<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I just recently got provisionally accepted in CSULB (California State University - Long Beach) as a Business Econ Major. I will be transferring with a 3.56 GPA if I get a 4.0 this semester (Which I am on track for). </p>
<p>I was originally looking at Graduate school for Economics but did some research and saw the extensive Math requirements. I transferred into this program from my local CC with Math 178 (Business Calc) as the higest completed math, and I have yet to take Pre Calculus which puts me well behind the curve. So I have decided to pursue a MBA program after getting a bachelors instead. </p>
<p>So what is the difference between 300 and 400 clases at CSULB? At CSU-LB, would it be wiser if I took the higher 400 classes as the electives (485 Econometrics) instead of a low 300s class (320 Money and Banking)? Are there certain electives that MBA programs approve of? I plan on minoring in Finance. Will this minor hurt or hinder my chances of getting into a MBA program?</p>
<p>I understand GPA is important so I will be shooting for a 4.0 @ CSULB. I will also be attempting to land an internship while in school, and working on the tests that are required for an MBA program. What I am most concerned with at this time is choosing the correct undergraduate workload that will prepare me for the MBA courses.</p>
<p>Any insight on this issue would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>MBAs are generally for people who want to advance in their current career, or who want to change career paths. Most respectable MBA programs require a minimum of 2 years of professional work experience after graduation; most students do not move into this program right out of undergraduate school, unless they had extensive internship experience, phenomenal grades and leadership demonstration, or it’s a low or unranked MBA program. </p>
<p>You would be better off working in finance for a while after undergrad and then applying to MBA programs if you want to be competitive. School name does matter in this field. It is important to find a program with heavy recruitment from the types of companies you’d like to work for. </p>
<p>Further, MBA programs are more about developing a strong network than what courses you take. Some students do have undergraduate degrees in business, but many also come from backgrounds in psychology, math, science, and other fields that they have worked in for a few years, and want career advancement or to change paths, as I stated earlier. So there is no special path of courses you must follow to gain admission to an MBA program. However, there may be some programs that require basic business courses, or that require you to take them prior to enrolling for MBA classes. They will state this on their websites.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that MBAs are becoming very popular, and most business schools offer them. They are an expensive investment, and since they are common you will need to be sure you are in a high quality program so that you have a better chance at a career that will pay off the costs. </p>
<p>What do you ultimately want to do? An MBA program is different from a path of research (PhD) or some other masters programs.</p>