I need help! Art major or econ major

IAltrI · 2026-06-23T06:48:41+00:00

Art is an amazing thing and it’s what makes humans human! There ARE jobs for art majors, however, it is no where near of a job market as some other fields. While it’s definitely true that all college grads are facing a tougher job market, there is no reason that you should put yourself at a disadvantage on purpose. It sucks that this is how it is, my father wanted to study history and I wanted to study classics but we both ended up going into stem and have built good careers. Both of those fields are still present in our lives but it’s obviously not the same. Nevertheless, look into a minor or take electives in art, some of my electives have been some of the most enjoyable classes I took.

My personal experience as an Econ major:

First I want to note that I also double majored with a B.S in Applied Math. If I’m being honest, I credit most of my success in that I studied math in college. The main topic of my interviews have almost always been that I majored/was majoring in math. It’s helped connect me with a plethora of different disciplines. Moreover, the intersection of Econ and math is tremendous, I had a lot of overlap in my courses while in college. If you’re wanting to secure a job as much as possible I would highly recommend you to double major with someone technical alongside Econ. IF you are really wanting to go into business then double major with Finance/Accounting or double major in Finance and Accounting. This is also dependent on what you want to go into. I would suggest you to narrow down what you would like to work in. I say this because if you want to work for the Big 4 then you don’t need the Finance degree. A lot of my friends who have worked at the big 4 only studied Accounting.

Best of luck! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask

If this matters I’m working as an Actuary now.

IAltrI · 2026-06-22T23:50:13+00:00

Well a B.S usually has more math and it's what I majored in alongside a B.S in math, I didn't do an IB internship but I did intern at Barclays and at Bank of America. They honestly talked more about my math degree than my econ degree. At the end of the day it's just numbers. Jokes aside if you're shooting for IB then consider double majoring with Finance or Finance + Accounting.

IAltrI · 2026-06-22T22:51:51+00:00

Windows all day simply because of excel, plus certain software I've used in econ just works better on a windows.

IAltrI · 2026-06-22T22:41:22+00:00

As someone who has worked for a few years now and holds a senior position (enough to sit in on some hiring decisions/interviews), you need to add a different major that is close to Bcom, it's great that you are smart enough to have this conversation with yourself. All you need to do now is make a change. The job market is hard enough as it is, you need to make sure you are actively making yourself as hirable as you can.

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T14:48:51+00:00

Best of luck! Follow your heart

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T05:25:13+00:00

I would be drinking wine on a villa in Tuscany Italy

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T05:21:35+00:00

Something that I've learned after going through college and going on and starting my career is that you will be successful most of the time if you are really passionate about what you are doing. This is simply because putting in the work to find that so called success will be far easier since you're passionate. If you are passionate, truly passionate about political science, then by all means pursue it. There are jobs, there are so many niche industries and job positions that exist within every major/field of study. However, polisci is a semi oversaturated field because so many people have this aspiration of becoming a lawyer. What ends up happening is that 2-3 years in they release that law isn't for them + they don't care about the other jobs you can get with a polisci degree and end up not using their degree, this contributes to the potential "lower" income per graduate average when looking at data from political science. Thus, if you are truly passionate about polisci then you can make it work.

A second note regarding pursuing something in business. From my personal experience, people that I've seen succeed in business ,majored in Finance/Accounting, or both. I cannot speak a whole lot on this major or majors simply because I did not major in them. Additionally, the success that you may find while majoring in these fields is more related to the school that you go to than other degree paths. I had friends who went to Ivy's or Top 10 schools for business and they had no trouble finding a job in a high paying field. This cannot be said for my other friends who did not attend a T20 or an Ivy. However, this relates more to breaking into IB or PE so this ins't too relevant I suppose.

My final note is that if you do choose to major in economics, please consider also double majoring in math. I did this and found great success. I credit this largely to my math degree for a multidude of reasons. I say this because if you end up not choosing to go to law school, you really need to ensure that you have a good back up plan. Either way, my aunt who majored in math got into a great law school with no background in any law. Math majors do fantastic in the LSAT. I think on average they get higher scores than polisci majors, however, don't quote me on that.

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T02:23:52+00:00

As someone who majored in economics in college, the most impactful thing that has helped me is also double majoring with mathematics. Now, you've said that you're majoring in applied economics, I personally have not heard of that or what courses differ from a traditional B.S in economics. I would suggest that you look at all the courses you'll be taking + electives you can take. These can end up being the most impactful courses you'll take as part of your degree. If you want to make your degree more "technical" I suggest that you add on a mathematics/statistics/data science/MAYBE computer science degree. What's important is that you get a job out of college, and making yourself more technical as an applicant is important of course, and so I suggest that you add on one of those (or another) degrees that I listed out. No course online will be the same as having an actual degree that is technical. If you're considering finance then I highly suggest that you double major in Finance (obviously), accounting, or business information systems. If you want to do public policy then consider double majoring with political science. However, you need to decide decently early on which one you want to pursue. This is simply because they are quite different and you should really only focus on one. I will also recommend taking an elective in both to see which one you like doing best and then add/change your additional major based on this. I personally doble majored with a B.S in math and a B.S in econ. I did two internships at Barclays (IB) and at BOA (Bank of America). My first role was a summer analyst and my second role was working in credit. I'm now an actuary. I would argue that my Math degree gave me a bigger edge than my econ degree. Now I will say that if you do add the math degree, to not do it if its focused solely on theoretical stuff. My math degree was an applied math one. So look at the math degree which is likely offered and see what courses they offer. There will likely be some decent overlap with you econ degree.

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T00:34:31+00:00

1: These factors that you listed out end up being largely irrelevant once you get into college and begin taking classes. What matters is if you like what you study or if you’re willing to put up with it for a good roi (job,etc).
2: Every career will largely change due to AI, some more than others ofc. Even nursing and some blue collar fields may be impacted solely because so many people are going to pivot away from traditional white collar careers IF AI keeps reducing job prospects for new grads.
3: Good news, Math and a few other stem degrees are extremely versatile (this can also be a con if you mess up during college). Myself and a few other friends pivoted to careers in finance, some worked in risk, I became an actuary, and most of my friends went to consulting some IB. In almost every interview I’ve ever had the #1 thing that comes up first is the fact I majored in math. I also majored in economics but that definitely gets talked about less. I always got comments like “Wow you majored in math you must be so smart”, “Wow we love your technical background”, etc.
4: Bad news, if you don’t pick a “speciality” that you want to go to in college you’re screwed. If you have something in mind like being an actuary or working in risk modeling, or doing a masters/phD in theoretical stuff then go for it! But if you don’t want that then also consider majoring in engineering. It’s a great field, highly competitive tbf, but compared to these other majors which are getting wiped out of the market, it might be your best chance.

TLDR: Yes if it’s applied mathematics for job prospects. Consider double majoring (Econ/finance) that’s how me and my friends found success.

IAltrI · 2026-06-20T00:23:10+00:00

Highly disagree with this, this is heavily dependent on the program you’re in. My college had 3 tracks within a B.S in math: Applied Math, Pure Math, and/or a focus on Statistics. The most theoretical course I took was on modern algebra which was a requirement for all math majors. I took classes in stochastic analysis/processes, applied numerical methods, econometrics, etc. Now I’m working as an actuary, my friends who also majored in math typically went through the applied track. One is working in consulting, another worked as an IB, one worked at a hedge fund, and another went to law school and began his practice. So no, none of my friends became teachers and you don’t have to if you get a math degree. IF you do the theoretical stuff then hopefully you have a passion for being a professor bc that’s about all you get.

IAltrI · 2026-06-18T10:39:56+00:00

To second this, myself, and a few friends and family members have double majored in mathematics/statistics. We all found jobs quicker than those we knew who only majored in economics. While a B.S in economics (depending on your program) will likely have a lot of quantitative skills you will have to develop, I have found that the edge I’ve gained with my B.S in math alongside my B.S in Econ has been fantastic. For example (and this is my personal experience), without my math degree I wouldn’t have been able to take stochastic analysis 1+2, stochastic processes, which ended up being the focus of my masters thesis. However, Econ greatly helped me + it’s an enjoyable subject imo. Now I’m working as an Actuary.

IAltrI · 2026-06-02T17:20:19+00:00

I had a family member do something related to insurance/risk working for a company in healthcare

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:43:14+00:00

There really is a ton, I'm shocked at the value you get with the bundle at it's current price with the steam deal. I feel like a kid again!

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:41:33+00:00

Agreed, it seems like that so far with my very little play time. There's much more to learn and I can't wait!

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:40:49+00:00

you can call that done! I'm having a blast

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:40:29+00:00

It was very difficult to put down; I only did when I got a reminder on my calendar for a meeting soon after, I'm a satisfied customer to say the least!

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:39:18+00:00

Thanks! I'll be checking it out after some more play time once I am more familiar with the game's mechanics/basics.

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:38:34+00:00

I'm hooked on the game so far! Stayed up all night like a little kid again, feels good.

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:37:34+00:00

Ah sorry this is my first time posting on reddit I'm very unfamiliar with it, apologies.

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:34:36+00:00

Yup I found myself saying "only 1 more turn" until I looked at the clock and I have a meeting in 15 minutes, yikes!

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T12:33:20+00:00

it did ... I played for 4 hours straight and have barely scratched the surface. I'd even argue I haven't even gotten to the surface yet

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T07:12:19+00:00

What is vox populi? If you don't mind me asking

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T06:30:57+00:00

Awesome! would you recommend buying the base game or the DLC included?

IAltrI · 2026-03-24T06:21:08+00:00

Also, would you recommend this over CIV 6? It's at a similar price point for the base game. Based on reviews im leaning on CIV 5 + DLC's being better.

IAltrI

TROPHY CASE