<p>Someone in another thread said "I major in economics because finance is useless on the undergrad level"</p>
<p>what does he mean by that????????</p>
<p>Yeah, I saw that too. I'm going to major in Math Finance/Statistics (one major). Supposedly combining math with finance would be a good thing. Luckily I picked that major I guess.</p>
<p>Only if you're thinking of quant management firms. Otherwise, it just shows you have a logically oriented mind.</p>
<p>And no, finance isn't useless on the undergrad level.</p>
<p>Definitely not useless, but is it going to prepare you completely for a job? Most likely not, but what does? It's all about laying the groundwork, and I think it gives you a good perspective. </p>
<p>Also, it would be easy to say that economics is useless at the undergrad level too using the same logic. Mostly based on ideal assumptions, oversimplifying models. (FYI I am not putting down economics as I am basically majoring in it along with Finance and Math, econometrics in particular is a very useful class I definitely recommend taking it)</p>
<p>Yes, C-Revs brings up a great point. Econ is maybe the vaguest "business" major possible, and teaches almost no directly relatable skills, whereas finance at least gives you the basics.</p>
<p>Econ is as worthless an undergrad degree as physics is, IMO. With both, in order to get into a related field you'll need advance degrees. </p>
<p>When someone uses phsyics in a way that is practical, we call them engineers.</p>
<p>When someone uses econ in a way that is practical, we call them businessmen.</p>
<p>Do we need theory? That's one for the the philosophy folk, and guess that's the only reason we keep them around; to pawn off pointless thoughts on to.</p>
<p>If you want to study econ, study econ, but suppliment it with business or finance. How many more classes can it be?</p>
<p>No matter what you take, I think they both help develop the same underlying analytical skills which is more important than, say, knowing how to make a DCF. Those types of things can be taught in training sessions and on-the-job. Both are excellent for thinking critically about issues IMO.</p>
<p>You need to stop worrying about every stupid thing that is said on every little corner of the internet.
[quote]
When someone uses phsyics in a way that is practical, we call them engineers.</p>
<p>When someone uses econ in a way that is practical, we call them businessmen.
[/quote]
No, we don't. Each discipline has skill subsets, and it is the utilization of those in a specific manner that will result in what we call them. You have a fundamental misunderstanding of... everything, judging from your post, and you'd do well to spent some time on those pointless thoughts philosophy folk focus on. Then again, I suspect if you spend your free time posting to reinforce deeply held notions that are utterly false you're a lost cause anyway.
[quote]
No matter what you take, I think they both help develop the same underlying analytical skills which is more important than, say, knowing how to make a DCF. Those types of things can be taught in training sessions and on-the-job. Both are excellent for thinking critically about issues IMO.
[/quote]
Economics is great for thinking critically, it does not do a good job of developing the "same" analytical skills. Finance is not good for thinking critically, it does a good job of developing analytical skills that are practical. A good finance program is essentially about practical statistical analysis/modeling, which does not lend itself to critical thinking in the way people see it but to plug-in thinking. Economics, unless you structure the courses you take in a certain way, does not explore the practical side of things like capital management and budgeting, firm specific analysis, risk management, policy and structure, performance measurements, etc.</p>
<p>It's useless in a sense. You're probably going to forget most of the stuff because your specific job is going to ask you to do other things opposed to just finance and things of that nature. All degrees and majors are useless.</p>
<p>Wow. So many dumb responses on this thread.</p>
<p>Hmm, what do you guys think of this Finance/Math Major:
UCSB</a> Statistics</p>
<p>Lots of opposing viewpoints on this thread. I'm wondering if Lil<em>Wayne</em>Fan is more or less confused after reading all the responses.</p>
<p>I am more confused</p>
<p>Just a guess - Is finance really easy on the undergrad level? </p>
<p>Is that why it's not worth the undergrad degree?</p>
<p>While a finance major can teach you things, it's not light years ahead of a math, econ or acct major in preparing you for work in finance.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Just a guess - Is finance really easy on the undergrad level?
Is that why it's not worth the undergrad degree?
[/quote]
One person said it's not worth the degree. You've taken the word of one person as canon. You're about as easily manipulated as most six year olds.</p>
<p>Have you considered not spending money on college at all and just starting work at McDonalds right now? If you can't parse information I can't see how a degree would give you anything but debt, as you'll undoubtedly fail when you're in the professional world and you have to make your own conscious decisions. You're probably better off throwing all that money your dad is going to spend on BC for you into a well-diversified portfolio and just working some menial jobs for a while.</p>
<p>^^you really need to calm down.....the Op is just askin whether all this craze to get a finance degree is worth it......wats wrong in askin that....give him a break</p>
<p>I'm making an important point that the OP hasn't gotten despite constantly posting and reading this forum. Most of the information he's going to get is bad information, and when he reads the overwhelming majority of people say how a finance degree is a good idea, or sees links to average salaries from certain schools and then sees one person say a finance degree isn't worth "it" his first response shouldn't be to immediately assume that is the truth, or to ask about it. He should look at the source, then he should look at the sources saying a finance degree is worth it, then he should research that issue on his own--not looking for commentary, but hard numbers--and then he should try to discuss the issue, once he's familiar with it.</p>
<p>He's caught in a constant loop of trying to make decisions based on vague statements without stopping and doing his own research and going through the process of drawing his own conclusions.</p>
<p>One person said it's not worth the degree. You've taken the word of one person as canon. You're about as easily manipulated as most six year olds.</p>
<h2>Have you considered not spending money on college at all and just starting work at McDonalds right now? If you can't parse information I can't see how a degree would give you anything but debt, as you'll undoubtedly fail when you're in the professional world and you have to make your own conscious decisions. You're probably better off throwing all that money your dad is going to spend on BC for you into a well-diversified portfolio and just working some menial jobs for a while.</h2>
<p>Change of plans</p>
<p>I'm going to Penn State's Smeal Biz school to major in actuarial science</p>
<p>Gonna be an actuary instead - I think it's more interesting, I love math, I wouldn't need to go to grad school, and they get paid almost as much as doctors down the road</p>
<p>Plus, majoring in finance right now might not be the smartest thing to do, for economic reasons</p>
<p>BC is too expensive - PSU is 32k a year - saving us 80k+ over 4 years</p>
<p>Being an actuary is the way to go</p>
<p>Being an actuary is tough. I really hope you can take a lot of math (I wouldn't say it's the level of difficulty so much as it is the sheer amount of work) if you want to get through most of the actuarial exams. If you make it through, though, you're set--and you can still work your way into "regular" finance by doing risk management work and trying to make a lateral transition over time.</p>
<p>Good luck, and I hope you can get some of the money your father was going to spend on BC and invest it intelligently while you're in college--life is much easier coming out when you're already financially stable. If he's throwing that kind of money at a school he ought to have been maxing out a Roth IRA for you.</p>
<p>I think people over stress the "I shouldn't do finance for economic reasons" right now... Particularly because you are graduating in 4 years and change. Seems a bit silly in my opinion.</p>