How is PSU's Smeal College of Business?

<p>I've been accepted to Smeal College of Business and I want to know if it will worth my time and money. How is Smeal? I would be glad if someone can tell me more about the school regarding it's career service/internship opportunities and education. I'm still pondering whether I should attend PSU this year but, if I do, do you think it will be wise if I get an MBA degree afterward? Or will it be useless getting MBA degree if I get undergraduate's business degree? Also, what's Smeal's strongest and reputatious major?</p>

<p>I hope you can help me out. Thanks.</p>

<p>smeal is ranked in the top 20 undergrad b-schools by usnews. the school offers smaller classes and and excellent education, especially for a state school. virtually all of the programs are strong. and students rate smeals job placement very high.
and as if thats not enough, there's the big 10 football</p>

<p>...and the mba will prob be worthless</p>

<p>RealM, what is your race and stats??</p>

<p>And if I get in, I will probably major in actuarial science</p>

<p>I want to be an actuary</p>

<p>Very few schools offer the actuarial science major/degree, but PSU is one of them</p>

<p>At this time most MBA programs will have wanted you to work in business a few years so that the business education will be more meaningful to you. However in 4 yrs. who knows?</p>

<p>The trick to PSU is to get involved, get to know your advisor and teachers in your department and to take advantage of everything the college has to offer such as job placement and the career center. Truely, the sky is the limit if you are a go getter.</p>

<p>Lil Wayne. Son's friend graduated PSU 2005 in actuarial science and is working in NYC and doing awesome!</p>

<p>RealM - My s is at Smeal and, so far so good. He's had some excellent classes a couple of stinkers...but overall he's happy and doing well. Lots of choices of majors.
It's too early to tell for him but overall we've heard good things about career planning services. Recruiters recently ranked PA #6 in the BW survey. The name is pretty good, especially in the region.
Agree with Sax - if you choose your classes carefully and get involved, it can be a great experience. If you coast along and party...you won't have much to distinguish yourself after 4 years. Internships and good jobs in business are not that easy to get...you need to do something to have an edge with employers.
Example...they have a great trading room set up in the new business building. And an investment club where you can move up to the point where you're actually helping to manage a multi-million fund. Now that will get noticed!<br>
Too early to tell if you should get an MBA. Maybe, maybe not...depending on the field you're going into.
Good luck!</p>

<p>From what I hear, Supply Chain Mgt, Finance and Acctg are strong majors. Actuarial Sciences is well respected, and hard to find in other schools.</p>

<p>Awesome! Can someone elucidate what actuarial science is? And what can you do with this major? I have a strong interest in finance or accounting so I'm looking forward to these majors. </p>

<p>If I want to get an MBA degree, what should I major for undergraduate's degree? </p>

<p>I've noticed that PSU is located in an suburban. Do you think there will be many internship oppportunities available?</p>

<p>Penn State has a rural location. The MBA degree is always more valuable than just a BBA. In addition to Penn State, consider NYU , Colgate, Michigan, Cornell and Richmond for finance; Villanova, Lehigh, Virginia, Wake Forest and Richmond for accounting. An actuary calculates insurance and annuity premiums. In the insurance industry, actuaries are highly paid. It is a boring profession to most and is essentially a statistics major. An actuary is humorously defined as an accountant without a personality.</p>

<p>Pretty good, I hear.</p>

<p>its a little early to be thinkin about an mba...id wait till soph year to see where you're for something like that ;).</p>

<p>Oh, thanks. Yeah I know I'm thinking ahead of myself but I was wondering if getting an MBA would be worth the value if I graduate Smeal with a BBA degree.</p>

<p>Bump (10 chars)</p>

<p>You asked will it be worth your time and money to go to Smeal? </p>

<p>It depends on several variables. 1-Where else were you, or might you be accepted? 2- Can you afford Penn State? 3- Can you afford your other possibilities? 4-Do you think you'll like a big school? 5-If you go to PSU will you work hard/do well?</p>

<p>Even Wharton isn't worth your time and money if you can't afford it or if you aren't serious as a student (altho if you get into Wharton odds are you're serious but you get my point). Smeal is strong enough to be worth the time and money if you put in the work and use its considerable resources and alumni network to get what you want out of it.</p>

<p>@2331clk:
1. Assuming I do get accepted at following places:
-Boston University (economics),
-U of Washington -Seattle (economics)
-U of Wisconsin -Madison (economics).
2. Cost is not a factor for me.
3. ?
4. I don't really mind the big schools because I know that it will be my responsibility to see the professors and take my chances (although I will have to stand out from the crowd).
5. Wherever I attend, I believe in myself that I will work hard and do well.</p>

<p>So do you think going to Smeal is superior than the places listed in #1?</p>

<p>realm - why is cost not a factor? Are your parents paying? Just curious cause I know Boston U is quite a bit more expensive than your state options. Maybe you could talk to them about putting the $ difference in a bank account to be used for grad school.
Showing my colors here...even if the money is there, I would like to see the added value of one choice over another....</p>

<p>@toneranger: Money is always a factor in deciding colleges but my parents are paying so "I" don't worry much. </p>

<p>So any more insightful information about Smeal? (regarding internships, career opportunities, alumni connections, recruiters, etc.)</p>

<p>Somehow I just feel like I fit at Penn State. A lot of faculty knows me, because I have a job and I'm always around. Maybe you should try visiting the campus to see it you like it. Try one of their Smeal visitation tours/things.</p>

<p>any more opinions?</p>

<p>yeah i too wanna know if its any good. i just got in. how heavy is the degree and about the recruiters, internships, etc</p>