<p>Technically I am an engineering freshman but unfortunately, I’m not finding engineering or math that interesting anymore. I am debating whether I should apply for B-school in December. Before I apply, I need to get my grades up and have the following questions answered:</p>
<li> Is it true that B-school is hard to get in but less challenging once you’re in?</li>
<li> Will engineering credits (engr 100, 101, 110) transfer?</li>
<li> Will Engr 100 count as the required English credit?</li>
<li> How’s workload or difficulty of business compared to engineering?</li>
<li> Will I have a better chance of getting accepted transferring from CoE instead of LSA? (I mean I don’t know anyone who has done that).</li>
<li> Any advantage of applying early?</li>
<li> Are recommendations needed to apply? If so, how many?</li>
</ol>
<p>Any helpful inputs, comments, tips would be appreciated. Feel free to share your experience especially if you’re a business school student.</p>
<p>I did both engineering and business at UofM - BSChE 1985 and MBA 1995 - OK, quite awhile ago! While I can't speak to the chances of getting in to the BBA program, I can tell you that for me business was just common sense compared to engineering. Yes, you have to keep up with the reading, do the case studies and homework, and meet with groups for projects, but the concepts were not difficult to grasp. Have you taken Econ? Your Econ grade will be a very important indicator of whether you will be accepted.</p>
<p>I am taking Econ 101 next semester. Problem is though, my calc III grade sucks now so that's really gonna affect my chance. I would go to their info meeting on Monday if I didn't have my engineering exam. Hopefully they will have another one soon.</p>
<p>LOL - neither. I'm a stay home mom! But that's mainly because we have moved around with my husband's job - lived in 4 different countries in the last 10 years.</p>
<p>I think the engineering program is tougher than the BBA program, but there's nothing about the BBA program being "less challenging once you're in." It's still tough. If you're from engineering, you are probably well-prepared for the work you'll do in the BBA program.</p>
<p>Shanghai Mom-lol I hope that won't happen to me after graduation. haha, of course it wont cuz I'm a guy (no offense really).</p>
<p>redhare-that's good to know but I'm not doing so well in engineering, otherwise I wouldn't be thinking about switching major. My pre-bus friend told me that taking 12 credits at b school is like taking 18, is that true? well, but then there are also LSA people who think Econ 101 is hard but yet most engineers told me it's the easiest A ever.</p>
<p>12 credits of business feels like more than 12 credits. The business classes give you too many assignments per credit. Business classes can only be either 1.5 credits or 3, but that just means class time per week and does not say anything about the homework you'll be getting. You'll be working on assignments as if the classes are worth 5 credits. Of course business isn't the only department that acts this way, but a lot of the business classes will feel like that. I've only been in the BBA program for one semester, so I don't know the specifics for every class, but in general that's the way things are supposed to be at the b school.</p>
<p>Econ 101 is a challenging first-year course, but it's not impossible. Accounting is the real killer.</p>
<p>I wouldn't mind getting homework as long as I know how to do it (currently not the case for me in math and engr). redhare, do you usually find the assignments/exams fairly reasonable (not impossibly hard)? So what makes accounting the real killer?</p>
<p>The assignments are fair, but sometimes I wish we were getting 4 credits instead of 3. They're mostly just tedious, not difficult. Since you were in engin, it's probably nothing new, really. In fact, I heard that engin projects were even more time-consuming that business projects.</p>
<p>Accounting is tough because it's an entirely new field of study compared to what most students are used to, and it's very detailed and requires precision. I would say the most important skill is analytical skills. It's also one of the classes where you think you know everything until you're in the exam room. Most students will tell you that everything is solvable if there were only more time for the exam.</p>
<p>i am also a confused admitted-to-engineering student who has yet to start to go to univeristy which i will do in a month time (Fall 2007). i am still not sure whether to continue or change to accounting. just want to know if it is true that its hard to get in a business school in US. its completely opposite in India (i am an indian), students who fail to getin engr opt for business. So anyone who knows whats tough in US??</p>
<p>redhare, thanks for the reply. That sounds like what I expected. I mean I see engineers that LIVE in the Dude 24/7 (so depressing) and I don't see business people that would do that. I've never had an engin assignment that I knew how to do right away. Not only do they require a lot time but a lot of thinking as well. Do you know if it's possible to take summer classes somewhere else and transfer them back to Ross?</p>
<p>saadsyed, by looking at the numbers, business is a little harder than engin to get in at Michigan. After you're in, I think engin requires more thinking and talent. Just pick something you're interested in.</p>
<p>There are also putting making C's in Econ 101 who are making A's in Honors Calc III. The B-School may generally ditribute higher grades than engineering, but you still need an aptitude and passion for the area you choose. I would be interested in hearing from some Junior and Senior B-School students, but they don't seem to be on this site much.</p>
<p>For example, Redhare says first year B-School Accounting is very hard, but most people will say, " Wait until you take Intermediate Accounting... they are night and day in terms of difficulty at most schools."</p>
<p>You simply cannot assume that because someone is doing such and such as an engineering major they will do better as a B-School student. While I have no reason to doubt the general consensus that Engineering grades tougher than B-School, I believe both have highly demand curriculums... especially in the upper level courses.</p>
<p>In short, most people will need to work hard to make it in B-School, although probalby not as hard Engineering students. Again, this is a generalization and individual passion and aptitude will play a major factor.</p>