MBA admission for a humanities major

[Anonymous]

A PP.

The math that most business majors use on the job is the math of financial modeling of business returns. It's taught in Finance classes. Sometimes the classes are called "Valuation". Some of it gets closer to Financial Statement Analysis and Accounting but those topics are usually taught on the job at the employer.

Here...I found a link where I think your kid can try this out.

https://www.theforage.com/simulations/jpmorgan/investment-banking-hkyd

The kind of advanced math used by Finance "quants" is the kind of stuff that math majors take senior year and that Physics grad students know how to do. You don't just stumble into it after doing well in a Calc class or two.

[Anonymous]

I think your child needs to look for employment before he considers an MBA. Why would you automatically finance another degree that may/may not help him?

[Anonymous]

How much of a factor do rankings play? Are only the top 25 MBA's worth it?

[Anonymous]

I was a foreign language/poli sci double major but I had a year of calc and took micro/macro econ undergrad at my SLAC. I worked in consulting for two years and studied for the GMAT and got a very high score. No problem getting into top business schools, and I think its still the same--they look at GMAT score, undergrad GPA, and if you have some work history. It is very quantitative, though, so even if your kid doesn't take a lot of quantitative classes in college, they have to have quant ability/willingness. If they do take them in college, hopefully they like them and do well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he's serious about getting a job in business, he should get a minor in business and take some stats and accounting classes.

As an aside, you encouraged him to pursue studying what he is interested without thinking about the end game. You were also a poli sci history major and then went to law school.

If he wasn't interested in law school, what else did you think he could do with that background? As you are finding out, not a whole lot.

And yea, many of us end up going the practical route because we need jobs. Unless you have family money, you need to think practically.

also, many people major in history, poli sci etc and find solid careers. you sound like someone who views college as akin to trade school.

lol. how can you say that with a straight face on this thread, about a LA major who can't find a job and is now considering a "trade school" like an MBA. ROTFL.

"Many of you" find solid careers only after getting a grad degree and/or the pay is pretty low or went to a T10 and used connections to get a job.

OP's DC is looking for a high paying job like the friends who majored in STEM.

Hysterical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he's serious about getting a job in business, he should get a minor in business and take some stats and accounting classes.

As an aside, you encouraged him to pursue studying what he is interested without thinking about the end game. You were also a poli sci history major and then went to law school.

If he wasn't interested in law school, what else did you think he could do with that background? As you are finding out, not a whole lot.

And yea, many of us end up going the practical route because we need jobs. Unless you have family money, you need to think practically.

what a useful post … OP said her kid’s school doesn’t have a business major or accounting classes …

op, anyone can get an mba. the tough part will be getting a job that launches him to a good mba program, and as others have said, networking from his college alumni database will be useful to him.

It is useful for people with kids not in college yet or just starting out. Most of us need to think practically in today's economy, not from an economy when you, the parent, graduated 20+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

I have an MBA from a top school. It is very quantitative by definition. To get into a top business school, you need to show strong quantitative aptitude through prior work experience, GMAT scores and undergraduate course work with high grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You typically can’t get into an MBA program without work experience. Your kid should go to the career center and network with alumni on linked in. Can your kid take a few stats and math classes? That will help.

This usually only applies to the tip top programs, & even then there are exceptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You typically can’t get into an MBA program without work experience. Your kid should go to the career center and network with alumni on linked in. Can your kid take a few stats and math classes? That will help.

This usually only applies to the tip top programs, & even then there are exceptions.

NP

The above is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You typically can’t get into an MBA program without work experience. Your kid should go to the career center and network with alumni on linked in. Can your kid take a few stats and math classes? That will help.

The bolded portion is incorrect.

Work experience is highly valued by MBA programs, but most MBA programs need students so an applicant's lack of work experience is not a barrier to entry.

The most elite (most highly ranked) MBA programs strongly prefer at least 2 years of post undergraduate work experience, but it is not an absolute requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a foreign language/poli sci double major but I had a year of calc and took micro/macro econ undergrad at my SLAC. I worked in consulting for two years and studied for the GMAT and got a very high score. No problem getting into top business schools, and I think its still the same--they look at GMAT score, undergrad GPA, and if you have some work history. It is very quantitative, though, so even if your kid doesn't take a lot of quantitative classes in college, they have to have quant ability/willingness. If they do take them in college, hopefully they like them and do well.

I really appreciate all of the helpful responses! This is how things played out when I was in college in the 90s, but it seemed there were many more social science/humanities majors in my day, versus now stem majors are predominant and more quant focused majors have developed that didn’t exist then so mba programs now have their pick of business, engineering and other quant focused majors. So I wondered if the barrier to entry in quant programs like mba’s had shifted for the humanities majors. DS did take macro/micro and has credit thru calc 2 due to a 5 on bc calc ap, although by the time he applies to a grad school/takes whatever stabdardized test is required, that math will be 6 plus years outdated, ha!

Anyway, dc isn’t planning to apply for an mba, if at all, until he’s worked for a few years. But I feel better after reading these responses in advising him that he won’t be auto eliminated due to college major, at least.

- OP

[Anonymous]

Several MBA programs have pre-entry math programs. Not sure if required for all or just for some.

Decades ago, technology wasn't as much of an integral part of running a business day-to-day as it is now. Employers prefer tech savvy MBAs.

[Anonymous]

OP, it should be pretty easy to find current stats for undergrad major at top b schools.

Try this website. 2018 article was interesting so I linked it.

https://poetsandquants.com/2018/02/20/does-your-major-matter-mba-acceptance-rates-by-major/

[Anonymous]

I was a D1 athlete from JMU in 2015, and graduated with a humanities degree. I got an accounting job through networking with an alumini booster. It took me two years to prepare for the GMAT while working, and I scored 700 on it. My employer's CEO and CIO, an F100 company, were both University of Chicago MBA Booth school of business grads, and they wrote a recommendation on my behalf. I got accepted shortly after that.

It is not about the major. It's who you know, or who knows you that really matters

[Anonymous]

I agree wholeheartedly with the poster who said he's going to have to look at a wider range of options with lower pay than his "more easily labelled peers." That's exactly right, but it doesn't mean he won't be able to build an excellent career. It just takes time and ingenuity.

I am not at all convinced this kid has a true interest in business. I think he's just feeling desperate and unemployable. I suggest he take classes with statistics components. Learning statistics and data analysis are very useful and I think he could parlay that into an entry-level research analyst job, which might line up better with his demonstrated interests.