Q: I am going to be a Senior this coming fall, and I am looking for colleges. But I got really confused. I am pretty sure I’m interested in the business field, so I’d major in business when I go to college, right? But do I need to care about that when I pick my college? Because there are ranking about “best undergraduate business schools”, so should I apply to those schools or what? Does that mean those schools would be good for me to study business? Also, there are many selections under business, like accounting, management, international business, etc. Do those matter for me to pick my college now? I’m really confused and stressed!!!
A: First, don’t let your confusion lead to stress. If you study this out you’ll find the school you’re meant to attend, and it will feel right. Second, don’t put undue weight on rankings. Published rankings tend to be based on things that are easily measured, such as the test scores of incoming students and the opinions of academic administrators from other schools. The quality of your education will depend more on the personal relationships you create with other students and with a few professors who will become mentors to you. You can’t know in advance who those people will be, but your best source of information will be a visit to the campus, which will have a particular feel to it. The place that feels best should be your personal top-ranked school.
Finally, your interest in business is commendable, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you should major in business. For example, a minor in business might serve you well, if you combined it with a major in a technical field such computer science. One of the questions you should try to answer is what kind of business you’d like to work in. It could be the business of computers or cars or health care. Each of those fields has its own base of technical knowledge. It might make sense to chose a major that gives you that knowledge base, particularly if you’re thinking about getting an MBA after college. As in the case of choosing your college, you’ll be blessed as you thoughtfully explore your career interests and select the courses that will best prepare you.
Confused and Stressed about Colleges and Majors
Q: I am going to be a Senior this coming fall, and I am looking for colleges. But I got really confused. I am pretty sure I’m interested in the business field, so I’d major in business when I go to college, right? But do I need to care about that when I pick my college? Because there are ranking about “best undergraduate business schools”, so should I apply to those schools or what? Does that mean those schools would be good for me to study business? Also, there are many selections under business, like accounting, management, international business, etc. Do those matter for me to pick my college now? I’m really confused and stressed!!!
A: First, don’t let your confusion lead to stress. If you study this out you’ll find the school you’re meant to attend, and it will feel right. Second, don’t put undue weight on rankings. Published rankings tend to be based on things that are easily measured, such as the test scores of incoming students and the opinions of academic administrators from other schools. The quality of your education will depend more on the personal relationships you create with other students and with a few professors who will become mentors to you. You can’t know in advance who those people will be, but your best source of information will be a visit to the campus, which will have a particular feel to it. The place that feels best should be your personal top-ranked school.