<p>Hey Guys,</p>
<p>How common is it for Grinnellians to pursue an MBA after 4 years at a liberal arts school?
Is that common practice or something unheard of? I'm thinking of an MBA after majoring in Economics at Grinnell, but do others do that too?</p>
<p>I’m sure they do though I couldn’t find statistics on this. The career center may have some idea. </p>
<p>As a Harvard MBA, I can assure you that many of my section mates were NOT business or economic majors as undergrads and many had attended LACs and were at no disadvantage as a result. We had former engineers, musicians, chemists, history majors, and anthropologists. After graduating from college, there were lots (maybe half the section?) of former analysts at investment banks, banks and consulting firms-but there were also teachers, a doctor, someone from the military, a lawyer, a pro baseball player, an opera singer, and several engineers. Do what interests you, do it well and know that whatever you choose, most top MBA programs will not want to see your application until you’ve been in the work world for at least 3-5 years.</p>
<p>The best preparation in college is to take leadership roles in your school. It is a big advantage to arrive at a job already knowing something about the art of managing others and about thinking strategically and systemically. Learning to write clearly and speak persuasively also helps. Being comfortable with numbers-especially statistics-is important too. And having the experience of living (and working) overseas is increasingly desirable in a global economy.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your insight! Not only on this thread, but anything Grinnell 
You seem to love the place. Are you an alum?</p>
<p>I’m not an alum. I’m just green with envy at the experience my S is having at Grinnell-so much better than my experience at a `big-name’ research university where mentoring and personal attention from faculty was hard to come by. I wish I’d known about LACs. Moreover, I had never even visited the midwest (except Chicago) until he went to see the midwestern LACs-and I went under duress. So yes, I’ve become a big fan. Clearly, Grinnell is not for everyone. But if the fit is right for you, the opportunities are outstanding.</p>