<p>I am an OOS (from CT) student interested in majoring in Business Management at UMass Amerst. I was accepted in late December/early January and given a $6,000 annual Presidential Scholarship, which I believe was largely due to my SAT scores (2050--620 math 650 reading 780 writing). However, my lackluster (atleast that's how i see it) 3.2 gpa is probably what kept me from getting into the Isenberg School of Management, along with Uconn @ Storrs, which was my top school before they admitted me to Avery freakin Point. If I do go to UMass, my goal will be to transfer into the SOM by the time I am a sophomore or a junior if worst comes to worst. However, I am worried that this will be an arduous up-hill battle with the odds greatly stacked against me, as Isenberg is a well-respected and selective program that only takes in a small number of on-campus transfers. Does anyone know if this is a realistic goal of mine? Perhaps someone has personal experience from their own life or knows a friend who faced the same dilemma that I am facing?
I think UMass could be a great fit for me, but I'm only about 75% sure. Yes, I like to party and binge drink just like the majority of all teens do, but I'm really more of a laid-back kind of kid so I'm not sure if a school with 20,000 plus kids and a moniker of "Zoo-Mass" is right for me. I want to really do well in college and that all starts with applying myself academically, which I struggled to do throughout much of my high school career. I've always been the type of student with a lot of unique and creative ideas and interesting things to say during class discussions. However, I've struggled with poor academic work ethic, largely due to flat-out lack of interest in the subject matter. I'm worried that if I don't get into Isenberg SOM as soon as possible I will again become bored with what I'm being taught in the General Ed. classes and I will quickly get lost in such a large crowd.<br>
There are times when I'm analyzing information about UMass on websites like this one and **********<strong><em>.com and i think to myself, "Wow, this is the place for me". The food is said to be great both on-campus and off-campus, Amherst is a well-renowned college town, there is a brand new fitness center (which is a real plus for a life-long athlete and weight-lifter like myself), the academics are solid and Isenberg is impressive. Like I said, however, the party scene is both a plus and minus for me. Sure, i love to roll a fat J and I'll match you shot for shot any day of the week but when I'm done intoxicating myself I like to have meaningful conversations about conspiracies or the magic of Third Eye Blind and a Tribe Called or my future goals once I enter the business world. I'm not sure if I can find that kind of atmosphere at a school like UMass where this is the constantly perceived notion that the guys are shallow and riotous *</em></strong>*bags and the girls are shallow and slutacious...sluts.
My dad is a UMass alum and naturally he is fully in-favor of me going to Amherst in the fall. Even with the scholarship I received it will still cost about 30k annually altogether with tuition, fees, room and board, etc. However, cost is not a pressing issue for my family, as my older sister was class salutatorian in high school and is basically going to college for free at UConn. I'm really leaning towards going to UMass, but I'm just not completely sold. I got into URI's business school with a 30k scholarship but it is not as reputable as UMass. I would really love it if someone could me give a completely candid evaluation of UMass...and be honest if you completely hate/hated it. Thank you -TP</p>
<p>So aside from any other colleges you’re waiting to hear back from, it sounds like your only current options are UMass and URI. Between these two schools, I would suggest UMass because not only do you seem excited to go there, you will be more motivated to do well. If you enroll with the intent of getting into the business school, you will probably be more motivated to do well. Assuming you apply yourself and take a genuine interest in the business program, I see nothing preventing you from achieving your goals. If all else fails and you are rejected, there is an Economics major in the Liberal Arts school that you could fall back on. I know this isn’t the same as a business major, but it would definitely lay a great foundation for a career in business and/or grad school. If you have no desire to attend URI and feel that you can handle the atmosphere/finances of UMass, you should by all means go to the latter. You don’t want to look back twenty years from now wishing you hadn’t been afraid of rejection.</p>
<p>Sounds like you prefer UMass which is great. I would just call to try to get an idea of the type of GPA you would need to transfer into the business school at UMass so you will have an idea of it should be do-able for you. At some colleges it is pretty easy to transfer between schools, at other places it is very difficult.</p>
<p>I think in Business these days, a MBA is necessary. You can always shoot for Eisenberg for the MBA if you don’t get in undergrad. You’ll need grad school anyway, and that matters more in the end than undergrad.</p>
<p>^^^ I beg to differ. I am a CPA and my son is studying business as an undergrad. Students who do well, including a number of his friends, can get jobs with a BS. Many if not all of the better MBA programs require 2 - 5- years of work experience before they will consider your application. So I do think that it is a big help to have an undergrad business degree if that is your area of interest.</p>