<p>Here is my situation. Up until a few months ago i was planning on majoring in business admin, however after finding out that is not a good major if you plan on getting an MBA i decided to change. After meeting with professors at my school from both the engineering department and business department i decided to switch to an engineering major. I enjoy math however i feel i would enjoy business a lot more then engineering. This is where my problem comes in, i am planning on attending penn state erie. The school is not ranked(at least as far as i know) in the business field. If i where to do something such as a marketing/finance double major would i have trouble getting a solid job out of school because the college is not widely known(however it is accredited)? And how will this affect me when going back for my MBA? Any and all advice is appreciated, thanks.</p>
<p>What type of engineering? </p>
<p>All because you major in engineering doesn’t mean you have to do engineering. Engineering degrees will program you to be a problem solver. You will address complex systems and take an analytical and quantitative approach to solving the problem and/or improving the system. This type of thinking will become innate, uncontrollable, and is prized by many firms at many levels. </p>
<p>There are many engineers who post here who have internships in non-engineering fields such as Investment Banking. While the exception and not the norm it is highly possible. Again, many engineers pursue business. I know several engineers who are Brand Managers, a marketing role. </p>
<p>I am biased, as I am an engineer getting an MBA. However, I like engineering and manufacturing environments. Still, there are many doors opening for me. If you want to avoid the sciences as much as possible look into Industrial Engineering.</p>
<p>Was originaly planning on electrical, however i will look into industrial, thanks alot.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard, it is a shame that a lot of people believe it.</p>
<p>care to elaborate?</p>
<p>Your undergraduate major doesn’t matter. You can major in business, economics, engineering, or underwater basket-weaving if you wish. What’s really important is what kind of work experience you will get after college.</p>
<p>I don’t know Penn State Eerie, but I’ll assume that it is not at the same level as Penn St and doesn’t provide the same type of opportunities you would find at a large state school. If that is the case, then engineering will likely provide you much better opportunities. The concern with engineering is that it’s tougher to keep your GPA up.</p>
<p>MikeM, in the past eight years or so, many elite MBA programs (Harvard, Upenn of world) has significant number of its admitted students who majored in liberal art degree (mostly in Economic). So many folks including many on the CC board believe that’s way to go in the future.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, that’s based on assumption that 1) everybody want to go to elite business school and get an investment bank job and 2) the past is indicated of future.</p>
<p>1) A normal college liberal-art degree vs. a normal college business degree. Unless you plan to go to top schools (Harvard of world), it is better to have business degree in this economy. At least, you have chance to get a job with accounting and/or finance and no chance for liberal art degree. </p>
<p>2) In the past eight years or so, many investment bank and consulting companies hire top students even though they major in English. But that’s no true anymore this year. It may never happen again. If liberal art students in top school cannot get good job, how do they gain that 2-4 job experience before MBA.</p>
<p>3) Business degree do not hurt your MBA applicants. Harvard business has over 20% of its student who has BBA. Since many top schools do not have business school, that’s very healthy number.</p>
<p>Thanks alot Japher, great info. As things stand I am planning to attend a top ten school for my MBA(i have alot of work to do before i get to that point), however due to horrible decisions in HS i do not have any opportunities like that for my BA. While i would love to major in the business field i had the same feelings as Vector, my opportunities for employment are going to be much greater since my school is not a very prestigious school.</p>
<p>I recommend going for a joint business-engineering program. I am in Drexel (in Philadelphia’s) Business and Engineering Major and it’s really been fantastic for me- think of it as a combination of industrial engineering and operations research with a heavy emphasis on entrepreneurship, math, and general business. Many students get MBAs afterwards, or a variety of other Masters degrees. There are other programs in Pennsylvania like this. I know Penn State has a business and engineering joint major that started last year, UPENN has its Management & Technology Program, and Lehigh has an Integrated Business and Engineering Honors Program. I wrote about the Drexel’s B&E program here if you’d like to read more about it: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/drexel-university/680451-drexels-business-engineering-major-unique-prestigious.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/drexel-university/680451-drexels-business-engineering-major-unique-prestigious.html</a></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>“Drexel’s Business and Engineering Major - Unique and Prestigious”</p>
<p>it’s not unique, and it’s not prestigious either. </p>
<p>Penn M&T, Michigan EGL, CMU CF, there are many similar programs that are way more prestigious</p>
<p>why would someone interested in cornell go to drexel? That’s like going from a target to a complete non-target</p>
<p>sorry, i misread concerns as cornell… but my point remains…drexel and prestige dont come in the same sentence. I am sure it is a good school. but it’s reputation is regional.</p>
<p>why would someone interested in cornell go to drexel? Many reasons, in fact I’ve seen many people get accepted to Ivy League schools and opt for Drexel. The biggest reasons are probably the co-op program in the heart of philadelphia, the recent growth and expansion of the school, and lots of scholarships that drexel gives out. Some people realizes this and would rather get a $10 or $20,000 scholarship to go to drexel and participate in the co-op program in philadelphia, verse Cornell. Of course, it’s entirely up to the person. I can say however that the B&E program is one of the oldest in the country and it started in the 1920s and has a huge alumni network. sure you may have a different definition of the word “prestigious”, like an ivy league school, but for me, drexel is very much known as a top engineering school worldwide and it has a very big up and coming business school, a top co-op program, and a top entrepreneurship program. Penn’s M&T, Michigan, and CMU doesn’t have the type of co-op program that Drexel’s B&E program has, which is why I believe it’s very unique.</p>
<p>“drexel is very much known as a top engineering school worldwide and it has a very big up and coming business school, a top co-op program, and a top entrepreneurship program. Penn’s M&T, Michigan, and CMU doesn’t have the type of co-op program that Drexel’s B&E program has, which is why I believe it’s very unique.”</p>
<p>i guess i dont need to look up the word delusional from the dictionary for my 8-year old brother.</p>