Financial Math or Stats/OR

[Isaac B]

I'm currently a freshmen undergrad at UCSB for Financial Math and Statistics with solid grades and a confident interest in MFE programs. I have taken a few upper division math courses and done well, and spoke with professors and advisers who told me that I should continue at my current pace and be done with my BS in my first 3 years, then spend my last year conducting research with professors. However, I also am really interested in Economics and operations research, and will apply to transfer to UCB and UCSD, where at UCB I would study operations research and management science, and at UCSD I would be able to complete a double major in Statistics and Management Science. I'm worried that if I transfer, I probably won't get the same research opportunities, but I will get better degrees from better schools. What would look better to a MFE program?

 

[TheMan]

What is your career goal?

 

[Isaac B]

My goal is to get into an MFE program become a quant while staying on the west coast, but I know this isn't a risk-free path. So I'd like to also have an ORMS backup if quant jobs on the west coast become impossible to find.

 

[Ken Abbott]

In a few years, after the faddish obsession with financial math programs has waned, I think you'll find the stat degree more useful.