regarding findings and recommendations.
6. Provides guidance to less experienced team members and may lead and/or participate in special projects</p>
<p>Try litigation consulting. It involves a good amount of math, and you occasionally get to help with depositions and trial prep. Or jury research consulting. These two are very interesting fields. Litigation consulting is a subfield of economic consulting, which I guess involves a good amount of math and stat analysis, and on the flipside you get to help with trial strategy and stuff like that. Probably good for people who have an interest in the law but don't want to go to law school right away.</p>
<p>Pay and hours are about in line with management consulting-around $65k base, $15k bonus and about 50-65 hours a week. You will probably travel less though.</p>
<p>I'm interested in both law and business, but law school doesn't scare me (well it scares me a LITTLE) so I'm going to law school and I'm just gonna become a lawyer. I want to be involved IN litigation, arguing before the judge, NOT on the sidelines, helping the lawyer argue before the judge.</p>