<p>I am currently a junior in high school. I am unsure of where I want to go. I want to major in Business Management and Administration. I took the ACT at the beginning of Sophomore year and got a 28. I have a 4.3 weighted and 3.95 unweighted. What type of University should I be considering? Suggestions of Universities are appreciated.</p>
<p>Any other relevant criteria like geographical preferences, school size, etc.?</p>
<p>No not really.</p>
<p>I’d suggest visiting a few different schools to determine what you’re looking for. School size, geography, location (i.e. city, suburb, rural) to help narrow your search. Strictly related to business programs, the two Christian college listed on Business Week’s list of best undergraduate business programs are Baylor (TX) and Belmont (TN).</p>
<p>Have you visited any colleges yet? If not, I suggest you visit any you can reach from home easily. It doesn’t matter if you actually want to go to them or not. What you are looking for is what college type is for you. Do you like big, medium, or small? Do you prefer urban/suburban/rural? Different colleges really do have different feels to them.</p>
<p>Are you specifically looking for a Christian school? If so, Catholic/Protestant or any particulars?</p>
<p>My oldest son just graduated (this year) from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA with a business degree and easily got a job in his field (had it lined up before graduation). It’s a small school, so may or may not be for you. It’s Protestant. He liked it there, but his two brothers had other preferences. It’d be good if you started to see what you like to help ascertain your fit.</p>
<p>Also consider what your family can afford for colleges as different colleges give differing amounts (and types) of aid.</p>
<p>You did well in high school. Congrats! I would suggest keeping your focus on Top 50 schools, There are a few Christian schools in the top 50 that you can apply to. Georgetown, Notre Dame and Boston College are the top Christian schools academically, but there are others that you can look into: Wheaton College (IL not MA), Holy Cross, Villanova, etc.</p>
<p>Too many threads on this forum about the difference between Catholic colleges and Protestant colleges, so I won’t try to take us down that path. Aibmulco, just be sure to figure out what you’re looking for in a school (Catholic vs Protestant, large vs small, geographical location, financial considerations) and do your research. Catholic colleges and Protestant colleges will have a much different feel. Also, be sure to look into how firm the college is in its commitment to Christianity vs just having a Christian heritage and determine which is right for you. The best is to do research online and then visit as many as you can to determine what meets what you’re looking for. Once you know what feels right, it’s easier to ask for advice on what may be similar or what might be an alternative that covers specific gaps you perceive in a college that you visited.</p>
<p>What state are you in and do you want to stay close to home? My daughter had a range of about 200 miles from home that helped her narrow down the huge list of possible choices. I second the idea of visiting different “types” of colleges that are close to your home. The idea of a city school vs. a rural school doesn’t seem to matter til you are wading through rush hour traffic to get from class to class. Or looking out your dorm room and all you can see is pasture fields and a bunch of cows. All of these different “types” do have influence on your college experience, so you want to look for a college with a strong, growing business major along with the student body size, location, etc. preferences. My daughter said she needed to have a lot of green spaces and trees, and ended up on a campus that has 26,000 acres!</p>
<p>When you look at business majors, be sure to check out how many professors are on staff, determine if there is a huge selection of courses offered, and whether they offer choices of several concentrations within the major. Look to see how large the department is compared to the other departments at each school. </p>
<p>Find out how many students graduate with a business degree each year. Small classes are great, and getting personal attention from your professors is a good thing, but you don’t want to be in a major that only graduates 3 students per year. Vibrant class discussions and interaction on group projects are vital parts of the learning experience.</p>
<p>Ask about internships, coops, outside speakers brought in, etc. What opportunities will you have to view your “book learning” through the eyes of real world experience?</p>
<p>And be sure to retake your ACT. The difference in academic scholarships offered to a student with a 28 and a student with a 31 or 32 ACT score is huge. It might mean acceptance into the honors program, or the chance to compete for a full tuition scholarship.</p>
<p>Do your homework to discover for yourself if a school that claims to be christian, or has the word “christian” in the name of the college is actually functioning with Christ as the center and foundation of instruction and daily life. Colleges drift away from their purpose statement and can be operating in a hollow vacuum, and you need to visit, ask questions, observe for yourself if their practices are worshipful and meaningful, or done only as a sense of duty and routine.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you in your search! </p>