<p>My son and I went to a BU informational lecture last week. He is interested in the Business School, but very little if anything was spoken about it and it was not mentioned in the video at all. My son is convinced that it must not be very good if they don’t brag about it. I think BU is a terrific choice for him and am hoping all of you business school students can shed some light on the program and how many kids are in the program, its difficulty, and also benefits to being in this program over other schools.
Thanks for any input here…</p>
<p>The BU School of Management is a fantastic program. The thing about the informational sessions is that there is SO much to talk about, there's no way they can tell you everything that is great about the school.</p>
<p>I am a senior in the program. The overall structure is very cross functional, so you will learn a bit of everything and learn how the functions work with each others.
Junior year you pick a concentration (mine is Organizational Behavior). We have ten of them including Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Law, and International Management. All of these concentrations are touched on during the freshman course, Management as Sytem, which all freshman must take.</p>
<p>Another highlight of the program is the cross functional CORE, which is four classes touch by a team of teachers. You are with the same students for all the classes and the professors are preparing and guiding you toward completing a full business plan for a new consumer product that YOU create. You nurse the product from concept through market research through financial planning, through to a plan that is ready for venture capitalists.</p>
<p>The business school also has it's own career office which is extremely helpful in guiding students. They encourage us to start early in the job search process, especially starting with internships (usually in the plural). There is a class that is required for all sophomores that teaches interview skills, resume and cover letter writing, and networking skills.</p>
<p>I can go into more depth if you want or answer any other questions that you have about the program. Just let me know.</p>
<p>Lostandfound, thank you for your input. What made you decide on BU? Are you in the honors program? How difficult are you finding the courses? Thanks so much.</p>
<p>I am not in the honors program but I know it's not really such a huge deal. They do get to take an honors seminar every year, but I don't know what they entail.</p>
<p>My decision to attend BU was influenced by three main things. One was the variety of the programs offered and the ease with which you could change your mind freshman year. Another was the campus. I just love the atmosphere, the city, and the vibe. And last, to be quite honest, was financial aid. BU made it possible for me to come here since my parents do not make that much money. </p>
<p>As for the courses, SMG (School of Management) is a challenging program. It's not impossible, and I wouldn't say it consumes your life, but it's not easy. It's competitive and it isn't like some Ivy League schools where everyone gets A's. The whole curriculum is team based, so you will always have to deal with other people, which was fine for me. The whole curriculum wants to prepare you for what a real working environment would be like, and we do lots of case studies in many different industries throughout the four years.</p>
<p>SMG is definitely one of the most challenging paths in BU. The curriculum itself is great and gives students a great introduction to all the important facets of business, while choosing an area of concentration for intensive study of one discipline. Relative to other schools, BU has one of the top undergraduate as well as graduate business programs in the country. Among MBA programs, I believe it was in the top 40 in the nation, which is very good. If you have never seen the school itself, it is the most expensive, elaborate, and impressive building on campus. It creates the right stmosphere for business students from the moment they walk in. And trust me, students are challeneged at a very high level from the moment they walk in. As a minor in SMG, I am there alot and really enjoy my classes there. Be prepared for a rediculous amount of work at times, but it is rewarding. Lots of SMG specific student groups to get involved in, tons of resources (tutoring in any class, career center, computer labs, academic advising) plus mostly great professors who are endlessly helpful to students who show enthusiasm for their studies. </p>
<p>P.S. I have one recommendation before i conclude. I participate in the day hosting program at BU. Prospective students sign up for the program and are paired up with a student (such as myself) to spend 4 hours on campus going to a class and eating in a dining hall. If your son would like to attend a class in SMG and get a personalized tour, I'd be more than happy to show him around. Send me a private message to let me know and I can arrange it anytime.</p>
<p>Also, at 1215 and 415 each day there are tours given at the School of Management specifically for the program if you are in the area. If you have any specific questions about the School of Management feel free to ask me. I am a Dean's host for the School of Management which means I give the tours specific to SMG</p>
<p>I'm interested in applying to management as well. are there companies recruiting on campus? Goldman sachs etc?</p>
<p>MANY companies recruit on campus. Too many to list here. The Feld Career Center (the SMG specific career office) makes sure that there are companies recruiting on campus for each concentration. That office is a great resource for students. They offer help with resumes, cover letters, and will even have mock interviews with you to let you practice.</p>
<p>The inside of the SMG building is astonishing. So beautiful and such a creative use of space. With all the hands on team projects it really is at the cutting edge. It is challenging though---especially in the early years--so be prepared to work hard.</p>