abioila:

Actually,am facing this same problem.Although,i should have easily gone for economics over finance,but the former is at LASU while the later is at UNILAG.more comments please?

abioila:

Actually,am facing this same problem.Although,i should have easily gone for economics over finance,but the former is at LASU while the later is at UNILAG.more comments please?

tanimola22:

Hello Biola,

Thank you for asking 'awon egbon'.

If I found myself in your shoes, then I would choose Finance over Economics. I would not even look back. The reason is that, whether anybody likes it or not, UNILAG>LASU. Even if this is not totally true, at least employers of labour see it so. Moreover, you would lose nothing if you did not study Economics at undergrad level. As a Finance student, you would get to take the most important courses in Economics: Micro and Macro. These Economics courses will be useful just in case you hope to still pursue Economics at graduate level(MSc/PhD). These are the most important courses at undergraduate level Economics; the rest can be easy learnt or crammed as the case may be. An exception though is Econometrics, which is not even well taught at many Economics departments in Naijan universities.

So, I would advise that you speedily go and register with the Finance dept at UNILAG. It is UNILAG we are talking about O. A place where people pay thousands of Naira to buy only its diploma forms. This is an opportunity many of your peers can give a leg to get.

Kia kia go and register!

***** Another reason: UNILAG is a target institution for most companies in Nigeria. Top companies come there to recruit students every year.

abioila:

this is exactly what i thought,but my dad said finance is restricted unlike the versatility of economics,apart from the above reason i think its better i go for finance at unilag moreover i should be through with ICAN in about a year and 6month plus am very sure i'll finish with a first class by God's grace.tanks.opposing views are welcomed.

tanimola22:

The main issue here is choosing between the two schools--UNILAG and LASU. I suspect your dad's judgement is based on things that happened in the 70`s and early 80´s. The truth of the matter is that, a Theology graduate from Harvard or Cambridge with just some experience  in Economics and/or Finance can become the Minister of Finance in a place like Nigeria, while an Economics graduate from a lower ranked school will not  even smell the position. Go and read Agangan's biography and you would understand what I am saying. 

Like I earlier said, you can still become an Economist if you so desire. All you need to do is pursue a master's degree and then a PhD after your first degree. You are not at any disadvantage if you did not study Economics at undergraduate level. Just make sure you try to take micro and macro courses offered in your school's Econs dept and you will be fine.

If you go and study Economics at LASU because you want to be versatile, then I tell you, you will not have any edge over someone that studied Finance or Accounting or Business admin at UNILAG. In fact, you may be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a graduate job while in your final year. As i told you, UNILAG is a target institution for so many top companies in Nigeria.

In life, what you should be looking at is whether the advantages of doing something exceed the disadvantages. If the advantages exceed  the disadvantages, then a rational agent should key into such opportunity.

Respectfully tell your dad that studying Economics at undergraduate level does not necessarily make a person versatile. A person's versatility reposes on the person's ability to painstakingly improve, develop, nurture himself.

To conclude, I strongly advise you to jump at the offer from UNILAG. Don't forget, a myriad of your colleagues, mates and even egbons are looking for the same opportunity you have. Don't waste it OOOOOOOOOOOO.

violent:


If you want to do the easy stuff, go for finance!

Economics is a different ball game. . .even the most prominent folks in the finance industry the world over, had their first degrees in economics, anyone can study finance at the Masters level, all you need is a little brain.

abioila:

May be i should let you guys know the full story.i have already spent two years at LASU studying economics still on a first but a very weak one(4.56) with two more sessions to go i doubt i will be able to finish with a 1st coupled with the fact that our lecturers are raw saddist.imagine them swearing that no other student will make a first after a lady 'mistakenly' graduated with a first last session.i never wanted to go to LASU but unfortnately found my self there due to my mum's fear of me staying at home after sec. sch.i gained admission immediately after sec. sch even b4 my final exams.i wrote ume again in my first year but had LASU exams on the day of PUME.I decided to stay but the conditions of learning from wack lecturers,strikes,very poor infastructure to even 'touts' and married women as course mates(although there are few very good ones).i even hate the fact that when i tell people i attend LASU they ask my WHY or they change the look on their faces,lyk what are u doing there.All this factors frustrates me and i cant deny the fact that it has affected my performance as i no longer read 4 exams.i wrote UME again in my 2nd year,applied 4 econs at UNILAG,i even had the highest aggregate  score in the PUME but due to corruption i found my name on the finance supplementary list.i feel,if i go to UNILAG,make a first class,finish my ICAN in say 200lvl then add ACCA  or anoda prof course before i grad it will make up for the 2yrs av lost.btw am 18 and i intend doing my masters before i work.more comments pls.

So you advise he stays 2 more years in LASU and most likely come out with 2.1 in Economics, than spend 4 years in Unilag and bag a 1st in Finance (or Econs if he can cross over)?

Coupled with the fact that LASU just increased fees astronomically and strikes there are frequent.

A very tough decision to make. If he decides to forego the Unilag opportunity and all it represents, he has a gory 2 years or more to look forward to in LASU.

Even before graduating, people are already looking down on him for being in LASU.

Lets not forget he's 18 so age is still on his side.

abioila:

^^^ the increament does not affect existing students.Besides money is not an issue,my parents are ok.infact,by God's grace,they said i will attend the Lagos Business School for my masters. @violent it sounds easier when its being said than when its being done.Am just taking each day at LASU as it comes. The PASSION is DEAD.Am not feeling that 'undergrad school life' at all.All i do there is just write exams infact i barely receive lectures(that's if lectures hold infact,lectures does not add any value in that school)yet i still have at least one of the best 5 results each semester,there is just little challange there, infact we don't even go for competitions,zero exposure,students speak yoruba everytime,infact i found out my ability to speak correct English has reduced drastically.you need to see our lecturers,you wont believe they are lecturers until you see them lecturing,they are not better off than LASTMA officials.besides UNILAG graduates an average of say 100 first every year compared to say 4 in LASU(thats even if they hold convocation ceremony sef)i think the last one was in 2007.Lastly,i hate it when i tell people i attend LASU and the next thing they ask u is-part time or full time?or they ask u which campus?.So do you still think i should stay?

abioila:

With the few weeks i have spent at UNILAG,I have started to feel at home already,when i was doing my departmental registration the course adviser saw my PUME result slip and was suprised that i was in finance dept on the supp list for that matter.he told me its a good thing they have me in their dept and he said he's expecting a first from me.This is the kind of enviroment and people i need to bring out the best in me.

abioila:

With the few weeks i have spent at UNILAG,I have started to feel at home already,when i was doing my departmental registration the course adviser saw my PUME result slip and was suprised that i was in finance dept on the supp list for that matter.he told me its a good thing they have me in their dept and he said he's expecting a first from me.This is the kind of enviroment and people i need to bring out the best in me.

olawalebab:

Abiola, I think is choice of taking unilag over Lasu is okay (no offend intended), looking at the opportunities there, you can't go for less. I remember some years back,some Nigeria banks retrench the state university graduate (irrespective of their ability), with such a scenerio you don't know what the future may hold. All the best

@topic, the choice between Economics and Finance have been extensively discuss, so there is little or nothing for me to add to it.

olawalebab:

It seems you did not read the quote well. Don't you see where i said 'irrespective of their ability'. What am talking about is pre 2007. Check it out. The choice of word you use for me is uncharitable. "wicked"

yamakuza:

He actually agrees with you, and praised you for being blunt enough to say what he didnt.

Read his comment again, slowly. The 'wicked' is praise, like saying 'u too badt' .