<p>D is thinking about going to a school with a major in business. Her top choices would be NYU, Wash U and maybe Carnegie-Mellon and Emory. Her safeties would be Indiana and OSU. If she doesn't get into any of her 4 reaches (a strong possibility) is it worth going to BU, GWU or the University of Miami? They seem big, impersonal, not rated much better than the safeties and a heck of a lot more money. And we want a school where she'd get accepted right into business (I know Emory doesn't) so she doesn't have a chance to screw up Accounting and not get in. Any ideas?</p>
<p>as a business major, i'd tell her to check into the programs at the schools. find out what type of studies they do, if there is anything different about the programs, etc. you'd be suprised what some schools come up with. i mean, business at my college was a really tough major. we worked with a lot of companies and did a ton of analysis, projects, papers, presentations, etc.. </p>
<p>I mean, imagine being 21, dressed suits with three of your peers, doing a formal presentation to the ceo's of harley davidson, telling them how to improve their company and make it more profitable, as they sit there taking notes frantically.</p>
<p>Other projects that we did was an international business simulation where we used this software and groups from the class competed with each other. every week you had to get together and make all of your business decisions for the week and those decisions equaled one year in the game... and it was a great competition that lasted all semester (it was graded) and the winning team didn't have to take the final exam... so everyone tried really hard. it was amazing to see what some groups did. the group that wound up winning had some amazing tactics and they swept right past us the final week. (my group was in first the full year and the last week we decided to play it safe and not make any huge changes and risk dropping in rank.. we got second because of the tactic the other team used.. they came all the way up from 5th place to 1st place.. nobody saw it coming at all.. Just like how things work in real businesses..).</p>
<p>or when we had to create a full business plan for a company complete with financials for a three year period of time. it took all semester. we had to work with various other companies in the industry and they helped us devise our plan. my group did a crime scene clean up company (which was very unusual, people gave us blank stares when we told them we would be cleaning up after murders, suicides, and deaths.. they thought we were morbid.. but we came up with a great plan and were one of the few companies whose numbers actually came out in the positives.), and we were in constant communication with other companies from all around the united states. dallas and buffalo are coming to mind as two of the main ones. It was just a really awesome experience to go about "creating" a company without actually "creating" it. We actually got the only A in my whole class. (And you need a 95 to get an A at my school)</p>
<p>What school do you go to? Don't tell me Wharton - I'm sure they do lot's of great things!</p>
<p>i just went to a little school in pennsylvania (<a href="http://www.ycp.edu%5B/url%5D">www.ycp.edu</a> ).. I'm just saying that you should really look into the actual program at the schools you look at... because it could be a "not well named school" but have a great program.</p>
<p>Your D might want to look at the job placement record for the school. Historically, a business major had a reputation as a slacker major. (yes, I'm dating my self, but my age peers still make a lot of hiring decisions...)</p>
<p>I realize this is changing for some places, some of the time, but I also think there is a risk of being pigeon-holed or tracked into a limited set of job functions as an undergrad business major. </p>
<p>This is a topic that's been debated and dissected a few times here over the past few years. I realize a lot of folks may disagree with my comments, so fire away. But I suspect some of the controversy stems from the fact that business programs vary a bit more in content, rigor etc. than in some other fields. (but maybe not? Does anyone know of a professional group - faculty professional association, for example - that sets standards for undergrad business programs, for example?)</p>
<p>The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs</p>
<p>I'm not exactly sure what they do.... but I think they do something...</p>
<p>newmass, a lot of times a business major has to choose a minor in the field of business - that way they still get the broad business education in all aspects of business, but you also choose a portion to focus on. So you take classes in econ, finance, international business, management, marketing, accounting, etc.. and then if you decide "man i really like management" you could decide to focus on that.. or if you decide "i really want to start my own company" you could focus in entrepreneurship. It really can be as focused as any other major.</p>
<p>plus like i said, it can vary depending on what school you go to. business at my school was NOT a slacker major. I spent more time in the library than my four roommates added up. it was habit to go there for 12 hours at a time... to have multiple meetings there per week.. (To have papa johns deliver me pizzas in my study room.. haha) to be calling companies making connections for projects... requesting info... meeting with companies.. i did projects with harley davidson, wolfgang candy, tyco electronics, general motors, etc..</p>
<p>i now work for the hartford.. which is an awesome company to be working for. I'd say my degree has been good to me. :)</p>
<p>I have to agree with fendergirl--the business school at my university (BU) is considered one of the (if not the) hardest undergraduate programs. I've mentioned in several other threads (like <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=165435%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=165435</a> ) some of the things we have to do. There is no way one can be considered a "slacker" after accomplishing what we have to do.</p>
<p>As for the OP, I can say from first hand that BU's SMG is very good at giving students the attention they need. They really make a large school feel small. Every professor I've had has known my name and face, regardless of whether or not I actually speak in class or not (though that's usually required) or visit during office hours. The advising staff is amazing and there'll help you with whatever you need. You are also admitted directly to SMG. I'm very satisfied with my education there and I landed a very nice job for after gradution this May.</p>
<p>I also like GWU--I know a few people who have gone there and been happy.</p>
<p>Whether or not it is worth the expense is going to depend a lot on financial aid, what she wants to go into and such, so I can't really say whether or not it will be worth it for HER specifically. It was for me.</p>
<p>I recommend doing as much research as possible on the schools. She may get excited at one once she sees some of the things that the business majors do. I can attest that BU kids do some great things during the 4 years.</p>
<p>Yeah, I just read over what ryan said in that thread.. I know the 100 page paper thing all too well... I'd say the paper i hated the most was a 20 page single spaced paper for Managerial Accounting.<br>
and the 45 minuite presentations.. I always had to laugh because there would always be one guy in a black suit with white socks. Our professor's always pointed it out and they were like "oops". </p>
<p>we had plenty of businesses tell us off when we were trying to get information for our project senior year. they thought we were an actual company trying to compete with them.. because they couldn't believe a school would assign such a project. we'd meet in the library for a couple hours a day, plus basically all day sunday to work on that project. our group would book a study room at the library and we'd get it from like noon-midnight.. and when we'd order our pizza to come at dinner time we'd always get the same delivery guy.. i'm sure he thought we had no lives!</p>
<p>also, here's the list of things we could specialize in</p>
<p>Accounting
Advertising<br>
Banking & Finance<br>
Business Administration (non-business majors) Economics
Entrepreneurial Studies
Finance
Human Resource
Information Systems
International Business
Management<br>
Marketing
Operations Management<br>
Organizational Development<br>
Quantitative Management
Retailing</p>
<p>Fender, ryan,</p>
<p>I did not say a business major is a slacker major. Please understand. I said that there COULD be a perception that it is.</p>
<p>The sad fact is that, when you enter the working world, the PERCEPTION of what you did is what counts, not your actual accomplishments. You may have done well in the most difficult major at your college. But if a potential employer does not understand this, then you get no credit for your accomplishment. There are parallels with college admissions, but one big difference: References (the working world's version of recommendations) only matter AFTER a hiring decision has been made. So you could be screened out prematurely, for the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>When you say business is seen as a "slacker" major what are you comparing it to? I could see that it might be easier than the sciences, math or engineering but if my daughter didn't major in business she'd probably do psychology or history or something like that. Also, I posted this on the other site too - why isn't BU's B-school ranked higher if it's so good? Like Indiana is # 11 and OSA is #18 and BU is #40.</p>
<p>in my mind the whole ranking thing doesn't mean anything... where do you get rankings for such things anyway?</p>
<p>i did a lot more work as a business major than my biology/pre-med roommate did.. and she even graduated a semester early.</p>
<p>i understand what you're saying newmass, but for example when i went on my interview for my job, i nailed every single question... because i had enough experiences with my classes and internship and jobs throughout college. and after they made their hiring decision and contacted my references, my prior boss basically told them that i'm the best worker he ever hired and went on to tell them about all of the things i accomplished while working there and how we basically doubled our sales with me there and how i really knew what i was doing when it came to business. </p>
<p>needless to say, i got hired and I really LOVE my job. and my company. </p>
<p>:)</p>