Which Undergraduate Ivy Business school is the easiest to get into?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>I'm posting this thread in each of the Ancient Eight's forums. Cornell University has the highest undergraduate acceptance rate, but how do the other schools' undergraduate business programs compare for acceptance? I know there isn't an easy Ivy, and that all the schools are different for each applicant's "fit," but, statistically, which school would a prospective business student have the best chance of getting into?</p>

<p>Also take into account that only Wharton and Cornell have undergraduate business programs, so use, say, an Economics major for the other schools.</p>

<p>H</p>

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<p>Keep in mind that most Ivies (Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, to name 3) don’t have undergraduate business schools, and hence admission (even if you plan on doing economics) is just through their arts and sciences. I would argue that if you don’t have a background in high-level mathematics and or business in high school, it will be more difficult for you to gain admission to an undergraduate business school like Wharton, while the same does not necessarily hold true for admission to other Ivies’ arts and sciences programs.</p>

<p>However, most arts and sciences economics programs are less geared towards business and more focused on the liberal arts; that is, they will not give you the practical business education Wharton or Cornell may give you. Rather, they will give you a well-rounded, theoretical education in economics.</p>

<p>If you are a prospective business student and have background in math and business extracurriculars in high school, I do believe you may have a slightly better chance at getting into an undergraduate business program.</p>

<p>If you do not have this business background, you may have a better chance at getting into another Ivy League’s arts and sciences program and doing economics from there.</p>

<p>In terms of selectivity… for the business-involved high school kid, I would list easiness of acceptance in this rough order (Rough… Cornell’s business program may be tougher than it seems; I don’t know enough about it to make a precise guess.)…
Easiest–Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Cornell (Business)
Easy–Penn (Arts and Sciences)
Medium–Columbia, Wharton (Business)
Hard–Harvard, Princeton, Yale</p>

<p>For the non-business-involved kid (a more well-rounded one), the business schools will be less easy to get into.
Easiest–Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell
Easy–Penn (Arts and Sciences)
Medium–Columbia, Cornell (Business)
Hard–Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Wharton (Business)</p>

<p>Without a business background (or at least a strong mathematics background) in high school, getting into the business schools become much harder. Cornell’s small undergraduate business program has a 9% acceptance rate. Wharton has a 7% acceptance rate. They are incredibly tough to get into, and those undergraduate business schools have slightly modified criteria that look for more business-minded students.</p>

<p>Of the arts and sciences economics programs, the one that leans the least theoretical and the most towards business is probably Harvard (since so many financial analysts come out of there). Yale and Princeton are both much more theoretical (as are Dartmouth, Brown, and Columbia), and Harvard is much more theoretical as it is than Wharton or Cornell (Cornell’s business program that is, not Cornell’s arts and sciences program). Just keep this in mind… Economics at a place like Harvard is not meant to be a preprofessional business major. It’s meant to be a liberal arts major–academic and theoretical, not as practical. In the end, if you want to do business in its true form, shoot for Cornell or Wharton.</p>

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<p>Excellent advice, Seriwe. My high school career has definitely revolved around business.</p>

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<p>This is something you could have googled or found out by looking through past CC threads.</p>

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<p>As an investment banking sales and trading recruiter, the only business school that doesn’t depress me is Wharton. At Cornell I’d take a history major 100 times before I’d take a business major. Or, perhaps more accurately, I’d look for a 4.2 for a business major and a 3.7 for a history major. 3.5 for math/engineering. Those are generally my thresholds for serious consideration, unless something jumps out at me.</p>