Palak Thakore's story started out in typical fashion. Freshman year – "I'm going into medicine." Sophomore year – "Exercise science is my future." But then, she discovered a passion for finance and everything changed. Now, you won't find anyone more excited about this major and the prospects it holds for her future.
Palak credits the liberal arts and sciences with helping her discover a love of finance. "I came here intending to study science, and eventually took a drawing course. That opened up possibilities that I hadn't considered, and it taught me that there were subjects beyond biology that I might enjoy learning."
With no background in finance, she began taking business courses. "The business administration major was appealing because I could choose from the specific concentrations offered. Then, I took a business finance course and totally loved it. The class was intense, but what grabbed me was how dedicated the professor was. She set up 6:00 a.m. study sessions and attended every one of them. Surprisingly, that turned out to be great. I never considered studying so early, but it really works."
In one course, Palak had to analyze an existing company. "I chose J. Crew; I've got a big interest in fashion. I had to look at the company's operations, who the leaders are and how the firm works within the current economy. I wasn't able to get any financial data from J. Crew because the company is private and doesn't release that information, so I had to find it on my own. One of the things that I really love about finance is the research that's required."
Palak also likes the small classes, that give her extraordinary access to her professors. "I feel tremendously supported, and I love the way the various elements overlap. I'm taking the intermediate class in finance now, and so much of what we're covering extends back to what we learned in our introductory course. It all makes sense, and I feel as though I'll be able to hit the ground running when I get into the working world."