What should I major in?

[Al B. Sure!]

so even though I plan on going to grad school, it is better to do something specific as opposed to Management/major?

[The Mad Monk]

YES.

[Kontiki]

Albert, this cannot be stressed enough - you will not get into a good MBA program without several years of post-undergrad work experience. Keep that in mind if you feel what you major in is important to the job you get after you graduate.

[Japher]

Albert, this cannot be stressed enough - you will not get into a good MBA program without several years of post-undergrad work experience. Keep that in mind if you feel what you major in is important to the job you get after you graduate.

That ain't entirely true. Yet, is more the norm than not. I have a friend who went to Pepperdine right form his undergrad. Private schools might be a little different. However, unless you really kiss someone's arse having an MBA and no work experience will still land you in the trenches, and you will be sad because you have a Masters and the same job as some schmuck with a BA who is getting his MBA on the companies dime.

[DaShi]

African-American studies.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Japher
That ain't entirely true. Yet, is more the norm than not. I have a friend who went to Pepperdine right form his undergrad. Private schools might be a little different. However, unless you really kiss someone's arse having an MBA and no work experience will still land you in the trenches, and you will be sad because you have a Masters and the same job as some schmuck with a BA who is getting his MBA on the companies dime.

Well, if he wants to get into Wharton, it's true . Wharton won't take you right out of undergrad. Though I agree it's best to go to work for a few years and then have the company pay for your MBA.

[Japher]

Though I agree it's best to go to work for a few years and then have the company pay for your MBA.

Not just the pay, but what if you get out and find you don't like your field? It doesn't happen often, but does as enigneers who find that they prefer a different industry and that all the work they did as a grad student was worthless.

I guess in buisness it may be different.

I guess, what I am getting at, is that if AS goes into buisness/whatever he is pigeon holing himself for something he doesn't even know that he will like or even need. If, on the other hand, he does something that gives more of a skill set he won't be directing his career path at this time, rather, he'd be setting up his "in" to whatever career he wants. If, at sometime in the future he finds that in order to go further in his career he needs a masters he can ask himself then if he likes his industry and if it would be worth getting that Master in Buisness Admin/Pharma or whatever... and yes, the company will pick up the tab.

[Wildbore]

Whats all of this non-sense about business, if you want a real major take political science.

[Kuciwalker]

[Japher]

if you want a real major take political science

or philosophy?;P

[duke o' york]

Skanky, Dauphin (has he changed his name yet again, or has he just not been round for ages, and I missed the "I'm going to Australia/Thailand/Chad/Utah" thread?) and I are accountants, or at least training to be.

Make of that what you will.

[Al B. Sure!]

Some of you seem to be saying that the major I pick now doesn't have to even be business-related. I figure if i took poli sci or something I could manage a GPA above 3.75 but would I be able to get a job at somewhere like a bank as a non-business major like Kontiki said he did and then get my MBA a few years later? Or should I go ahead and major in finance or marketing, get an internship, job, whatever... then a few years later go to business school?

[Zopperoni]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
but would I be able to get a job at somewhere like a bank as a non-business major like Kontiki said he did and then get my MBA a few years later?

Easily. I've met managers who were doctors, historians, hockey coaches... It's more about being educated on an academic level rather than having done a business-related study.

Or should I go ahead and major in finance or marketing, get an internship, job, whatever... then a few years later go to business school?

Do what you want! Follow your own heart and gut. It's about the academic level anyway, so make it yourself as pleasant as possible and do something you enjoy.

On the MBA-thing, I agree that it is much better to do it in a later stage. With the baggage of experience, you'll be able to complete the MBA with much more added value. You'll also understand the essence of what you're doing much better as well.

[Al B. Sure!]

what I'm asking is if i major in something that is a real strength of mine (like poli sci, history, or philosophy), would i be able to get an alright job after graduation? I know my GPA would be quite high if I took those courses (I've taken a few and got 4.0's in them as opposed to mere 3.0's in my principles of accounting course, my marketing course, etc.) but would i be flipping burgers or could i actually get a job?

[Zopperoni]

Yes, as I mentioned, there are people who made it despite not having followed a business education. This is where the MBA adds value as a postdoctorate degree.

Some examples:

Gerlach Cerfontaine, general director of Schiphol International Airport: med-school (used to be a G.P.).
The sponsoring director of ABN Amro Netherlands (I forget his name): history