What did you go to school for? - Page 4

Undergrad: Aviation Maintenance Management Grad: MBA in finance

Mathematics. I figured it was the best way to prep for a career in finance without looking like all of the other sellout economics majors.

Flute
Conducting

How'd that work out for ya? Note: I'm someone who took a ton of math in college, ended up as a finance guy, and wish I had done more finance and computer programming coursework and less math.

For me, my initial plans were academia so my undergrad went that way. For many people it's a similar path - lofty, idealistic goals that turn sour when 30k/year starts to become reality around late-Junior year. Happens often at Ivies and top LACs (English/Arts/Science majors that go into either finance or law). The draw of money is high.

For a math major, it's a bit different. Many finance jobs call for quant-heavy studies, particularly quant desk jobs and risk analysis jobs. Hedge funds also love math majors, to the point that they will be taken over finance majors regularly. Being able to code MatLab is loved by State Street Global, for example, and only math and engineering majors will have much exposure to it.

And, frankly, the average person will think a math major is smarter than a finance major 99% of the time.

I certainly think that math majors are smarter than finance/business/accounting/econ majors.

Welcome to the 99th%, average person.

Cocktail party conversation that fits well at the top of the social ladder ... and avoids ending sentences with a preposition.

Exercise Physiology as an undergrad. Currently, Medicine.

BS Electrical Engineering then
MS Math/Statistics

Primarily for job security etc.

In retrospect, I wish I had postponed college a few years and spent a few years taking a shot at professional acting or music.

If I had to do college over, I'd major in Physics -- better scientific foundation.

To grow up and make myself at least marginally more employable.

I went to university and graduate school because it was expected of me to. Majored in Economics during undergrad and concentrated on Marketing and General Management during my MBA.

No regrets but the end result is all that matters to me cause life ain't nothing but bitches and money.

Double degree in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

In retrospect i wish i had done an Arts / Engineering double with History or English - it would have been much more usefull and interesting.

why i went was to get out of working class drudgery and to please my mum. and i am useless with my hands.

Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering)
PhD (Mining & Geotechnical Engineering)

Finished my undergrad, went to work in the mines for several years with the goal of eventually moving back to the city. Realised that without postgrad quals I would never earn site based wages in the city so gave up the high salary on site and took the plunge for 4 years for the PhD. Didn't really fancy living in a tiny mining town for 20 years. Now working for a city based mining consultancy which has the right mix of intellectually challenging design work and site work.

The PhD has come in useful for several consulting jobs, and will facilitate a move to academia later on in life when I want to wind down a bit.

If I had to start all over again I would probably do an electrical or boilermaker apprenticeship.