<p>After starting my freshman year at NYU, I found out about the ILR program at Cornell. Since then, I've researched it thoroughly, spoken to Ian (the ILR transfer counselor), and spoken to students who transferred there. To me, ILR seems like a fantastic, intellectual program and it is definitely what I want to study, so I am considering a transfer. </p>
<p>However, there is one problem - My parents think ILR is a joke. They say things like, "Why would you want a degree that says 'Industrial and Labor Relations'? A degree in Economics from NYU sounds a lot better." Not only does their blind ignorance anger me, I don't know what to do about it. I've thrown tons of ILR brochures and postgraduate surveys at them, but they won't listen. They seem to think I'll get stuck in some sort of HR job (not that HR is a bad field), but I hope to get into banking or consulting. </p>
<p>I'm convinced that ILR is right for me, and NYU doesn't offer it so I need to transfer. But how can I convince my parents???</p>
<p>^ Ya if you are from NY u get reduced tuition at ILR!</p>
<p>People from ILR go into a wide range of fields from HR, to law, to management. I'm sure you would do absolutely amazing in the school...especially if it is your passion. That degree is also amazing and very valuable! It sets you apart from the crowd of normal business people and helps you take a unique look into business. If it is what your into tell your parents that and talk to them about what a great school Cornell is. Hopefully you can manage to convince them! GL!!!</p>
<p>banking and consulting would look better with a Bachelor of Science (vs. BA)...have you researched the AEM program? i'm not saying that you couldnt do that with ILR...but AEM is much more appropriate...though one can take plenty of AEM courses as electives... </p>
<p>i just got through with my ILR freshman year....and I am also worried about being stuck in an HR job...but with my concentration (minor) in International Relations and my trilingual ability i'm hoping i'll be much more open to other fields...besides there's always grad school! </p>
<p>if your parents dont give in, there's always the masters degree in ILR! ^__^</p>
<p>"banking and consulting would look better with a Bachelor of Science (vs. BA)...have you researched the AEM program?"
ILR is a Bachelor of Science, not a BA - how do you complete a year of the program and not know this???</p>
<p>FBI - the name of the school is the one thing I really dont like about it. It really doesn't describe what the school teaches or where it puts graduates. Don't you think it's kind of ironic that a school that was founded off of the union and labor movement places a very large percentage of students into consulting/banking/ firms and into law and business school? The school has debated a name change (recently, actually), but it's VERY hard to actually do this. What would Cornell even change it to?</p>
<p>Another thing - although the degree says one thing, your transcript says another. Employers do ask to see what classes you've taken and you can EASILY manipulate the ILR (or any other) curriculum to fit your needs - you can load it up with finance, advanced econ, and math classes and have an equal-to-if-not-better than courseload than an econ major. OR - you can load up with organizational behavior, management, and operations research classes to have a degree that would rival any business/management degree from any business school. Sure, your degree will say ILR, but employers really dont give a big hoot about this - they want to know what classes you've taken and how you can use what you've learned to benefit them. </p>
<p>If you want to go into banking or consulting, trust me, you can from ILR. I've seen it with my own eyes and I may even pursuit a job in consulting next year. Unfortunately, if your parents wont listen to you then there's nothing you can change about that. </p>
<p>Keep in mind, you dont need to major in "business" to go into business - in fact, you can likely major in most anything, you just have to be smart and driven.</p>
<p>""banking and consulting would look better with a Bachelor of Science (vs. BA)...have you researched the AEM program?"
ILR is a Bachelor of Science, not a BA - how do you complete a year of the program and not know this???"</p>
<p>when i said BA i was talking about the BA of economics i suspect he's getting from NYU...</p>
<p>Go for ILR it's a great program. I have Cornell friends who love it.
Plus it's easier to make the dean's list. You need a lower G.P.A. to make it there, than in CAS... i think 3.3</p>
<p>despite what gomestar says, ILR does prepare students for human resources. A clear look at a graduate survey will show that many ILR grads go to law school or work in human resources. I would say AEM or ECON is more appropriate.</p>
<p>Well, I think everyone is pretty much on target about what they say about ILR. I just think your parents are too, no offense, "tunnel visioned" about the two words "economics major". Although the graduate survey does say a majority goes into HR, it doesn't report what other jobs, promotions, projects, research topics that ILRies get/go into after their first job of their 50+ years being in the work force.</p>
<p>Tell your parents that the ILR book also says that ILR grads earn some of highest salaries among Cornell graduates. </p>
<p>2005 ILR career survey:
20% HR
7% financial services
11% business consulting</p>
<p>so 20% go into HR and 17% go into lucrative fields, seems pretty evenly balanced to me. It is not as columbiahopeful would beleive it to be. Although I wont deny that ILR does have a good HR niche.</p>
<p>heres the entire breakdown from 2005:
20% - HR
16% - Legal Assit/Paralegal
11% - Business Consulting
9% - Other Business
9% - teach/public serve/Govt
8% - Financial services
7% - HR consulting
5% - Reasearch/Policy
5% - Labor
5% - Communications/Media/Sports
5% - Other</p>
<p>"despite what gomestar says, ILR does prepare students for human resources"</p>
<p>you're as thick as they come, what the heck was Penn even thinking?? </p>
<p>I never EVER said ILR didn't prepare you for human resources. If you find where I did say that, please for the love of god tell me. Good luck with the search. </p>
<p>What I said was ILR will prepare you for much more than JUST HR stuff. Thank you, Grant, for posting the info that proves it, though I sure as heck hope "columbiahopeful" here can read and interpret the data accordingly. </p>
<p>On another note, HR management was rated a as a top-3 career field by whatever big website links through CNN.com for business news.</p>
<p>"can someone givem e a good definition on what exactly an HR job is, does, consists of so on, different types. examples. thanks"</p>
<p>there are a bunch of things that HR can be responsible for, I'll give a few examples:</p>
<ul>
<li>Recruitment - HR is responsible for getting the most talented workforce available for the company.<br></li>
<li>Retention - HR forms programs and incentive to retain employees and to keep them happy. This also improves a company's bottom line. </li>
<li>Training - how do you improve the workforce you already have? HR takes care of this. </li>
</ul>
<p>There's a bunch more such as human capital, mergers, compensation (some may fit into the 3 examples above).</p>
<p>Honestly, if you want to do general consulting or banking, a good academic record at NYU will provide you with the same opportunities as a good academic record at Cornell ILR. Overall, alumni connections and perceived prestige/rigor <em>might</em> give a slight edge to Cornell.</p>
<p>However, you are right to suggest that the ILR School offers a wonderful intellectual experience in its field. If you are interested in the role of economic institutions, government policy, and the functioning of employment systems at both a micro and macro level, ILR is the place to be.</p>
<p>The great benefit about the ILR program is that you can tailor its strengths to your own interests. If you are interested in management consulting, you can take a lot of organizational behavior and economics courses. If you are interested in finance, you can do that. Obviously you can do HR. And if you are interested in government policy or union organizing, you can do that too, and quite successfully, I might add.</p>
<p>The real benefit of Cornell over NYU, though, is the campus location and the Cornell undergraduate residential experience. You are going to be able to spend the rest of your life in cities. Why not spend a couple of years in an idyllic campus setting at one of the most active and diverse college campuses in the country? </p>