what's the diff between graduating w/ BA and BS?

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: everman
Most people don't even know that there is a difference, highly unlikely that your potential employer will or even care.

Unfortunately, some employers DO care, albeit blindly. They will just assume that a candidate with a BS is more qualified than one with a BA, all else being equal.

 

[veggz]

A lot of the posts in this thread are simply not true. I graduated a year ago with a BA in economics and am now earning $125k after bonus, starting salary, and around ten of my closest friends are making the same.

Most elite universities are geared towards a liberal arts education, and so the vast majority of degrees awarded are BA's. The exception is in cases such as engineering, or in some professional schools such as Wharton where you earn a BS in economics. Similarly, I believe UofC awards BS's to their econ grads due to the heavily quantitative nature of their department.

Neither can be used as an indicator of future wage earning potential, and certainly neither is harder to earn than the other.

 

[veggz]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman

Originally posted by: everman
Most people don't even know that there is a difference, highly unlikely that your potential employer will or even care.

Unfortunately, some employers DO care, albeit blindly. They will just assume that a candidate with a BS is more qualified than one with a BA, all else being equal.

Everman is correct; in elite positions and grad schools the two are indistinguishable. The exception is if one is looking for a highly technical job, in which case he/she would not be seeking a BA in the first place.