#12 Undergrad B-school according to BusinessWeek

<p>UR has moved up from #20 to #12 for the undergraduate B-school. It was also tied with Wharton (Penn), and Wake for #1 in academic quality. This is quite an accomplishment, and hopefully the upward trend will continue the next few years.</p>

<p>The</a> Top Undergraduate Business Programs</p>

<p>In 2008 the BW chart indicated UR had a 2-yr program. In 2009 BW indicates it is a 4-yr program. Was there really a change?</p>

<p>2008</a> Undergrad - BSchools</p>

<p>Looks like the only thing holding Robins back is the B rating for job placement.</p>

<p>If you come out with an accounting degree, you won't have to worry about a job, as most of them have jobs after their internships prior to senior year. Others don't have a hard time, but you have to put in time on your own. I was very pleased to see the recruiter ranking improve by 24 spots, and would expect to see the job placement improve as the reputation of the school catches up to the quality. </p>

<p>The career development center has also been retooled recently (and relocated to a more prominent location on campus), and as an alumnus, I've received a few emails from students in the past year asking about my career and opportunities that may exist for them. This didn't start happening until the past year or so.</p>

<p>In addition to new space for the Career Development Center, the size of the staff has also grown, so they are in a better position to offer enhanced services and our students are definetely noticing a very positive improvement there. </p>

<p>We're very excited about the recognition for the B-School!</p>

<p>UR admissions, once accepted, how easy is it to change schools(within UR). I think I applied as undecided but am interested in the Jepson's school and B-school...?</p>

<p>The only school you have to be accepted into is Jepson. Applications for that are due sophomore year. Aside from that, there is nothing to prevent you from changing schools. Given the liberal arts nature of the school, it's encouraged to take a wide variety of courses. If you're interested in Jepson though, I would strongly suggest taking a couple of courses your freshman year so you can be sure that it's something you want to do.</p>

<p><<if you're="" interested="" in="" jepson="" though,="" i="" would="" strongly="" suggest="" taking="" a="" couple="" of="" courses="" your="" freshman="" year="" so="" you="" can="" be="" sure="" that="" it's="" something="" want="" to="" do.="">></if></p>

<p>Could you be more specific about what those courses would be? Thank you.</p>

<p>The courses you would take would be the intro leadership courses.</p>

<p>When you apply to UR, you don't apply into any certain school, so you're not really "switching schools" - you get into the B-school or Jepson your sophomore year. Everybody starts out in arts & sciences. So no worries about that.</p>

<p>Kelliebm is right. All entering first-year students at Richmond come into the School of Arts and Sciences. The Business and Leadership Schools are "upper-division" colleges meaning that most coursework there is done by juniors and seniors. </p>

<p>For students entering as first years in 2010 (high school juniors right now) the Business School has re-instituted an admission process. In order for students to be eligible to pursue a major in the Robins School of Business (Business Administration, Economics or Accounting), students must have a 2.7 GPA after completing at least 12 units at the end of three semesters of college coursework, including Econ 101, Acct 201, and Math 211 or Math 231 (or their equivalents).
In order for students to be eligible to minor in Business Administration, students must have a 2.7 GPA after completing at least 12 units at the end of three semesters of college coursework, including Econ 101, Acct 201, and Math 211 or Math 231 (or their equivalents).
Students who do not meet these criteria can appeal. </p>

<p>I don't believe that most of us feel that this is an especially high bar for intended business majors to clear. If you don't play around in the first year (the usual reason for not-so-superlative grades :) ) then anyone who wishes to major ought to be fine. I would also point out that there is also an economics major through the School of Art & Sciences that will NOT have these admission requirements in place. </p>

<p>As for the Leadership School, the only course you must take before being formally admitted to the school is Foundations of Leadership Studies. Many students take this course, as it also satisfies one of the general education field of study requirements, and it helps students determine their level of interest in the Jepson School. The</a> Jepson School of Leadership Studies: Admission describes the admission process. It is not so concrete as the B-school's process, and is a holistic review, writing samples etc., rather than just a GPA evaluation. </p>

<p>Most students who wish to move over to Business or Leadership are able to do so and many students combine programs in the two schools. It is more permeable then it might appear on the surface.</p>

<p>IMO, the BW rankings are more of a popularity contest of sorts. If recruiters are happy, a schools scores highly. The good news is that a high scoring school means that the college has put resources into making recruiters happy, and that also tricolates down into resources that also make students happy! Thus, a high scoring school can be a great place to study biz.</p>

<p>bluebayou:</p>

<p>Richmond's Robbins School is rightly recognized as one of the nation's top undergraduate business schools but please note that the Business Week rankings may be a bit narrow since the rankings includes only those schools that have dedicated undergrad business schools.</p>

<p>Many competitive schools have business courses and majors in non dedicated schools (Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Columbia, Duke, Chicago, Williams, Amherst, Colgate, Middlebury, bowdoin, Bates, Colby and others) which have produced countless prominent national business leaders yet do not have dedicated undergrad buz schools.</p>

<p>The above is not a knock against UR which should be deservedly proud of its Business Week ranking.</p>

<p>otis:</p>

<p>Yes, I know that few top colleges have undergrad biz. But you are incorrect in that competitive schools have "business courses"; they do not, econ is the closest. Dartmouth's Tuck School, a top-ranked B-school, does not offer undergrad courses. OTOH, Dartmouth's econ program is top-notch. But, there is a world of difference between econ as a major (in liberal arts) and undergrad biz. A CPA, for example, can be earned by just taking accounting course a junior college. In contrast, top econ programs require strong calc.</p>

<p>Personally, I'm not a fan of undergrad biz as a major, but that's bcos I'm a big believer in a four year liberal arts degree and then an MBA. But for those interested in undergrad biz, Richmond offers a great opportunity.</p>

<p>bluebayou</p>

<p>Please identify where in my post I said that "competitive schools have business courses".</p>

<p>If you reread the post you will see that you misspoke; I never said that.</p>

<p>I am impressed that bluebayou (a parent) has a life that allows he/she to have the time or interest to make 7,813 (and counting) posts on College Confidential.</p>

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Please identify where in my post I said that "competitive schools have business courses"...I never said that.

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<p>Umm, it was taken directly from your post #12.</p>

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Many competitive schools have business courses and majors in non dedicated schools Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Columbia, Duke, Chicago, Williams, Amherst, Colgate, Middlebury, bowdoin, Bates, Colby and others)

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<p>No need to be impressed. I received a lot of college selection help several years ago from many knowledgeable individuals on cc and I just try to Pay it Forward (sometimes better than others).</p>