Is Business Administration on par with Accounting at Bing?

I recently got accepted to the SOM and am strongly considering committing. I know Bing is a top provider for recruits to the Big 4 and how beneficial this is to accounting students. My question lies in whether there is as much opportunity for Business Administration majors as there is for Accounting majors. From the Bing website and many other sources, the internships and job opportunities are heavily emphasized for Accounting students, but can the same be said for Business Administration students like myself? On my Common App, I declared Business Administration, although my plan is to declare the Finance concentration before junior year if I do end up going to Bing.

Good question. Any non-accounting SOM students/grads care to share their experiences with getting summer internships and finding jobs after graduating?

A lot of companies look specifically for accounting majors but many recruit from SoM in general. Binghamton is great for accounting but for other business it is all right. That being said, it is a great value and an SoM degree will open more doors than a harpur degree.

You will be fine. The school gets a lot of recruitment and you will have no problem getting a job. Just make sure you have a GPA of 3.5+. Business is a pretty competitive major. There are tons of students who major in it so the competition for a job is intense.

So even if I’m not in Accounting, the SOM still gets a lot of attention, and therefore I should get some opportunities, right? I want to attend Bing because it’s a reputable school, in addition to it being a top SUNY, but I’m just wary because I don’t want the spotlight automatically shining on Accounting students. Of course, I’m expecting the SOM to be competitive (so that’s not a problem.) although I do worry about networking because that was never a strong point with me.

When do you declare your major? I was admitted to SOM for Business Administration but what If I decide I want to change to Accounting?

@funjodi28 Not sure. I’m wondering the same thing, too. However, since we both got admitted to SOM, it would be easier for us to switch to Accounting than let’s say a Harpur student because we wouldn’t have to change schools. I hear it’s really hard to transfer to SOM as a college student because of the school’s competiveness and limited space.

Does anyone know if the Big 4 consider non-accounting majors for their internships? If so, are they usually in the summer? Do most Bing students do summer internships, considering that Bing is quite a distance from NYC? I tried doing some research and people say there are some positions relating to transaction services, advisory, or consulting work that can fit for MBA.

However, there wasnt really any information on internships. The SOM gets a lot of recruitment in general (from the Big 4 and other major companies) but I want to know if there’s even a possibility for me (as a Business Administration major) to even get an internship
by, lets say, Deloitte, when they are most likely going to scout for an accounting student.

Despite the idealistic goal being that I intern at a top firm, I know that I should go with whatever opportunity I can get and make my way up from there. I can’t really let my pride get in the way of success, so not working in a Big 4 company wouldn’t be the end of me. Though, it would be nice to have my starting point be at a prestigious and renowned company.

@funjodi28 i am a current student in business administration and a concentration in finance. Because the first 4 semesters at bing business admin and accounting are taking the same core classes it gives students time to see what they like and dislike. During these semesters it is very easy to switch and this usually can be done right in SOM advising with some paperwork. Bc you are already in SOM you can do this. Those who do accounting can also choose to do additional concentrations that business administration majors might choose as well to make their degree even more valuable. Overall, there is a lot of flexibility in SOM and it is really about exploring and trying things to get a feel for what you want to do with your future. I am happy to answer any questions.

@stechin Big 4, Mid-Size, back office, front office, investment banking, insurance, risk, consulting, marketing. Any type of firm or industry you want recognizes Bing for internships and jobs. Big 4 firms are always looking for accountants if this is why you are worried, but if you are business admin you still have countless opportunities. There are so many career fairs, guest speakers, networking events, and case competitions to get your name out there. And yes, as is with most premier business schools, internships are a must to ultimately secure a top job and Binghamton is as good a choice as any top business school if you hope to work in NYC as this is where the majority of us will have our first real jobs.