I have been accepted to Duke Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and to Georgetown McDonough School of Business. I am unsure about whether I should go to Duke and major in Economics, or Georgetown and do Finance/International Business.
What are the main differences between majoring in economics and business??
Please help!!
First, congratulations on your acceptance!
Economics is more theoretical in nature. There are finance/business courses available to undergraduates at Duke too, but you simply can’t major in “business.” I did know people who conducted research at Fuqua while undergrads. From a what will prepare you better for a career in business/finance/consulting, I’d say they’re not much different, with maybe Duke having a slight edge on Wall Street. I’d go with your gut and wherever you think you’ll be happier. Duke and Georgetown offer a different campus vibe and culture, so go with the place you think aligns with you better. (I went to Duke and lived 3 blocks from Georgetown – the neighborhood – after graduation, so I can speak to both…I personally was very happy that I went to Duke after seeing Gtown firsthand, but I’d vote to live in DC over Durham AFTER graduating college if given the chance. I think the campus opportunities at Duke and environment is more geared towards students, but others may have a different opinion). Studying economics at Duke certainly will NOT put you at a disadvantage vs. studying business at Gtown.
Good luck!
@esalinasgt, I’m also deciding between “Duke and major in Economics, or Georgetown and do Finance/International Business.” Exactly the same choice for me. (I’m still waiting on Stanford tonight, but the odds are not in my favor).
If attending Duke, I would probably choose the Economics with Finance concentration.
Are you attending the campus visits offered by both? I registered for GT’s campus visit April 21-22 and then travelling to Duke for its campus visit April 23-24. GT’s program ends at 2pm on the 22nd, so plenty of time to get down to Durham. Doing both visits back to back over 4 days. Hoping the campus visits bring into focus which school to attend.
In general, I feel Duke is the “better” school. However, GTs International Business is ranked 6th in the country for that field. Plus DC appeals to me over Durham. It is a tough decision.
Hello -if your ultimate goal is finance, then don’t fall into the trap of doing an undergraduate business degree. Most MBA programs like to take students who have worked in another field for a few years, and then want to learn the business side of things. So work experience is very important! Same for your undergraduate degree. Its not necessarily any advantage to have a finance undergrad degree.
So this is why there is no undergraduate business program at Duke. The closest thing is economics. What better place to attend as an undergrad than Duke? Right down the street is the Fuqua school where you can get to know the MBA faculty. Some students also get permission to take Fuqua classes during undergrad.
Georgetown is a great school as well, plus the location is great. But job opportunities in finance/wall street will probably be slightly better with a Duke diploma. Either way you can’t go wrong!
@esalinasgt, after considering all my options, I’ve decided to attend Baylor University! The cost of attendance is a big deciding factor. Getting $22,000 per year in scholarships is too good of a deal. So won’t be travelling to Duke or GT.
Good luck on your decision! If finances works for you, Duke or GT are both great options.
Hmm Baylor over Duke and Georgetown?