Tough decisions for Business/Engineering Related Career

<p>Hi, I was wondering if I could get your input, seeing as how parents have more wisdom than us kids :). I've been accepted to all my schools, and while it has hit me hard over the head like a bag of potatoes, the reality of my decision is just beginning to set in. First of all, I applied to all my schools as a mechanical engineer, but I'm switching (I plan on switching to Management Science & Engineering for Stanford, and Economics for Harvard). Before all of this crazy college talk, Stanford has been my number one choice, only because everyone praises it so much, and everything seems so perfect about it, blah blah blah. But now, it may be just all too familiar for me (I live close by to the campus). I'm struggling to decide between Stanford, Harvard, and the Jerome Fisher Program at Penn(I plan on pursuing a BSE in Systems Engineering and a BS in Management with a concentration in Finance for M&T). I think the future is making me think twice on where I want to go... I plan on going on to get an MBA or just get recruited out of school. Do you guys have any advice on which college to choose? I'm looking at not only the opportunities after undergrad, but also the overall college experience. I will be visiting all of the colleges, so hopefully I can make a choice by then...</p>

<p>PS: Quite frankly, I feel a little intimidated attending any of these schools :p.</p>

<p>...no one wants to give advice?</p>

<p>I do! You are all over the board with your choice of majors. You have plans already for after undergraduate college. Frankly, if I was a kid, all these decisions would just scare the pants off me! Forget majors for now... (college is for figuring out what you are interested in... not laying out a career in a linear fashion)... Your job right now is to find the PLACE where you feel you will have the most complete, exciting, and interesting college experience. That's all you have to decide right now!!!! All of these schools are excellent in many, many areas - so you don't have to figure out the issue of which major to choose. You will have plenty of time to decide after you have had a semester or two or three at your school of choice. Enjoy your visits!</p>

<p>Thanks so much for responding, anxiousmom. Yeah, I my majors do seem all over the place. I'm looking into the Jerome Fisher program, and its advantages...I'm not quite sure what the benefit would be to have two degrees if I'm just going into an MBA program.</p>

<p>I know that this might not help all that much, but I think you'll be great at any of those colleges!</p>

<p>make a list of things that matter to you in college that is more specific than "overall college experience". What, exactly, goes into this experience? Is it watching your college play sports? Taking part in intramural sports? Going into a city for fun? Living in a new part of the country? Living on campus? Type of campus? Study abroad? A greek system? Etc. Then make a table and after your visits write down a grade or your impressions for each school.</p>

<p>Until you know at least some of what you're looking for, you're unlikely to see it even if its right in front of you.</p>

<p>Also, your career goals are not quite jelled yet. Nobody goes on to get an MBA out of college, at least not at a good MBA school. The top schools all expect 3-5 years work experience in jobs with serious responsibility and skills.</p>

<p>That sounds like some good advice for picking colleges. What would the benefit of an MBA be versus just going straight out and getting recruited?</p>

<p>mikemac is correct with his advice to plan to work for 3-5 years before pursuing an MBA. If you look at the top schools, they all expect practical work experience - and being succesful at it. However, what that work experience is can vary all over the map. From your expected majors, you shouldn't expect to be doing "hardcore" engineering, but that's probably OK if your long term goal is MBA-related.</p>

<p>That's some good advice for MBA school, but what is the benefit of having an engineering degree and a business degree (M&T)? I'm also curious about exigent's question.</p>

<p>What AREN'T the benefits of having an engineering degree and a business degree? I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't be impressed by that.</p>

<p>M&T is an extremely marketable degree and gives you the option of either pursuing engineering or business (or both) or something completely unrelated as a career.</p>

<p>Even if you go and decide that the two degrees are too intense for you, you can drop one of them and just pursue either engineering or business.</p>

<p>The best thing is that you can get two phenomenal degrees for the price of one.</p>

<p>MBAs are great for people who have no business background (academically, as they already have the work experience) or for folks with a business background who want to change careers. Only 35% of Wharton alums go back for an MBA... I'm not sure on the stat for M&T alums in particular.</p>

<p>So then what is the advantage of getting an MBA after going to Wharton or M&T?</p>

<p>I made a similar decision between M&T, Princeton, and Stanford. I chose M&T and am very satisfied with my decision.</p>

<p>Stanford's Management and Engineering program (or whatever its called) is a systems engineering type program. You couldnt do any engineering you wanted, and I wanted to do Bioengineering. Secondly the management part is just like a couple classes, not the intense complete wharton degree. I visited the campus, and it seemed to big and secluded to me. It took me like 25 minutes to walk to a dining hall.</p>

<p>Princeton wasnt a good people fit for me; I didnt see myself blending in well in that kind of secluded social environment, and it didnt offer me the same benefits of M&T.</p>

<p>I couldnt get the same benefits of two completely seperate full degrees in either place. In neither place would you go as in depth into business and engineering as M&T becuase you are a full student of both schools, taking just the same classes as a Wharton Student and a Penn Engineering Student.</p>

<p>My greatest pull to penn was the incredible diversity that neither Stanford nor Princeton have come close to achieving. It's an extremely interesting experience living in a big city: I love being able to walk anywhere I want to go in Philly. </p>

<p>Also, the two full degrees far outweigh a single engineering degree with a few finance classes. This program leaves so many options open. After I graduate, I will be well suited to do engineering entrepreneurship (biotech company), I could go to Wall Street or any kind of business setting, and I could even go to med-school if I didnt like the other choices. </p>

<p>Anyways, PM me if you want more opinions, but that was kind of my decision in a nutshell.</p>