Long Term Decision for Major: Accounting vs. Econ

<p>Hello all. I was recently accepted to a small, but rigorous liberal arts school that I will be attending next fall. I have been talking to my grandfather and I am trying to get a feel for the major that I am going to pursue. My grandfather, a graduate of UPenn, is a successful investment banker, and lately we have been discussing majors to great lengths. The two that I am currently seriously considering are Accounting and Economics. I realize that I will need to take freshman courses in each in order to see what I enjoy more, but I would like to talk with you all about what you think the pro's and con's are of each.</p>

<p>I have looked into Accounting and Economics, and both seem interesting. Economics seems a little more math intensive at the higher levels, while Accounting math seems pretty straightforward throughout, with a lot of memorization and attention to detail required. I am a very detail-oriented person, and am very good at rote memorization. I consider myself better at English and History, than Math and Science. However, I do not plan on avoiding Math, as I realize that it is essential to both of these majors.</p>

<p>Although I am not sure of my major yet, I am sure of one thing: I will be attending graduate school directly after I graduate. From what I have heard, it is fairly easy to obtain a job directly after your undergrad with an accounting degree, however not so much with and economics degree. As I plan on attending graduate school, however, how do the job prospects of the two compare after obtaining a masters in either one? If I majored in economics, I would undoubtedly obtain a masters, and possibly even a PhD. What sort of job prospects would this lead to? I am not that interested in teaching. I am more-so interested in going to a large firm and working my way up the ladder. If I majored in accounting, is it even worth it to obtain a masters in accounting? What sort of job prospects does that offer you compared to simply having an undergrad accounting degree, and compared to having a masters/PhD in economics?</p>

<p>Another thing that I am considering is majoring in accounting and then going to graduate school for something else. I understand that accounting is a very solid business major as it is considered the language of business. Would this be a good idea?</p>

<p>In the end, I would really enjoy traveling the world for a large firm and meeting with clients to provide advice on their businesses, or something of that nature. This may be based on rumor, but I feel like an accountant would not have these opportunities and would be simply put in a cubicle to work all day. I understand that, at the lower levels, this is how it is, and I agree that this is how it should be. However, does the job get more interesting and more people-oriented as you progress towards higher positions?</p>

<p>What I would really like you all to consider is that I WILL be going to graduate school so, keeping that in mind, which major would most benefit from a masters? Sorry for such a long post, but my mind just kept spitting out info that I wanted to convey in my question. Thanks in advance for all answers.</p>