<p>I am currently a sophomore pursuing dual degrees in Wharton and the College (uncoordinated), intending to study OPIM and psychology. I am considering dropping the college degree and I would appreciate your input. I plan to pursue an MBA, Masters in Financial Economics, or business PhD in the future. After graduation, I would like to work in strategy consulting (MBBD) or PE.</p>
<p>PROs:</p>
<p>-Take 5 classes a semester and graduate on time (as opposed to 6)
-Take only courses that interest me
-Have flexibility (e.g. if a course doesn't go too well, can retake or take a substitute)
-Potentially better GPA
-Better work-life balance
-Can pursue independent research (needed for PhD applications if this route is chosen)</p>
<p>CONs:</p>
<p>-Two degrees is better for recruiting (arguably)
-A College degree in sociology, psychology, or a related humanities discipline could open doors to a PhD program in organizational behavior or management
-A high GPA with two degrees could be better for an MBA program</p>
<p>Basically, how much would a second degree in the humanities add to my profile for MBA/PhD admissions as well as recruiting for top PE or consulting (MBB) positions?</p>
<p>(I mentioned I was a sophomore, but since the year is over, that is technically no longer the case! I will be a junior next year-apologies if this was unclear)</p>
<p>You don’t need two undergraduate degrees to do anything that you want to do. If pursuing dual degrees will make the rest of your undergraduate career unduly burdensome or unpleasant, or prevent you from also having a full social and extracurricular life that you otherwise would pursue, I’d recommend dropping the second degree. But it’s really a personal decision based on what YOU’D most value during the next two years.</p>
<p>Bottom line: better that you have a fulfilling–and SANE :)–undergraduate career than an extra degree on your resume or grad school applications, if it’s a matter of choosing one or the other. But again, it’s really a matter of your personal priorities and goals for the next two years.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision. And have a great summer!</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice 45percenter; assuming that there is minimally extra stress as a result of pursuing the dual degree, would it help significantly for careers and grad school (including MBA) admission? That’s what I was really getting at.</p>
<p>No one “needs” double degrees or double majors. If you want to do it as part of your personal marketing, go ahead, but it’s pretty much just as good to do some serious coursework in a secondary field of your choosing, to put it on your resume, and to be prepared to discuss it intelligently. </p>
<p>Psychology and sociology, by the way, are not considered “humanities.” You probably meant “liberal arts,” which encompasses the humanities, social sciences, math, and physical and life sciences, but not business per se. It’s not great personal marketing to misuse the core vocabulary of the activity (higher education) in which you are currently engaged.</p>
<p>For Management Consulting and PE, a dual degree will not help you at all. There are hundreds of others just like you and many are in coordinated ones. GPA is king for interviews. Many M&Ts pull 3.7+</p>
<p>For a MBA, they value work experience more than either of your degrees so the dual degree is of no benefit
For PhD, at least try to seem like someone who cares about what he is learning about and you’re good.</p>
<p>I’m confused if you was successfully transferred to Wharton why would you need an MBA. I thought from this forum, a Wharton undergraduate degree is good enough that you don’t need an MBA in Business. And now you want a PhD in Business as well, as if an MBA in Business is not sufficient? Is it overkill? Do you like school that much or do you just want to accumulate degrees?
I don’t mean to sound like Julia Roberts but doesn’t business people want to make money sometime? i.e. working?</p>
<p>It is a constant refrain on CC that a Wharton undergraduate degree is as good as an MBA. That’s not quite true. In lots of cases Wharton graduates can avoid having to go back and get an MBA while others with less rigorous business training have to; in other cases, Wharton grads get MBAs. To some extent, it depends what kind of job you have, what kind of track record you develop, and what your plans are. Also on what you know. If your math and finance background is strong enough, and you are working in finance and being successful, and you want to continue on the same path, I doubt anyone is going to make you go back to get an MBA. But not every Wharton graduate has MBA-level math and finance skills. If you want to switch roles and firms, an MBA may be necessary.</p>
<p>People get PhDs if they want to teach in business schools or economics departments, and it may have some value for some types of consulting. You don’t have to do a lot of original research and academic writing to get an MBA; the two degrees don’t overlap much.</p>