Drop engineering and just do commerce. (2 Viewers)

[Amayataiyou]

I'm currently studying engineering and commerce at unsw. But lately i've been wondering if doing the engineering is really worth all the effort, fees and time since once I graduate, I want to work in something finance related, such as banks or even investment banks. If I do drop engineering, how do I do it?

 

[obliviousninja]

Get HD wam. Get g0dly ECs

 

[ProcrastinATAR]

I'm currently studying engineering and commerce at unsw. But lately i've been wondering if doing the engineering is really worth all the effort, fees and time since once I graduate, I want to work in something finance related, such as banks or even investment banks. If I do drop engineering, how do I do it?

commerce is not worth it thesedays, many people want to do shit like that.
Do engineering and innovate something.

 

[Jinks]

If you can handle it and enjoy engineering I'd stick with it - plenty of finance based places love to see engineering (maths maths maths).

 

[mysterymarkplz]

commerce is not worth it thesedays, many people want to do shit like that.
Do engineering and innovate something.

Lmao wtf? OP wants to do finance and banking, why would you dissuade him from commerce.

To OP if you want to do finance and banking just take a single commerce degree and major in finance. Doing engineering + commerce just lets you have more options, and while it is true that employers like to see their IB's have engineering degrees, it is not necessary. You can just do a single commerce degree and major in finance to do banking, you should also consider a 3 year commerce degree vs 5.5 years engo + com. You're only allowed to take internships in penultimate and final year so choose wisely i guess. I'm in the same position as you and I'm thinking of dropping engo.

 

[Drifting95]

Lmao wtf? OP wants to do finance and banking, why would you dissuade him from commerce.

To OP if you want to do finance and banking just take a single commerce degree and major in finance. Doing engineering + commerce just lets you have more options, and while it is true that employers like to see their IB's have engineering degrees, it is not necessary. You can just do a single commerce degree and major in finance to do banking, you should also consider a 3 year commerce degree vs 5.5 years engo + com. You're only allowed to take internships in penultimate and final year so choose wisely i guess. I'm in the same position as you and I'm thinking of dropping engo.

The longer degree is an advantage when applying for IB because you have more time to develop a solid CV. A 3 yr comm degree is hardly enough time to get a CV that is competitive in IB applications because the majority of IB students are in 4-5 yr degrees. In those extra yrs, these students are getting multiple internships, winning various case competitions and volunteering.

Rubbish, you obviously haven't spoken to enough people. I know numerous people that have landed big 4 accounting internships in their 3rd yr of a 5 yr degree. Heaps of smaller firms are also willing to take students in non penultimate years, however there is still a chance to get into large firms. These students will then leverage of their experience in FS audit to land an internship in IB. The forum user 'Newbie' also used this path, check some of his old posts.

You might hear of the odd straight comm student that got into IB but wouldn't you try and maximise your chances of getting in? stick to engo.

 

[futurecompscistudent]

just do comp sci

 

[mysterymarkplz]

The longer degree is an advantage when applying for IB because you have more time to develop a solid CV. A 3 yr comm degree is hardly enough time to get a CV that is competitive in IB applications because the majority of IB students are in 4-5 yr degrees. In those extra yrs, these students are getting multiple internships, winning various case competitions and volunteering.

Rubbish, you obviously haven't spoken to enough people. I know numerous people that have landed big 4 accounting internships in their 3rd yr of a 5 yr degree. Heaps of smaller firms are also willing to take students in non penultimate years, however there is still a chance to get into large firms. These students will then leverage of their experience in FS audit to land an internship in IB. The forum user 'Newbie' also used this path, check some of his old posts.

You might hear of the odd straight comm student that got into IB but wouldn't you try and maximise your chances of getting in? stick to engo.

Or you could just finish your degree as soon as possible. I assumed OP was going to try get internships in 2nd and 3rd year, which is more than enough experience to do finance (assuming he actually lands them). Look up macquarie and citibank applications, they clearly state on the website they are only accepting penultimate and final year students, which a com student in 2nd/3rd year would be able to get as well as a com eng in 4th/5th. I have been to one of macquarie's unit seminars and asked them about the same thing, and they said they rarely get students not in their penultimate or graduate year. The only positive side to sticking with com/engo I can see is:

1) having the engineering degree
2) Having more years to build up your extra curricular activities.

But you can build up your EC's during 1st and 2nd year. Everything you say (except for having the actual engineering degree) can still be achieved by a single commerce degree though, all the case studies and volunteering. I understand what you're trying to say, that having a longer degree allows you to have more exposure to professional development, but I'm arguing you can still have that exposure and finish your degree 2.5 years earlier if you make good use of your uni life.

 

[Amundies]

You just listed two massive positives of doing comm/engineering over a straight commerce. What are the negatives? And no, "spending more time at uni" is not a negative. Neither is money, especially if OP is interested in banking. Also you're arguing that you can have the same amount of exposure to professional development in a 3 year degree, compared to a 5.5 year degree? That's definitely not correct. You can do so much more in that extra 2.5 years.

I think it should also be noted that (at least at usyd) the engineering work experience does not need to be done in the penultimate year, it can be done between years 3 and 4. This leaves the penultimate year free for anything commerce related. Alternatively, as people have suggested you can do some finance related internships in between 3rd and 4th year. I have also been to some of UNIT's seminars (including one by engineering graduates now working at Macq) and when I asked a recruiter there about the dilemma engineering students had, she said that we won't get ruled out just because we're not in our penultimate year and still suggested we apply.

Also OP, if you don't like engineering then definitely drop it. It's not a type of course where you will do well if you don't like it. But if you like it/find it ok or bearable, then I would say stick with it.

 

[D94]

commerce is not worth it thesedays, many people want to do shit like that.
Do engineering and innovate something.

What qualifications and experience do you have?

 

[Omnipotence]

Rubbish, you obviously haven't spoken to enough people. I know numerous people that have landed big 4 accounting internships in their 3rd yr of a 5 yr degree. Heaps of smaller firms are also willing to take students in non penultimate years, however there is still a chance to get into large firms. These students will then leverage of their experience in FS audit to land an internship in IB. The forum user 'Newbie' also used this path, check some of his old posts.

This is actually true. I know plenty of comm/law kids that did big 4 accounting internships in their 2nd/3rd year of a 5 year degree and used that experience to land a job at BBIBs, MCs and big 6 law. We comm/law kids are cast in a bad light when applying for big 4 accounting jobs haha. I'm in my penultimate year and during the interview stage the partner is always concerned that I'm just doing this to get into a top tier law firm and would question me about my motives. I have to keep stressing that I actually want to do tax!~

 

[Chronost]

This is actually true. I know plenty of comm/law kids that did big 4 accounting internships in their 2nd/3rd year of a 5 year degree and used that experience to land a job at BBIBs, MCs and big 6 law. We comm/law kids are cast in a bad light when applying for big 4 accounting jobs haha. I'm in my penultimate year and during the interview stage the partner is always concerned that I'm just doing this to get into a top tier law firm and would question me about my motives. I have to keep stressing that I actually want to do tax!~

Well let's face it, all the comm/law people only use big4 as a back-up (If they can go further). Luckily there's a few like yourself who do want to do tax.

What everyone said about Comm being not enough is true. The only way you're landing an internship in the 3rd year for the same company would be to extend your comm degree to four years because instead you would only be eligble for graduate jobs instead, why not have an extra year and a half and do a second degree where you can tailor your ECs etc..

There's simply not enough time to polish your CV in the first and second year unless you're in some really good circle jerk group (e.g. Sydney Boys) and you got connections from your dad/best friend who works at an IB or something of similar nature to land you a internship in the early 2nd year late 1st year before you apply for internships. Problem with 3 year degrees are that you only have one chance to apply for penultimate internships unless you extend your degree by doing less units (which many do), and even then it's just not enough. IB grad jobs are so hard to come by these days I don't think Pure Comm is ever enough these days unless its Co-op or cadetship (internships are different)