<p>i visited this weekend and that's what i heard from most nearly everyone when i told them i wanted to do finance. is it actually that easy for the first few years? or do CS/archies/engineering kids just have a superiority complex? or is it just that the workload is less obscene than the ones for most other majors?</p>
<p>I’m not in business, but I’m planning to switch into it. From what I’ve read, Tepper degrees aren’t a “joke,” they’re just easier than CMU’s STEM majors. I don’t think you should worry about it though as business is always easier than a STEM major (even at top undergrad b-schools like Wharton, Sloan, and Stern). </p>
<p>Also, remember that [college workload] != [success after college]. Business degrees may be considered “easy,” but they give you the opportunity to work in finance (the highest paying field for recent undergraduates). If you really want a heavier workload, you can always add on a 2nd major in math, cs, engineering, etc.</p>
<p>Well, Tepper is rated #13 highest paying starting salary, all colleges, all majors. Doesn’t seem like a joke to me. Maybe to the CS majors at CMU, rated #1, but…</p>
<p>oops, sorry, i meant in terms of work load/how challenging it is. most of the students i met said tepper students had loads of free time and that their classes were easy.</p>
<p>I think you’ll get that reaction from most engineering and CS students about any other major. Perhaps more of a reflection of the intense workload for those students as opposed to a light load for everybody else.</p>
<p>Just so that you know, there was an article on The Tartans on mental health last semester, in which it was particularly mentioned there is this strange phenomena/tendency among CMU students who seem to compare their workload with each other and think the more work the better, the less sleep the better. </p>
<p>On the other hand, what’s wrong with a so-called ‘easy’ major and lots of free time to spend? I’d want that free time if you don’t, I can use it to tons of others things besides coursework related to my own major.</p>
<p>ohh, i’ve seen that article. when i brought it up on campus people either seemed to disagree with it completely or agree with it completely, haha.</p>
<p>and no, i think it’s a wonderful thing that i’ll have free time! 
i struggle a bit with depression/anxiety so my parents were worried about the workload making me too stressed out. i do want to be at least a bit stressed out though, because when i feel like i’ve got something concrete to accomplish then i feel better. it’s kinda weird but yeah.</p>
<p>on top of that, i was really curious as to why so many students voiced the same thing (that it was a joke).</p>
<p>“or do CS/archies/engineering kids just have a superiority complex? or is it just that the workload is less obscene than the ones for most other majors?”</p>
<p>I think you nailed it. Yes, and yes.</p>
<p>So my younger son applied for Tepper, and got a bit of that from his older brother (econ major/comp sci minor). When I expressed surprise, as Tepper is a very highly rated business school, the explanation I got was more towards business majors in general, not just Tepper. Apparently business majors don’t have to take many of the tougher math classes that some of the other majors do, even econ is far more math based. From the sounds of it, some of the most difficult classes at CMU are in theoretical math. Perhaps a current student can verify this.</p>
<p>So maybe it is true that since you don’t have to take those math classes, it is significantly easier than some other majors. But…it’s still a highly respected degree and college, and if people need to feel superior because they are taking tougher classes, well…I’d rather have the sleep, the great degree, and healthy job placement anyways. Get a minor in CS and you can get those tech jobs too. Without the butt kicking math classes.</p>
<p>Yeah it’s a combo of the “my major is so much harder than yours! <em>pout</em>”, and the fact that it is actually quite a bit harder.</p>
<p>Also, I wouldn’t say that required math classes are the biggest hurdle for CS/Engineering majors. For Engineering usually the biggest pains are Chemistry 1/2 and Physics 2. For CS it’s Concepts of Math and Great Theoretical Ideas in Computer Science.</p>
<p>That said, actual math majors can attest to the fact that high level (i.e., not required for other majors) proof-based math is extremely difficult, but once again, most majors require only up to Calculus in 3D or Differential Equations.</p>
<p>Also, getting a minor in CS is a lot easier said than done. I hear a lot of people say “oh I’ll pick up a minor in CS, it’s only another 5 classes, good for credentialing”, almost nobody has actually gone through with it. Most of those types are weeded out by 21-112 alone. If you want to minor in CS, you have to have a genuine interest in CS and an aptitude for it. </p>
<p>If you actually want a good computer-based degree that pays very well (<a href=“http://www.cmu.edu/career/salaries-and-destinations/2012-survey/pdfs-one-pagers/2012_IS1.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cmu.edu/career/salaries-and-destinations/2012-survey/pdfs-one-pagers/2012_IS1.pdf</a>, mean 70k starting salary), look towards Information Systems. It’s basically a hybrid between a business degree and a CS degree, and cuts out all the theoretical stuff from CS, which is most of the difficult stuff.</p>
<p>You’ll still get the condescension if you do IS though. Especially if you do IS, even, because it’s derided by CS majors with things like “it’s not CS if you’re not doing all the hard math like we do!”</p>
<p>But really, you’ll get that condescension pretty much no matter what you do. Most people are respectful and chill about all majors, but you’ll get the odd person who’s really conceited about what “pecking order” exists between all the majors. Even within majors, if you’re a CS student who isn’t taking THE hardest classes, other CS majors might deride you as not being a REAL CS student. </p>
<p>(Most people aren’t that way, they’re in the minority. But you WILL almost definitely run into them a few times while you’re here, and they are almost always concentrated in CS/engineering.)</p>
<p>And for the record, as I understand, outside of CMU Tepper is not considered a joke. It’s actually considered to be a very strong business school, whose students have very strong bases in math and technology as an added advantage.</p>