Hello everyone,
I have always loved Business and my dream is to become a partner at a large firm or something business related. I love studying business as well. I like all aspects of it. So I picked business administration. I know that I want to pursue an MBA. However, people are telling me it would be hard to/redundant to get a bachelors in Business and a masters in Business as well… They say a bachelors degree in business is not very good/practical. I know I should major in what I love but I have other interests as well. Is economics a better choice for me? Should I double major? Also, I was thinking of getting a minor or two in different fields to broaden my studies. Does this help? Also, is a concentration in Finance or Marketing better for undergrad? I love both.
I am getting my bachelors in business from either University of Southern California, Boston University, or Northeastern University. I got into these 3. I am waiting for Cornell, Upenn, and NYU.
Suppose I get a Bachelors in Business from USC with a 3.4+ GPA. Could I apply to top MBA programs? Or is an Econ or scientific major more impressive?
My goal is to enter the business world and I know that studying business is not the only way to do so. I am worried that I may not learn as much with a Business degree. What do you guys think?
I am cautious about telling someone else what to study, but here is my recommendation: if you want the best education for the general area in which you’re interested, study Econ and get your MBA later with a specific concentration. Exception to this advice is if you for sure know you want to be an accountant AND you need to be working and making money right after undergrad. If you have some support I’d say Econ is the better route.
I speak of this from experience. Good luck.
Lots of MBAs are adding to something like engineering. If that doesn’t interest you, don’t worry about it. Don’t assume you need an MBA. A graduate from Wharton doesn’t need an MBA.
Now, I would not major in Business Administration. Too general. Marketing or finance are both better. Accounting if you want to go that route. Wharton let’s you pick more than one but I don’t remember how many. Information systems is another option. Finance is probably best but it is much more difficult than marketing.
Thanks both! @Sportsman88 I am definitely planning on concentrating on one or two fields within business (marketing and finance for example) and I will probably get one or even two minors if I can. Will I still be considered for admission to top MBA programs in USA (because I most probably won’t get into Wharton from now)?
I’m not qualified to answer that. Most MBA’s require actual experience for a couple years and many opt for one of the many executive MBA programs. What do you mean by top firm? Investment banking? Manufacturing? Remember that’s a lifetime goal, not a ten or even twenty year goal.
Basically what I am asking is if a Business undergrad degree will open doors to career and educational paths as widely as other more scientific or mathematical majors? I know a business degree is practical for getting an above-average job on the short term. Will it provide me with the skills and knowledge needed to make it big? I just don’t want to spend 4 years studying something that will provide me with a satisfactory outcome. I want a major that opens opportunities. I know it’s up to me and my hard work at the end but the major plays a huge role.
Depending on your definition of “make it big”, it may vary but assuming you are just saying, highly prestigious job title and salary. The answer is yes, it is absolutely possible.
But you are oversimplifying “success” and looking for the easy road to success which there isn’t.
Again, I’m treading carefully here. “Business Administration” without a concentration in finance, accounting or something else wasn’t an option where I went to school. If there is a choice between Biz Adm. and Finance separately then I’d go finance or accounting.
Here is where I will be unabashedly opinionated. Undergrad degrees in marketing are not particularly useful. Study something more general and, if you can, more rigorous. No, I don’t think undergrad marketing degrees open doors to big-time futures.
Recognize that most top schools do not offer business to the undergraduate. Cornell, Penn and Berkeley are in the minority. There is a good reason for this.
On your other question, it has been my observation that the undergrad math or engineering route coupled with a top tier MBA later on commonly leads to the outcome I think you’re looking for. Is the the current trend or a permanent paradigm shift? I don’t know. I know Stanford grad biz school takes A LOT of engineers into its program. The brilliant young woman at Goldman who lead our secondary offering a few years ago was a Williams math major and a Wharton finance MBA. Goldman is known to love recruiting at the top LACs for the same reason I’m encouraging you to not get too specific as an undergrad: they are looking for smart people who have quant. skills and who know how to think, and they know they can find those people at good LACs. They are NOT, for sure, looking for little mini-trained business majors.
If you get anywhere near Wharton and don’t major in finance, you are missing out on what they do best.