George Washington University School of Business Concerns

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I was just accepted to the GW School of Business and am a little concerned with the intensity and quality of their Business program. I want to major in accounting with a concentration in finance or entrepreneurship (depending on the course offerings). Now I know that the GW School of Business is highly ranked for their Grad Program, but what about undergrad. It seems to me like GW has a very lackluster program and their career services and internship placement is nonexistent. According to their website they only have 2 undergrad majors, Accounting and Business Administration. And the course offerings they have posted on their website are minimal. </p>

<p>That being said, I have been accepted at a few other very good business schools, one being Bentley which is entirely business and offers every business course and major under the sun. They have built a name for being cutting edge in their technology and facilities and are also constantly connecting students to astonishing internships throughout Boston and Massachusetts. They are in a way the ultimate business school.</p>

<p>I know that GW wouldn't build a brand new business complex if their program was weak but it seems like their resources are nonexistent. </p>

<p>I would really appreciate if someone attending, who has attended, or is very knowledgeable on GW's business school would help me out. Please give me a good reason for my parents to dish out 50k for me to study business at GW. I hope that I am just missing information because as of now GW is my top choice. (Financial Aid Pending haha)</p>

<p>Alright I registered just to answer this post. I graduated from the business school in 07 and am starting my mba in the fall. As a starting point, USNews ranked GW the #34 undergrad business program in the country. The business school has its own specialized career center (fowler) that is completely different from the rest of gw and has its own online job board. I have access to this board. There are about 40 job and internship postings per DAY just specific to the gw undergrad business school. There are also major on campus recruiting sessions held by a majority of the top name major companies out there (banks, marketing firms, tech firms, consulting firms, etc). Keep in mind most top offers (60k+bonus) go to those that have a gpa of at least 3.2, more likely 3.5. Someone like goldman sachs, when interviewing on campus, asks for gpa as a filter of sorts so it is vital to keep your grades up.
GW is confident enough in its placement to actually post its undergraduate career placement survey. This is almost unheard of among most schools. In 2010, a terrible year for the job market, over 70% of undergrads had jobs 3 months after graduation. see here [Employer</a> Statistics | F. David Fowler Career Center | School of Business | The George Washington University](<a href=“http://business.gwu.edu/careercenter/employers/statistics.cfm]Employer”>http://business.gwu.edu/careercenter/employers/statistics.cfm)
There is no reason to lament the fact that there is only a BBA and BA. Most business schools just offer a BA or BS. Your major is what matters and there are tons of them to choose from. In addition, there is a multitude of companies to intern with while a student. I interned at the Senate Finance Committee, Royal Bank of Canada, and had interviews for full time positions senior year at some of the most sought after firms in the country like blackstone group, bear stearns (rip), lazard, goldman, etc. There are also constantly amazing events on campus. This week there is a two day panel with the head of the World Bank as the keynote speaker (gwsbcrossroads.com). The week after, the head of the IMF is coming to campus. A few weeks prior there was a speech by the head of Colgate Palmolive.
Our new dean is also very innovative and has some amazing ideas to take the school to the next level. He’s publicaly stated his intention to bring the school on par with the law school (ranked in the top 20) in 7 years. Not an easy task but he’s up to it.
All of my friends that graduated with me are quite successful in their chosen fields. As far as Bentley goes, I have never really heard of it and so can’t comment. But you’ll find that most people working at the big firms come from the same set of 30-40 schools. Bentley isn’t among them fwiw.
In closing I recommend the school wholeheartedly and would go again in a heartbeat.</p>

<p>Asd- Forgive me but, I am a little confused. Why would you apply to the GWSB if you have such major concerns about the quality of their “lackluster” program and/or offerings? You should determine which concentration you would like to focus on. I am a double major in IB and Marketing and have had a great experience with the Business school and the professors. Further, The Career Center was very helpful regarding helping me to secure an internship last summer. I was accepted to several business schools as well as Bentley back in 08’ and although I really liked the other schools, I preferred the LOCATION of GW and the fact that I could take courses in ESIA. Granted, Bentley’s technology is great but I was also advised by many business leaders (via my dad) that Bentley is mostly known for it’s accounting program, which I had no interest in. Further, if you are seeking to go to business school in Boston, BC and Babson are more highly regarded. If you are into statistics, GW’s admission is also more competitive then Bentley and the GW’s IB program is ranked very high. If finances are the deciding factor, and you receive more aid from Bentley, the only reason you should “convince” your parents about GW is if you strongly feel it’s a much better fit. I suggest you attend accepted students day and speak with a dean from GWSB to address your questions. Good Luck!</p>