undergraduate business degree pointless if going for an MBA?

<p>okay, pointless is an overstatement, but getting an MBA isn't very difficult as long as you have a high gpa in college. many students from other majors, such as engineering or sciences are able to get into a top tier MBA school. of course, there's the GMAT, but it's relatively easy and anybody can study for it when you compare to something like the MCATs.</p>

<p>I'd opt for a degree in a different discipline if you are definitely planning on an MBA. While there's nothing wrong with an undergrad business degree, you might find some coursework redundant and your resume lacking in diversity vs. others who had undergrad majors in engineering, political science, art history, English, etc.</p>

<p>At the same time...if I ultimately want to enter the business field, how will I get a job post-graduation with a degree in <strong>(fill it in)</strong>_?</p>

<p>This is my biggest concern, and mostly the reason why I am doing undergrad bus degree. I would more than love to study anthropology...or religious studies...or whatever. But after I get my degree...where do I go to work?? </p>

<p>Plus, Im looking up future internships at the college Im going to attend, and they 90% of the time give those business internships to someone in the business degree program. </p>

<p>It's kind of a catch 22.</p>

<p>For me, Im thinking major in some business major, and take on a minor (or two if I could handle it) that relates to what Im interested in.</p>

<p>Would you suggest doing an Engineering and Business double major at undergrad or just engineering with a minor and do an MBA later on?</p>

<p>It depends on where you get the "anthropology"-type major from. Graduating from PudunkU with a Philosophy major and yes.... you'll probably be living out of a cardboard box. But if you go to an Ivy or another top~20 school those majors should be fine especially if you take it at an Ivy. </p>

<p>Also something to keep in mind.... undergraduate business majors are considered BULL**** unless they are from </p>

<ol>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Stern</li>
<li>Ross-UMich</li>
<li>Haas-Berkeley</li>
<li>UVa/Emory/Vandy</li>
</ol>

<p>"undergraduate business majors are considered BULL**** unless they are from"</p>

<p>Tell that to the grads of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and others who are averaging starting salaries around $50K plus bonus and are getting multiple job offers from major companies.</p>

<p>I agree with barrons. Undergraduate business majors are certainly not bs at other schools. A lot depends on where you want to work after college. If you've got Wall Street fever and want to be in NYC, those business schools listed by truazn might be better feeder schools (btw-Vanderbilt does not have an undergraduate business school), but they aren't the only ways to achieve business success as a college graduate. </p>

<p>As far as personal development, I agree with roger_dooley and opt for the major that interests you, then work for a few years and go back for a MBA. The key in that application is not your undergraduate major and not really your grades (although GMAT is important). What they really want is work experience and students from a variety of fields. Graduate business schools are too full of two and three year Wall Street analysts returning back to get a MBA and would love to broaden their students' work experience. So, get an undergrad business major if you like it and you really must be on Wall Street and maybe in NYC, but most important is to have a good and personally developing work experience for 3-5 years post college and then apply back and get the MBA.</p>

<p>I think it is not right to say that Undergraduate Buisness Degree is BS from any college.</p>

<p>It make sense to Undergrad Buisness Degree if you are focused on working in Finance field, you can go for minor in anything you want.</p>

<p>UG in Engineering with MBA make sense if you want to be in Enginerring Management.</p>

<p>UG in Humanities with MBA make sense if you want to be in HR Management.</p>

<p>So please think straight. UG degree in Buisness is the way to go for people planning to work right after colleges for a job in Banks, financial institutes etc.</p>

<p>A business degree is IMHO a vocational degree. A liberal education is one that will last you for a lifetime. Don't do business undergrad, it's just going to trade school. Do business on the graduate level. They won't care what your major was if you have the grades.</p>

<p>My company recruits from ASU, MSU and others for procurement professionals. At this point graduates from ASU and MSU's supply chain management programs are in very high demand. We have a very good training program in-house for these new graduates. It is really depend on the person whether he/she will succeed in the company. My company will also pay for an MBA degree later on. So an undergraduate business degree can be very good to some people.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also something to keep in mind.... undergraduate business majors are considered BULL**** unless they are from</p>

<ol>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Stern</li>
<li>Ross-UMich</li>
<li>Haas-Berkeley</li>
<li>UVa/Emory/Vandy

[/quote]
</li>
</ol>

<p>God you're narrow minded aren't you. The only thing Stern is good for is Finance. There are several other good business schools out there, MIT Sloan, Cornell AEM (@ CALS).</p>

<p>Spikermom-- Any good business program requires only about 30 credits in business classes. That leaves about 90 credits for other things. You don't even apply at some of them until you complete two years of liberal arts classes and you have all the other requirements including math, science, social sciences and foreign language. The math requirements are tougher than most BA programs.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also something to keep in mind.... undergraduate business majors are considered BULL**** unless they are from</p>

<ol>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Stern</li>
<li>Ross-UMich</li>
<li>Haas-Berkeley</li>
<li>UVa/Emory/Vandy

[/quote]

Except Vandy doesn't have an undergrad business school, Mr. Know-it-all ;-)</li>
</ol>

<p>I think that businesses are often much more interested in what you've done outside of class (internships, part-time work, student orgs) than what exactly you majored in when filling entry-level positions. Employers know that they are most likely going to have to train you to do the job, so it's less important whether you majored in business or History than if you can show them that you have actual experience doing what the position calls for.</p>

<p>It's much easier to get good business internships out of good business programs unless you go to an Ivy or a few other elite schools.</p>

<p>The pathetic conditions of the support staff at financial and banking institutes are the results of the mentality of 'spikemom' kind of persons.</p>

<p>Most of the staff when you go to the banks don't know ABC of the banking or financial world as they are Arts graduates. They have never done Debit/Credit or legders as part of the curriculumn and they are miserable at the finances.</p>

<p>Most of the time you end up telling them things that works financially then they would be able to provide you.</p>

<p>We need to fix that and the only way to do it to impart the importances of specialized educations. Persons with MBA won't work as a supporting staff at the Banks or financial institutes while those are the ones mostly deal with the public. Hiring these people with a business/commerce background will make much more sense.</p>

<p>Again from a practicle perspective if you have made up your mind to work in the financial sector, it will be better if you go for Buisness undergrad than for Arts. You still will have to do the core curriculumn and 2 years of Humanities but the final 2 years of finance education will put you much ahead in the banking/financial world. You can later do the MBA if required.</p>

<p>This is what happend at a leading bank with a loan officer (BA, MBA):</p>

<p>O: we introduced a new loan 1% fixed for a year
I: Interbank lending rates hover around 4% how bank is offering 1% fixed for a year.
O: It is damn good option, I'm telling you.
I: What is the APR on the loan?
O: Why you need an APR?
I: That is what gives you the actual interest rate you incurr.
O: I didn't know that.</p>

<p>He avoided math at the high school level, did same at the college and got his MBA with a GMAT of 550.</p>

<p>He would have been in a better condition had he gone thry undergraduation in Buisness.</p>

<p>leungpy1 wrote: "My company recruits from ASU, MSU and others for procurement professionals. At this point graduates from ASU and MSU's supply chain management programs are in very high demand. We have a very good training program in-house for these new graduates. It is really depend on the person whether he/she will succeed in the company. My company will also pay for an MBA degree later on. So an undergraduate business degree can be very good to some people."</p>

<p>Im going to ASU majoring in Supply Chain Management...could I get your business card? haha, kidding.</p>

<p>christalena2, if you keep up your school work at ASU's Supply Chain Management program you shall have no problem finding a good job at graduation. My company, a very good one, actually had difficulty in getting ASU grad come to work for us. That just shows the competition is doing a better job in getting the ASU graduates. My S is a junior now and he might apply to ASU next year. I will appreciate much if you can let us know how you like ASU once you start your study there.</p>

<p>Sure! No problem.</p>

<p>My sister is currently a junior, oh wait, now a senior at ASU, majoring in Marketing, and she loves it there! She's actually doing really well, too. High school was not her thing, but she definitely bloomed in college. She got her international business certificate and will complete a minor in non-profit administration by next spring. </p>

<p>The only problem she has with ASU is the advising for regular students. Honors students get to make appointments, while regular students have to sit and wait in a room for an hour or two, which can conflict with class schedules and such. But, I bet they are working on the kinks of the systems. Now that everything is streamlined (which is absolutely AMAZING to sign up for classes), I bet they will have better access to students by the end of next year or so.</p>