<p>Alright, as a Stern student in the program, I’m going to debunk a few myths here.</p>
<p>When you apply for the program, you also get considered for the core. You also have the option to drop the BPE curriculum at any time (at least in the first 2 years) while you’re at Stern (though obviously it becomes more difficult as time goes on).</p>
<p>As to the work load, there is ZERO warrant to the “it’s harder” myth. If anything, I feel it’s easier. You get to skip Writing the Essay and Texts and Ideas, alot of the really techy courses during sophomore year (though some might want that). You also take CAS Macro (called econ principles) instead of Stern Macro. Your BPE specific classes aren’t hard as long as you do the work (and considering the classes BPE courses replace, it’s less work than the avg. Stern student). Kids pulling all-nighters all the time would be doing the same if they weren’t in BPE. I’ve pulled only one this year (during midterms), though right now it’s finals time and I’ll be pulling a few more.</p>
<p>There is alot of hostility towards BPE from the “Finance” junkies here at Stern. The claim is that there’s too much study abroad and you’re not taking enough finance classes. The first is partially true b/c you’ll miss out on some of the recruiting events during your sophomore year, but for a solid student it won’t make the world. The finance class thing is absurd; you have enough credits to fill out all the major requirements for finance (though you have a different core)</p>
<p>As to the career aspect: the BPE major is actually more general than most Stern majors I feel. It’s billed as a more “general” curriculum, which I fully agree with. You have your semesters abroad, you have a foreign language requirement (which other Sternies don’t have), and instead of taking some core classes that are aimed at specific technical business skills you study politics and political economy. This really opens up fields outside of pure “business” careers versus other Stern majors. The BPE curriculum is much more like a traditional university curriculum than anything (the Core curriculum I think has you do a few writing/literature courses, a math, a science, then just pushes Stern classes the rest of the way). </p>
<p>Personally, I find the program great. I’m looking to go into finance, but have ambitions beyond Wall Street in the far future, and so I appreciate the more general coursework more than others. The 3 semesters abroad experience really can’t be matched by any program out there. This program broke the tie for me between G’town McDonough and Stern. Stern is the obvious choice for most finance kids, but for me the general education at G’town was a significant draw, so I needed BPE to put Stern “over the top”</p>
<p>Really in the end it’s your preference. I don’t see BPE as a program “better” than the core side of Stern, but about the same when it’s all said and done; just a different set of pros and cons.</p>