Business Administration Major--Useless? - Page 2

Business major is not bad at all! Better if you know your accounting or have sales skills! These days, recruiters look more for your soft skills than ever before!

Also, I think the school you go to matters a lot as far as how useful a business degree is. I think this applies to a lot of undergrad majors. I went to an expensive private school that is pretty well known and respected in the Northeast, but outside of this area, nobody has really heard of it, unless you've seen the movie Road Trip.

I regret not going to a bigger school in my area now, like Drexel or Temple, because school recognition plays a huge part in getting a job, even if it's not necessarily a great or high ranked school. If the person doing the hiring recognizes the name of the school, I think that plays a big role in his/her perception of you. If it's a school they haven't heard of, whether it's a good school or not, they assume that you're not as valuable. This is just a theory of mine but this is what I've noticed in my personal experiences.

This has to be the first time anyone has ever regretted NOT going to Temple or Drexel.

Lol yea I know. I wouldn't have liked the experience as much but the schools are more recognizable, which I think is very important. I wanted a smaller private school experience, which I got and enjoyed, but isn't as beneficial in the long run imo.

My first-semester fin professor in graduate school--Ken French-- encouraged us to take the test to pass out of the course, but said that in his experience only Wharton BS grads could pass it.

So-- if an undergraduate major won't help you pass out of core classes in an MBA program, and you don't need a business degree to get into that MBA program, why bother with it? Go instead for what will stretch your mind and your character. Or, if that isn't interesting to you, what will get you a job at graduation.

Exactly. I've had business execs and managers tell me that an English or Journalism major is a great way to go. They said that writing and speaking well will get you much further in business then a business degree will. Looking back, I would have much rather got an English or History degree and then went into an MBA program. Although, I know if your undergrad major is not in business you often have to take a lot of business classes that don't count towards credit before you can begin the MBA classes. I guess an undergrad business degree can save you time in that regard, but a unrelated undergrad degree plus an MBA will make you more rounded imo.

Huh?

I've been looking into some MBA programs. A lot of them require you to take a number of business classes before you can begin the MBA program if your undergrad major was not some type of business major. Many MBA programs have certain prerequisites that must be taken. So you may have to take these classes beforehand, and they don't count towards the completion of your MBA. edit*** I think I'm thinking about some of the grad accounting programs I've been looking at. Doesn't make sense that you need prerequisites for an MBA. That's the whole point of an MBA. I'm drinking. My fault.

although not full-fledged classes that you must have taken prior, some schools have a version of the following: "All entering MBA students must demonstrate proficiency in mathematics through an exam administered before the start of the program. Students whose self-administered assessment tests (taken before arriving for Pre-Term) indicate that they need a math refresher may register for optional, on-campus math review courses. Those who have never had a college-level calculus or statistics course are encouraged to take one before arriving on campus. Both courses provide an excellent foundation for the core curriculum." http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/academics/preterm.cfm Northwestern's 1 year program also requires: There are seven courses students must complete to be eligible for the One-Year Program: accounting, finance, marketing, statistics, operations, economics, and organizational behavior.

Long run is a slippery notion and shouldn't be confused with medium-termd. When I graduated with a history degree from a liberal arts college, senior executives thought I had a great background but a lot of HR people looked at me funny because I didn't have a trade school degree from some place like Bentley or Northeastern. So it was tough sledding for a few years (not helped by the economy at the time). After not so many years, the liberal arts background became much more helpful-- not least for my mental health. And I'm not going to discourage my daughter from going that direction, as long as she keeps her eyes open.

Lol, why do posters on here equate business majors with greed? Most accountants don't even make that much anyway.

You're the first poster in this thread to have mentioned greed.

^

OK-- except for OP. But he is obviously confused.

There was another post above mine; either that or I'm seeing things.