My current major is accounting. I’m 99% sure I will stick with this major because an accounting degree will allow me to go into many different areas of the business world. Through some campus events and general research, I have become interesting in working for KeyBank, which has it’s corporate HQ a mile from my college. They do recruiting at my university and I applied for a program they have from underclassman students. I really want to intern for KeyBank during junior/senior year.
On their website, they had an opening for a Credit Risk Analyst. I’m looked this job up and the average salary is $65,000 (music to my ears). Being totally honest, my main goal is to get a job that pays well. Also, the Federal Reserve Bank is located 0.7 miles from campus, so that is a place I could intern at.
So my question is: would adding a minor in Statistics make me a more versatile/competitive applicant when I apply for internships and jobs?
Everything I’ve read seems to say that employers tend not to care too much about whether or not you have a minor, unless it really directly applies to the job at hand. So if being a credit risk analyst involves a lot of statistics (which I imagine it does) then it could only help.
Ahh okay, it seems like it would lowkey be pointless for me to add a stats minor. I don’t know too much about being a credit risk analyst, but I guess my accounting agree will be enough for that job.
You could take some statistics classes to differentiate yourself from classmates (statistics is always appreciated).
Every business student is required to take applied business statistics at my university, so I’m taking that class this semester. I’ll talk to my adviser and ask her to put me in some more stats classes for next year
Yes, taking a bit more than the basics will be good - statistics (plus econometrics, anything quantitative) can be placed under “relevant coursework” on your resume when you apply to internships until you achieve CPA.
Risk analysis/management actually does involve a lot of statistics, so yes, taking statistics courses or minoring in statistics could be a good choice.
So far I’m ahead in the number of credits I’ve currently received, due to AP tests and my ACT score letting me jump into a higher math/english class. So I will have more room to add in some extra statistics courses as electives.
Although my adviser informed me that the classes that business major have to take during our junior/senior year are pretty rigid, so there isn’t room for extra electives that don’t pertain to our major.
I did a little more research about being in risk mgmt/analysis and I think stat or mathematics, especially if it’s actuarial mathematics , would be good.
Here’s the thing: If I add a mathematics major, I would have to take Calc I and II + 2 additional 300/400 level math courses. I’m good at math, however I’m not smart enough to get an A in these math classes. And I’m not trying to have my GPA get lower.
I currently have a 3.48 GPA, which is pretty low.
stick with the stats minor
Or just take stats classes as you need if you can’t declare a minor.
Is there classes that satisfy both your major & a statistics minor?
Agree that risk analysts use stats quite a bit. Stats is a great minor if you can get it without adding additional semesters to your 4 years of study.
@philbegas No. The 15 credits needed for a stats minor don’t overlap with any of the courses needed for my major.
@MYOS1634 Yeah that’s the route I’m leaning towards. Maybe I can take a stats class every now and then and add “proficiency in statistics” as a skill to my resume.
@CheddarcheeseMN It wouldn’t add an extra semester, but adding a stats minor would most likely result in me taking about 19-20 credits each semester. That would be a bit too much for me, since I plan on working this semester and every other semester
If you have free electives couldn’t you speak with an advisor? Or are you past that point?
Well I’m only a second semester freshman, so I have plenty of time. But when I get into my last 2 years, I have to take “accounting electives”, so I don’t have much freedom. The class I have to take are here: http://www.csuohio.edu/business/sites/csuohio.edu.business/files/4_yr_plan_accounting.pdf