Second choice majors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does major really matter THAT much at some of these state schools? As long as they are able to take business classes and/or get certificates from various schools? I know Ross and others it's worth it, but trying to see if she gets into a top choice but with another major and/or risk of NOT getting into the business school, how much that matters...

Yes, a lot for UVA, significant for UMD, UNC, Penn State, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's why my kids eliminated most of the schools with non-direct business major.

No need for an additional layer of risk and stress.

+1000

There are plenty of excellent schools where everything except nursing is non-direct admit. And it's easy to get into majors/switch. You simply need to take the entry level courses and get a C or better. There are many where you can even switch into engineering/CS, you just need to take Calc 1 and 2 and get C or better or take CS101 and Data structures and earn a C or better.

Easy to remove the layer of risk and more importantly STRESS. Why would you want your kid attending a school where they might not get to major in what they want? Why would you settle on a major?

In reality, nursing is typically direct admit because they are strict 4 year programs, where if you don't start fall freshman year you won't finish, and also, they have limited lab space/clinicals/space in courses. But otherwise, there is no need for that. My own kid switched into business (from health sciences) after freshman year and they graduated on time in 4 years. Only had to take 3 courses over the summers (chose that vs overloading, which was also a possibility)

thanks, but I'm confused by your post. You said +1000 to the PP but then said how easy it is to switch at many of these schools. I totally agree direct admit is so much better BUT at the same time, the kid also has to love the school, vibe, location, etc. Business isn't that unique or specialized...

The issue with direct admit is what if your kid wants to change majors? It's very likely that anything they want to "change TO" will also then be difficult to get into. That is why I'm a proponent of attending a school where you can easily switch between majors where the only "gateway" is getting C or better in the introductory classes required for the major.

For example: where do many engineers end up when they decide engineer major is not for them? Business is the "drop down major of choice". Well how do you do that if business is a direct admit program and challenging to get into otherwise?

[Anonymous]

Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

Yes this is what I was thinking. There are plenty of paths like even Econ. Or getting certificates, or a minor, double major OR like you said, more money on MBA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

Also also no need to spend more time and money on Master's or MBA if you start well unless you really are aiming for something unless your employer pay for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

So are you saying pick a school you want and then worry about major or go to school you're no lt excited about as long as you're in business major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

Not really.. JMU has a variety of streams within Business - Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, etc. - much like any other. I think it's the third best school in VA for business (after UVA and Tech) and there's more demand than supply for business grads in NoVA and Richmond. This is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

So are you saying pick a school you want and then worry about major or go to school you're no lt excited about as long as you're in business major?

DP. If your child is focused on business, then pick the best school for business. More than likely they'll do well and get into the business program (if not direct admit) as long as they don't hate the school. If unsure about major, pick the school that excites them the most and figure things out after the first year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

So are you saying pick a school you want and then worry about major or go to school you're no lt excited about as long as you're in business major?

DP. If your child is focused on business, then pick the best school for business. More than likely they'll do well and get into the business program (if not direct admit) as long as they don't hate the school. If unsure about major, pick the school that excites them the most and figure things out after the first year.

Yes will see how hard it is to change majors to business if she gets in her second choice major which isn't direct admit OR pre-business but instead the science of consumer behavior or something like that. In college of human ecology. (Wisconsin)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

Not really.. JMU has a variety of streams within Business - Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, etc. - much like any other. I think it's the third best school in VA for business (after UVA and Tech) and there's more demand than supply for business grads in NoVA and Richmond. This is a good thing.

Not sure I’d rank VT over W&M or JMU for business outcomes…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

Not really.. JMU has a variety of streams within Business - Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, etc. - much like any other. I think it's the third best school in VA for business (after UVA and Tech) and there's more demand than supply for business grads in NoVA and Richmond. This is a good thing.

Not sure I’d rank VT over W&M or JMU for business outcomes…

I agree. In the WSJ listing of undergrad public universities ranking in the top 20 in salaries in business areas, W&M ranked in finance, management consulting, and marketing. JMU ranked in accounting and management consulting. VT only ranked in management consulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would want to know what Science of Consumer Behavior is. Is it Psychology or not? Sounds like Home Economics and/or Marketing.

I'm not a fan of putting confusing/ambiguous things on resumes. You want matching keywords on digital searches.

Market Research is a very interesting business-adjacent field that I have experience with...but I can't tell if that's what this either.

+1. Sounds like a class, not a major, but what do I know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Business School outcomes are not that different across schools unless you are talking about the tippy top (and Kelley is not in that group regardless of its ranking). Think Penn, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Even a low-ranked school like JMU averaged $75K in starting salary across all majors in 2023 with over 80% of the students having had an internship. As for content, I can't imagine them being vastly different across schools. Pick the school where your child would be happiest. You can always supplement with a master's degree/MBA.

For schools like JMU, it's mostly accounting and such.
School matters to an extent for business program for better wider opportunities.

Not really.. JMU has a variety of streams within Business - Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, etc. - much like any other. I think it's the third best school in VA for business (after UVA and Tech) and there's more demand than supply for business grads in NoVA and Richmond. This is a good thing.

Not sure I’d rank VT over W&M or JMU for business outcomes…

W&M business was ranked 5th overall in Poets & Quants for 5 year ROI.