Going into a business career from an undergraduate business program vs a liberal arts program.

[Anonymous]

DC is interested in going into business down the road. They are looking at some colleges that offer business undergraduate degrees. I would really prefer that they receive a more well-rounded liberal arts education. If they're not going into something specific like accounting, are they at a disadvantage in getting hired if they have a liberal arts education (think mid-tier, not Ivy League)? My thinking is that in the long-run the skills you gain with a liberal arts education are beneficial but maybe sometimes not in the short run. My concern would be that it would be harder for DC to get business-oriented summer internships and a first job.

[Anonymous]

How about a liberal arts college? It's the best of both worlds. Two years of core classes and then two years of business classes.

[Anonymous]

At many schools, econ majors are just as competitive as business school students for careers in finance and consulting.

[Anonymous]

Since you mentioned Accounting…anyone can enter the field at any time in their lives really. However, the kids coming from B-school accounting programs are going to be ahead of the game in acquiring the hours/credits needed for their CPA. And the Big 4 hire specifically accounting undergrads for this reason. So, if your kid really wants that, I’d point him to a highly ranked Accounting Program for undergrad. He will still likely need to take some GE classes - History, Social Studies, Science, Writing requirements during freshman year, so he’ll be exposed to other topics outside of Business.

[Anonymous]

^also do some research yourself.. Google Analyst Intern Job, Accounting Intern, Supply Chain Intern, Operations Intern, Marketing Intern, IT Intern job… or look up the careers websites for 10 companies that you know and filter for Intern Jobs (at Google, Apple, Johnson and Johnson, whatever)… look at the types of majors they list in the job description…. It will be eye opening

[Anonymous]

I would really prefer that they receive a more well-rounded liberal arts education.

Well yes your vague ideals are going to put them at some disadvantage when they have to deal with reality.

Even business majors from mid tier schools struggle to get jobs in business, especially if they have white maleness holding them back.

Lastly you need to let go of the helicoptering. Your ideas of what your kid should major in will not last more than a few weeks after the kid gets there and starts experiencing different subjects for himself or herself.

[Anonymous]

Accouning? The Big 4 accounting firms mainly hire accounting majors from their target schools.

[Anonymous]

Had liberal arts background but became lawyer doing business/commercial litigation. Speaking for myself, it would have been beneficial to have some practical background; I had to teach myself business and tax/accounting stuff along the way to know what I was dealing with.

[Anonymous]

Liberal Arts is such a broad term.Applied math or CS can also be considered liberal arts majors.
If you can, go ahead, they are great majors lol
If schools have undergrad business programs, they are usually harder to get in and more valuable.Econ is commonly an equivalent major where there's no undergrad business program.
You need to look at each school and majors.
I don't think you have a good understanding of what you are asking yet.
Good luck.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks to all the PPs who responded.

- I don't want to helicopter too much, but business school for undergrad seems like a big commitment. I would say DC is undecided but curious about business - what if they change their mind!
- Helping DC think through this as they put together their list of where to apply (current junior and not "white male").
- It was helpful to see what majors are listed in business internship listings.
- If DC doesn't go straight into a business program, they will probably look into econ as a major.
- If they can find a program that is a mix of liberal arts plus business classes, that could be a viable choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to all the PPs who responded.

- I don't want to helicopter too much, but business school for undergrad seems like a big commitment. I would say DC is undecided but curious about business - what if they change their mind!
- Helping DC think through this as they put together their list of where to apply (current junior and not "white male").
- It was helpful to see what majors are listed in business internship listings.
- If DC doesn't go straight into a business program, they will probably look into econ as a major.
- If they can find a program that is a mix of liberal arts plus business classes, that could be a viable choice.

At most schools the business school is the second or third most difficult school to get into, right after the engineering school. It's easier to get out of there into the gen pop (aka school of arts and sciences) than the other way around. Besides, the cohort at each school has a certain mindset. Biz school kids have this go-getter/extroverted persona that rubs off on you vs. a nerdy kid in engineering and a mixed bag in the arts schools. Choose your options wisely.

Of course, for every generalization I made, there are exceptions so please don't waste time bringing those up.

[Anonymous]

What about this: DC gets into a good mid-tier university that has a good business college, but DC applies as a liberal arts major. DC gets there, takes some business classes and see if they like it. If so, can they change to be a business major??

As stated above, I would think it is harder to get into a good business school than getting into the same school as a liberal arts major.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Good point - since it's harder to get into the business program it sounds like it would be best to start there and then transfer out into "gen pop" if DC doesn't like it. They won't be applying to Babson and the like that are pretty much only business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to all the PPs who responded.

- I don't want to helicopter too much, but business school for undergrad seems like a big commitment. I would say DC is undecided but curious about business - what if they change their mind!
- Helping DC think through this as they put together their list of where to apply (current junior and not "white male").
- It was helpful to see what majors are listed in business internship listings.
- If DC doesn't go straight into a business program, they will probably look into econ as a major.
- If they can find a program that is a mix of liberal arts plus business classes, that could be a viable choice.

At most schools the business school is the second or third most difficult school to get into, right after the engineering school. It's easier to get out of there into the gen pop (aka school of arts and sciences) than the other way around. Besides, the cohort at each school has a certain mindset. Biz school kids have this go-getter/extroverted persona that rubs off on you vs. a nerdy kid in engineering and a mixed bag in the arts schools. Choose your options wisely.

Of course, for every generalization I made, there are exceptions so please don't waste time bringing those up.

+1 at highly ranked undergrad b schools, acceptance rate is tougher than the liberal arts college, and harder to transfer in after admitted. At my DC’s school, in-school transfers need a 3.7 GPA to transfer into the B school. Econ is definitely a viable liberal arts major, but it is heavily quant focused. Did he do well in Stats, Calculus? If his school offers economics as a HS course, he should take it.

[Anonymous]

The other option is to find a college that offers a business minor. The SLAC’s wont have this. Look at state flagships, and larger colleges.