<p>I am interested in both electrical engineering as well as finance and hope to eventually work as an investment banker for a top bank.</p>
<p>That being said, would it be possible to work as an investment banker after receiving an ECE undergraduate degree from Cornell and then an MBA from a top 10 business school? Or would I stand a better chance if I major in economics, at say Dartmouth, and then went on to get an MBA?</p>
<p>I know its kind of a specific question, but any advise is appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>But from my admittedly limited knowledge, investment banking recruiters look for economics and math classes, which demonstrate aptitude in the financial and otherwise quantitative work that investment banking analysts engage in. Since electrical engineering is quantitative, it may be a good choice if you complement it with economics and applied math classes. More preferable, however, would be to simply major in economics and/or mathematics/applied mathematics. This is merely from the perspective of what optimizes your recruitment prospects; if engineering interests you, if may be worthwhile for other reasons.</p>
<p>As for the MBA, my understanding is that most investment bankers start out as analysts right after college and perhaps get their MBA after a few years of working in order to enhance their promotability. Another route is to enter investment banking after receiving an MBA, which would allow you to start with more responsibility (associate level rather than analyst) and pay than if you had started out of undergrad. Yet another, rarer possibility is to start out of undergrad and continue to rise up the compensation and role ranks without leaving to get an MBA; this presumably requires outstanding performance.</p>
<p>My understanding is that school trumps major and that the best major is business or finance. </p>
<p>Investment banks say they want the schools with the best students, but in reality they also like established undergraduate business programs. So NYU’s Stern, UVA’s McIntire, and Michigan’s Ross are all investment banking feeders despite the fact that they are not top 20 schools. </p>
<p>Colleges that have an academic/scholarly disposition like CalTech and JHU have a lot less recruiting than you’d think. I believe but cannot confirm that these are the only two schools in the top 15 that are not targets.</p>
<p>I would say that al6200 is half right, Generally school does trump major, but I know a lot of people (mostly Americans but some Europeans) who got into bulge bracket investment banks in New York and London after majoring in engineering, math, or econ as undergrads. I would recommend that you major in what interests you, work hard, get good grades and try to get a business or banking internship after your junior year in college. Good luck, Londondad</p>
<p>Recruiting comes down to going to a target school. It doesn’t matter what your major is as long as its on the engineering, math, econ spectrum. An engineer from Yale, Dartmouth, or Duke is going to get significantly more access (its not even close) than an engineer from Georgia Tech, even though the latter is a better ‘engineering school.’ So basically go to a top 15 school if you can and major in what you want. Its not going to matter, just get into a top school. Also an MBA is hardly required, many bankers I know didn’t go back for it, their career was moving too fast.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter. What matters is the interview. Going to a good school, regardless if it recruits or doesn’t, only matters to a certain extent as alumni can help you get into the interview. But that’s where you have to know what you are doing/have some guidance. A school club can help with that.</p>
<p>“Would Dartmouth or Cornell be considered feeder schools?”</p>
<p>Dartmouth is a top feeder; it’s on par with Yale, Columbia, Duke, MIT, and Penn CAS.
Cornell is a great feeder as well. It’s a step below Dartmouth, on par with UChicago, Northwestern, etc.</p>
<p>If you’re at all interested in electrical engineering, it would be much easier to get a BS in electrical engineering and an MBA later than to major in econ or biz, and get a graduate electrical engineering degree. </p>
<p>The electrical engineering degree opens more doors than a economics degree…if the investment banking track doesn’t work out.</p>
<p>Junior associates at investment banks burn out very quickly.</p>