<p>I'm a sophomore at Emory who is currently considering an Economics degree (will be double majoring in something else, as well). I've just recently become interested in the B-School, but the earliest I could finish the pre-requisites is first semester of my Junior year. Granted that I'm accepted, the earliest I could then enter is spring of my Junior year. This would mean I'd have to spend another semester after Senior year in order to finish the requirements to get a BBA. If I get the Economics degree, I'd be able to graduate on time. I'm already taking out some student loans (not too exorbitant), but I was wondering if Goizueta would be worth another semester here? If so, would graduating in the spring or spending an extra semester in any way effect my likeliness of employment?
Thanks.</p>
<p>Graduating a semester late won’t affect your employment as long as you have a good reason for graduating late. Because recruiters are more active in the spring, the onus will fall on you to find jobs yourself. Your best bet is to try to get an internship at the place you would like to work. Also, have you considered overloading or taking summer classes?</p>
<p>^Thanks for the response. I think taking summer classes may be a bit too hefty in terms of my loans (I also wanted to try to get a summer internship this year). If I can get enough aid, I might take them, though. But would you say that it would be worth holding out for Goizueta? Are the benefits really that great? Or would I be OK with an economics degree? I’ve heard that the economics department isn’t that well respected, but I would imagine any degree from Emory has to be worth something.</p>
<p>Without knowing more about you and your situation this is incredibly difficult to answer…</p>
<p>Goizueta will give you a more applicable degree with better recruitment. With econ you will have a higher gpa. Some of Goizueta’s recruitment edge will be gone because you would be graduating off-cycle. </p>
<p>If you can get a 3.9 in econ and properly prepare for the interviews (great resume, technical/case mastery, etc) then you should be “OK,” but the reason Goizueta places better is because most econ students don’t do these things.</p>
<p>It’s true Emory’s econ department suffers-- in large part because it’s BBA and MBA programs are so dominant and therefore draw a lot of the talent in that field. Recruiters are specifically looking for people who graduated from Emory BBA rather than Emory College, and they’re looking at what courses you took. If you are looking for an IB/Accounting/Consulting job, you almost certainly want to go the b-school route at Emory.</p>
<p>Also consider that if you are receiving financial aid, your EFC (expected family contribution) is for the entire year. That means that if you have an EFC below the cost of attending Emory for the regular academic year, you should be eligible for aid for your summer courses.</p>
<p>To be honest, I just want a decent paying job so I can take care of my loans after undergraduate school, feed myself, and not have to work in a factory. My strengths and interests are in grammar, writing, etc…, so I’ve thought about just getting a BA in English, but I keep on hearing that outside of Economics, liberal arts degrees are risky in terms of job prospects. I plan on pursuing higher education (most likely law), so anything that can get me work experience and allow me to financially stabilize myself will do.</p>
<p>I don’t know how familiar you are with aid in the summer, but currently Emory is paying for about 60% of my tuition. Is the financial aid office more or less consistent in summer aid?</p>
<p>If you’re interested in law, consider getting a liberal arts degree and applying for legal assistant/paralegal 2 year programs to get a taste of what it’s like to work at a law firm before making that leap straight to law school. It pays decent at good firms, and it’s the type of job you can do pretty much in any city you want. You’re not going to be making 6 figures, but if you’re willing to work hard, the overtime can be lucrative. This is a very popular option for people considering law school.</p>
<p>herpderp2:</p>
<p>Expected Family Contribution is for an entire year, so even if you enroll in the summer, the total amount you pay for the entire year should stay the same.</p>
<p>How competitive are these paralegal positions? The job market right now scares the crap out of me. I keep on hearing of these Ivy League BAs going back home to live with mommy and daddy due to the terrible prospects for new graduates. I can’t think of anything more humiliating. Does anyone have any idea how the job market fairs for Emory graduates?</p>
<p>edit: Also, thanks for the info, icfireball. Good to know.</p>
<p>The job market is pretty bad and you are at a disadvantage to kids from Ivy league schools when it comes to banking and consulting jobs in New York. The companies that come to the career fairs aren’t great, but more companies post on Eagle Ops than show up at the fair. Most positions offered are for Atlanta. However, a lot of kids at Emory find good jobs in New York through connections.</p>
<p>They are competitive. You’re at an advantage if you know someone who works for the firm already (obviously the higher up the better). With good grades, work experience, etc you can find paralegal positions at top firms. Though you will work your a… off. Going to nyc is arguably the toughest market for something like this, since everyone at 22/23 wants to move to nyc, but most of these big firms are represented in most if not every major city. I interviewed for this type of position in nyc at one point and having an Emory degree was looked at favorably. </p>
<p>When my company hires for entry level positions, grades and experience matter more than university, when it comes to quality schools like Emory. A degree from Harvard makes it a tiny bit easier to get an interview than from a school like Emory, but the totality of your resume matters more than the four or five lines that discuss education. Plus, if you have scholarships, honors, or other academic accolades, even better. If someone from Emory has great experience and good grades, they’re likely to be hired over an equal candidate from Harvard AFTER the interview IF they fit the company culture better. At the interview stage, where you went to school doesn’t matter much. It’s all about personality.</p>
<p>(This is only regarding where I work, which is a well respected boutique legal/consultancy firm in a large East Coast city)</p>
<p>The job market right now is so much better than it was a year ago. There are definitely more firms on campus/eagle ops this year, and the companies who were here last year are hiring more students this year. Barring any kind of double dip, the job market should be even better in 2 years.</p>