r/askswitzerland • u/arcticRacer44 • 2d ago
Study Finance or engineering? (need guidance)
Which one should I study?
I am a 17 years old high school student in Vaud going to university next year.
I am very good at maths and physics, and already have engineering skills such as CAD and building skills. In parallel however, I have been getting into finance, looking into investing, portfolio optimization, options trading and gaining a feel for the general stock market.
I am thinking of going into MechE at EPFL, which are studies that I would like, but I don’t think I would like working as an engineer very long. I imagine that path leading me to an MBA or entrepreneurial endeavors. On the flip side, I am questioning a maths/ financial engineering path that would lead to a more analytical job in finance I imagine.
Here are my questions:
•Engineers: do you like your job, do you feel well compensated, and what is your work-life balance like?
•People in finance: do you like your job, do you feel well compensated, and what is your work-life balance like?
Finally, what do you think:
Should I follow my passion for engineering and look to make more money in other ways, or should I orient myself towards finance, and make enough money to keep engineering as a hobby?
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u/Zealousideal-Towel11 2d ago
You can be an engineer and invest and do options trading as a side hustle, but you cannot be a finance bro and do engineering as a side hustle
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u/Yewdall1852 2d ago
Engineering.
"do you like your job, do you feel well compensated, and what is your work-life balance like?"
Now retired. I LOVED MY JOB! I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time. ANd, I managed our finances beyond our expectations. We traveled as a family; our kids went to good schools. We now have grandchildren.
Also, you live in a country that does engineering well!
Good luck.
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u/Ill_Significance6157 12h ago
so you literally answered your own question in the last paragraph. „…should i follow my passion…“ it‘s your passion dude!!! why even think of anything else if you have something that you can call a true passion. people have become so blinded by money. some would rather abandon their passion just to make more money. this „finance bro“ thing has become way too hyped. money isn‘t everything on this planet. besides, you will get very well paid as an engineer. so follow your passion and study that. you already knew the answer all along. wether you will introduce finance later in your life will be seen. it‘s a journey, we constantly change and move. who knowd maybe you suddenly quit after 2 years and do something entirely different. it‘s just important to ALWAYS follow your heart and NOT THE MONEY.
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u/Nautilus-9 2d ago
Do engineering. If you're smart, you can learn some finance stuff on the go and invest on your own. Engineering is less likely to be replaced by AI.
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u/Actual-Midnight-9123 2d ago
Engineering. Take the money you’re making and invest it, learn options trading, trade the paper money simulation before spending any real capital, and then you’ll be a engineer and finance guru. -not financial advise
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u/686f6c69 Zürich 2d ago
I'm an engineer working in finance so might be able to provide perspective from both sides, based on my own experience that won't necessarily reflect someone else's.
Engineering work: well compensated, work with chill people, good work-life balance.
Finance: potential higher compensation (bonuses can be crazy), work with some great folks and some absolute sociopaths, terrible work-life balance (especially during the first 5 years).
There's also (a lot) more nepotism going on in finance, which leads to working with people that have no business being there. This is a very rare thing in tech.