I’m in my first year of undergrad and plan on being in school for the next 4-6 years to get my my masters, and I’m currently thinking about my future.
1.What is a better graduate degree for becoming a data scientist, quant, or actuary? Math or Statistics?
- I'm also thinking about switching to engineering, and I still like computers. Is a mechanical, mechatronics, or mechanical engineering route better?
Whats the best way to go about having the option to do all of them? (I’m not worried about my gpa dropping)
CompSci+Math/CompSCi+MechE/Mechatronics+Math/ etc…
Thanks.
Computer engineering or electrical … if you are interested in computer hardware or data networks rather than programming or computer theory.
Mechanical engineering is something different … similar to the material you learn in Physics 1 - Mechanics, but then expanded significantly into design, analysis, integration, testing, etc.
Engineering does not require a masters to find employment, but graduate work is more rigorous academically so may appeal to a more theoretical person, and offers some salary and promotion potential as well.
You can’t do everything in life, but certainly freshman year of college is a good time to explore both classwork in areas of interest and also puts you in a good position to talk to graduate students and professors and likely some professionals about opportunities in various fields … you can also talk to your career office to get some leads on companies that recruit interns or graduates for various kinds of work.