Best Business Colleges?

[.GaperMan.]

Really want to pursue a career in business/marketing/sales or maybe even finance. All the schools I've been looking at are in the middle of cites and just don't look like fun campus's. Are there any decent business schools relatively close to any ski areas?

 

[michiskier23]

Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver is pretty good and close to awesome skiing

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

Really want to pursue a career in business/marketing/sales or maybe even finance. All the schools I've been looking at are in the middle of cites and just don't look like fun campus's. Are there any decent business schools relatively close to any ski areas?

Undergraduate business degrees outside of accounting are not worth it. Internships play a much more important role in finding a job after school than a business degree.

 

[first_rodeo]

accountants get recruited to one of the big four.. then hump desks without any career growth.

Go for the finance degree, try to find a school offering business analytics.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

There are two options for this

dont get a degree in business

go work for a few years

get MBA from Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, Ross ect

get paid

go to harvard stanford yale for undergrad etc

go work in i banking for two years

go back to harvard stanford yale get mba

get paid

otherwise dont bother you arent gonna get anywhere

Or work your ass off in your respective major that is quant-based, network to the best of your ability, get the best internships possible, and then get a job in i-banking, PE, HF, or VC work.

I didn't go to Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, NYU, etc. but managed to get a job at a hedge fund in Boston through networking. Was I a straight A student? Nope, goofed off freshman year and sophomore year before getting my act together junior and senior year. Instead, I made sure I utilized all connections at my disposal through skiing, family friends, and word of mouth to land it.

 

[erica]

carlson school of mgmt at university of minnesota and lap rails at trollhaugen or hyland

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Stinging_Roger]

Or work your ass off .

Exactly, it's all about working your ass off and applying yourself.

Sure, if you can get a degree from Wharton, then you're guaranteed a great job.

 

[DJtearegas]

There are two options for this

dont get a degree in business

go work for a few years

get MBA from Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, Ross ect

get paid

go to harvard stanford yale for undergrad etc

go work in i banking for two years

go back to harvard stanford yale get mba

get paid

otherwise dont bother you arent gonna get anywhere

Whats wrong with getting a degree in business and then immediately getting an MBA?

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

Whats wrong with getting a degree in business and then immediately getting an MBA?

ZERO work experience. Most top MBA programs want to see work experience.

 

[DJtearegas]

ZERO work experience. Most top MBA programs want to see work experience.

If I went to lets say, CU Boulder, and got a bachelors in science of business administration, and pulled off a decent GPA, and then worked for a few years, do you think I'd be able to swing it into a top business school where I can network, or are these top schools going to laugh at my alma mater and tell me to take a hike?

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

If I went to lets say, CU Boulder, and got a bachelors in science of business administration, and pulled off a decent GPA, and then worked for a few years, do you think I'd be able to swing it into a top business school where I can network, or are these top schools going to laugh at my alma mater and tell me to take a hike?

Pull off a good GPA, work at a reputable firm for a few years, build up your resume, and sure, it is definitely possible. You also need to have solid GMAT scores, good recommendations, and the drive to accomplish all of this. It may mean making sacrifices in your social life like less skiing, less partying, and less free time, but it certainly has a great payoff if you succeed.

Another option is passing the CFA exam. The CFA exam is very prestigious, costs a lot less than an MBA program, and is great for any quantitative job. That being said, it does not provide the network that a top MBA program does.

 

[--ski--]

Pull off a good GPA, work at a reputable firm for a few years, build up your resume, and sure, it is definitely possible. You also need to have solid GMAT scores, good recommendations, and the drive to accomplish all of this. It may mean making sacrifices in your social life like less skiing, less partying, and less free time, but it certainly has a great payoff if you succeed.

Another option is passing the CFA exam. The CFA exam is very prestigious, costs a lot less than an MBA program, and is great for any quantitative job. That being said, it does not provide the network that a top MBA program does.

The CFA is quite divisive. I know a bunch of people who believe the CFA is the be all and end all of Finance. I know just as many people who think it's a complete waste of time. I have my CFA and fall in between those opposing views. If you want to work in asset/wealth management it's fantastic, hell, even mandatory at some firms. Holding a CFA and having that on your CV can be beneficial, but it's not going to make you stand out and get you a job in PE, HF solely because you're a CFA holder. I know a lot of top shops that don't give a shit about the CFA. I now work on the buy-side and my CFA certainly wasn't what got me my job.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

The CFA is quite divisive. I know a bunch of people who believe the CFA is the be all and end all of Finance. I know just as many people who think it's a complete waste of time. I have my CFA and fall in between those opposing views. If you want to work in asset/wealth management it's fantastic, hell, even mandatory at some firms. Holding a CFA and having that on your CV can be beneficial, but it's not going to make you stand out and get you a job in PE, HF solely because you're a CFA holder. I know a lot of top shops that don't give a shit about the CFA. I now work on the buy-side and my CFA certainly wasn't what got me my job.

That is true, but for those who do not want to take on an extra $100,000+ in loans while forgoing the potential earnings by holding a job it is an attractive option. But that is true, it will not get one a job just because they obtained it. But neither will an MBA. The business world is all about connections.

 

[--ski--]

But neither will an MBA. The business world is all about connections.

And that's really all an MBA is: paying for connections.

 

[bighomieflock]

There are two options for this

dont get a degree in business

go work for a few years

get MBA from Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, Ross ect

get paid

This is what I'm currently trying to do except engineering undergrad. I fucked up my gpa first semester freshman year but hopefully I should be able to raise it to the 3.5-3.6 range.

 

[lIllI]

Undergraduate business degrees outside of accounting are not worth it. Internships play a much more important role in finding a job after school than a business degree.

What has been your experience with potential employers weighing GPA v.s. internship experience? I have heard mixed things from people. From what I can tell GPA is only used as a tie-breaker (in a competitive culture such as the east coast) or if you have zero experience.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

What has been your experience with potential employers weighing GPA v.s. internship experience? I have heard mixed things from people. From what I can tell GPA is only used as a tie-breaker (in a competitive culture such as the east coast) or if you have zero experience.

GPA should certainly not be discounted. Work to get the best grades you can, but do not fret if you do not have a 4.0. A lot of competitive internships and entry level jobs will have a minimum GPA requirement, but many do not. It depends on the industry and the company. In my experience it is much better to have a diverse resume than a solid GPA with no resume items.

Remember, this is a job you are applying for, you have to interact with your coworkers, those in HR or responsible for hiring want to hire people they can talk and interact with alongside working. It is unlike anything you have ever applied for before. This is not high school or college, the person hiring you could very likely be the person you sit next to or report to at work.

 

[lIllI]

GPA should certainly not be discounted. Work to get the best grades you can, but do not fret if you do not have a 4.0. A lot of competitive internships and entry level jobs will have a minimum GPA requirement, but many do not. It depends on the industry and the company. In my experience it is much better to have a diverse resume than a solid GPA with no resume items.

Remember, this is a job you are applying for, you have to interact with your coworkers, those in HR or responsible for hiring want to hire people they can talk and interact with alongside working. It is unlike anything you have ever applied for before. This is not high school or college, the person hiring you could very likely be the person you sit next to or report to at work.

I recently interned at a bulge bracket bank, then got a full time offer in private equity. But I turned it down because I'm honestly not interested in pursuing finance.

The reason I ask is because I kicked ass at the internship, got a solid recommendation from them, learned that I can interview well and well-received technical presentations to management in NYC, as well as get along with coworkers in a corporate environment.

Yet, since the internship my GPA has slipped from 3.8 to 3.2 (to be honest, I just stopped caring). Which is why I asked...

 

[crotchvent]

If I went to lets say, CU Boulder, and got a bachelors in science of business administration, and pulled off a decent GPA, and then worked for a few years, do you think I'd be able to swing it into a top business school where I can network, or are these top schools going to laugh at my alma mater and tell me to take a hike?

I'm assuming your a senior in high school looking at college for next year. One thing i can suggest to you is that even though your going to want to party and get drunk/high all the time limit the time you do and really focus on school. Screwing up your first semester sucks and can be very hard to recover from and is much easier if you don't fuck it up in the first place.

 

[ICary]

I saw you say all in cities. Please don't let that be a deal breaker. In my opinion going to school in the city is the best decision I have ever made. Check out my school. Nationally ranked business program, Temple University, in Philadelphia, PA. I can promise you though that any school in the city is gonna be one hell of a time.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

I recently interned at a bulge bracket bank, then got a full time offer in private equity. But I turned it down because I'm honestly not interested in pursuing finance.

The reason I ask is because I kicked ass at the internship, got a solid recommendation from them, learned that I can interview well and well-received technical presentations to management in NYC, as well as get along with coworkers in a corporate environment.

Yet, since the internship my GPA has slipped from 3.8 to 3.2 (to be honest, I just stopped caring). Which is why I asked...

To be honest, I think the fact your GPA dropped so late in your school experience will be a hindrance because it may show a few things like a lack of motivation, lack of understanding with regards to complex subjects, or lack of dedication to working for harder courses. If you can pull it together in your final semester or turn some of those grades around you will be a lot better off.

 

[Peter.]

go cats

great business school, great campus, not in a city, close to pretty good skiing east coast wise

 

[Peter.]

also i see youre from the midwest, if youre smart enough, Notre Dame has a top 10 business school year after year, and isn't in a city.

again if you're smart enough, university of michigan has a top 10 business school year after year

 

[Rachy]

UC Davis.

You won't go broke paying for tuition. It's a great university. You're close enough to San Francisco, but it's not "in a city." There are people going to Tahoe constantly. Squaw is a very easy day trip.

Or.. Berkley/UCLA both have crazy active ski teams/clubs, but you don't want a city.

Or if you can get into Stanford, they now offer free tuition if your family makes less than 125k per year.... Not as easy to get to Tahoe... but free tuition and Stanford.

 

[DJtearegas]

I'm assuming your a senior in high school looking at college for next year. One thing i can suggest to you is that even though your going to want to party and get drunk/high all the time limit the time you do and really focus on school. Screwing up your first semester sucks and can be very hard to recover from and is much easier if you don't fuck it up in the first place.

thank you for the advice, I will be sure to try to stay on top of my shit and maintain study hours

additionally, I have a prescription for adderall which I am quite familiar with.

 

[Dustin.]

The answer to success is going to continue to be hard work and real world experience. Choosing a degree with a vague idea of what kind of job you want is hard I think. Pick your dream job, then work backwards from there to find a path. Then work your ass off to get it.

If it's a risky shot, it can't hurt to make a backup plan. That's why I have a CE degree that I don't use at all right now.

 

[iFlip]

also i see youre from the midwest, if youre smart enough, Notre Dame has a top 10 business school year after year, and isn't in a city.

again if you're smart enough, university of michigan has a top 10 business school year after year

Top 10? I think your top 10 is not a real top 10, and is thus crap. The top 10 business schools look like this:

1: Stanford

2: Harvard

3: Northwestern

4: Columbia

5: Dartmouth

6: Chicago

7: UPenn

8: Berkely

9: MIT

10: Cornell

See how that list doesn't even include Yale, Princeton, Brown, NYU, etc? When it comes to business schools, the elite schools truly are king. That name will get you into the Fortune 500, the Fortune 100, etc. It will open doors, get you interviews, internships, and so on. The alumni networks are phenomenal. The career resource centers truly help. The companies that come recruit at the job fairs are the real deal, and are not going to waste their time at state schools.

OP, if you have the grades and accolades to get into a truly top school, you should absolutely do it. The name matters even more than you probably think it does. The education may or not be superior, but the name and resources make it all worthwhile. This is almost certainly more true in the business world than for any other major.

 

[first_rodeo]

2 bit skier kid posting on ns asking about the "best" business colleges hes not gonna end up working at any reputable finance or consulting firm. hes gonna get a degree in business management from ohio state with a 3.0 gpa and be basically unemployable

.....I'm a NSer that works for a financial consulting firm

 

[Swandog7]

carlson school of mgmt at university of minnesota and lap rails at trollhaugen or hyland

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

This, its one of the top in the nation I believe. If you go into accounting there is a firm in MN as well and is the 2nd biggest in the world, my dad so happens to work there. Im skiing hyland, Elm Creek, and Troll and its not a bad gig. Your rail game will improve ten fold here

 

[Spagett+]

Lol at people thinking the only way to be successful is going to a top 10 business school.

 

[Spagett+]

Top 10? I think your top 10 is not a real top 10, and is thus crap. The top 10 business schools look like this:

1: Stanford

2: Harvard

3: Northwestern

4: Columbia

5: Dartmouth

6: Chicago

7: UPenn

8: Berkely

9: MIT

10: Cornell

See how that list doesn't even include Yale, Princeton, Brown, NYU, etc? When it comes to business schools, the elite schools truly are king. That name will get you into the Fortune 500, the Fortune 100, etc. It will open doors, get you interviews, internships, and so on. The alumni networks are phenomenal. The career resource centers truly help. The companies that come recruit at the job fairs are the real deal, and are not going to waste their time at state schools.

OP, if you have the grades and accolades to get into a truly top school, you should absolutely do it. The name matters even more than you probably think it does. The education may or not be superior, but the name and resources make it all worthwhile. This is almost certainly more true in the business world than for any other major.

Also LOL at you thinking brown has a business school and thinking NYU and Michigan arnt top business programs. Rankings systems are very subjective and you could probably find rankings from another publication that places Stern and Michigan in the top 10. And some "state schools" (Michigan, Cal, Virginia and more) definitely are respected by fortune 500's.

 

[Tamas]

Honestly, Champlain College is one of the top business programs in the northeast. They also offer so much opportunity to network and have a supper high job acceptance rate. Also you can ride Sugarbush for dirt cheap here.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

Haha If you're going to call someone else out, at least make sure your info is correct.

taken from:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankings.../top-business-schools/mba-rankings?int=9dc208

1. Stanford

2. Harvard

3. U of Pennsylvania

4. Chicago

5. MIT

6. Northwestern

7. University of Cali at Berkeley (Haas)

8. Columbia

9. Tuck School of Business @ Dartmouth

10. Darden @ University of Virginia

Comparing the rankings of top schools is just stupid. It will vary depending which list you look at. A top 15 school may be a top 10 school on another list and vice versa. If you can get into a top 15 school you will be OK.

 

[californiagrown]

Really want to pursue a career in business/marketing/sales or maybe even finance. All the schools I've been looking at are in the middle of cites and just don't look like fun campus's. Are there any decent business schools relatively close to any ski areas?

Your undergrad school doesn't matter. Get a 4.0, get a good job at a respected firm, kill it for a few years and show talent and promise, then worry about where you get the MBA.

MBA is where you gotta worry about the school.

 

[BenWhit]

Undergraduate business degrees outside of accounting are not worth it. Internships play a much more important role in finding a job after school than a business degree.

accountants get recruited to one of the big four.. then hump desks without any career growth.

Go for the finance degree, try to find a school offering business analytics.

Or, you could get a degree in both, and get hired as a financial analyst (me).

But for the OP...

Bentley & Babson are both great business schools in the northeast within driving distance of dozens of mountains.

 

[BenWhit]

Whats wrong with getting a degree in business and then immediately getting an MBA?

you offer absolutely nothing to an MBA program as a recent college grad.

 

[BenWhit]

lol student life at both sucks and skiing near boston sucks, go to a real school op

Boston is within driving distance of the following...

Mount Snow

Loon

Waterville

Attitash

Stowe

Smuggs

Stratton

Killington

Sunday River

Jay Peak

Wachusett - decent park considering size

Nashoba - decent park considering size

among many others.

Both schools give you incredibly easy access to Boston. Go to a state college, get a 4.0, compete for jobs with grads from private business colleges, end up a Starbuck's barista.

 

[BenWhit]

literally went to school in boston, shits mad far away, im not saying going to a state college im talking about going to a real top notch school, stanford, harvard, penn, darmoth, georgetown, chicago, usc

It's really not that far away. I do Stowe a minimum 6x a season and Snow easily another half dozen. Nashoba is great for hot park laps as is Wachusett, who both have great student pass deals.

I don't think you fully understand how difficult it is to get into a Top 10 graduate program.

 

[Spagett+]

It's really not that far away. I do Stowe a minimum 6x a season and Snow easily another half dozen. Nashoba is great for hot park laps as is Wachusett, who both have great student pass deals.

I don't think you fully understand how difficult it is to get into a Top 10 graduate program.

yeah this guy is trolling or just a kid pulling names of colleges he thinks are good out of his ass.

 

[californiagrown]

yeah this guy is trolling or just a kid pulling names of colleges he thinks are good out of his ass.

Those grad schools are not the cream of the crop?

 

[Spagett+]

Those grad schools are not the cream of the crop?

No they are, but he just throws the names around like anyone can get in.

 

[californiagrown]

No they are, but he just throws the names around like anyone can get in.

Highly successful people tend to be the ones that get in...

 

[Spagett+]

Highly successful people tend to be the ones that get in...

yeah we don't even know if OP is looking for an undergrad or grad program or anything about his grades, work experience/ internships or where he is even from. All these kids saying HBS or it isn't worth it are just trying to seem like they know a lot about education because they know that ivy league schools have good graduate programs (as shocking as that is).

 

[californiagrown]

yeah we don't even know if OP is looking for an undergrad or grad program or anything about his grades, work experience/ internships or where he is even from. All these kids saying HBS or it isn't worth it are just trying to seem like they know a lot about education because they know that ivy league schools have good graduate programs (as shocking as that is).

IMO, if your MBA isn't from a top 10 your time and money could have been better spent elsewhere.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

IMO, if your MBA isn't from a top 10 your time and money could have been better spent elsewhere.

I would argue top 15 because of the variance in rankings between sources but yes, anything else is truly not worth it if you are paying for it yourself. If you cannot get in to a top 15 program then improve your resume and test scores and try again.

 

[Spagett+]

IMO, if your MBA isn't from a top 10 your time and money could have been better spent elsewhere.

The "top 10" is too subjective. There are graduates from schools like Carnegie mellon (really good but not "top 10" making billions managing hedge funds and GSB grads working at schools teaching econ. To be successful in business a person needs a lot more than just a degree with a good name on it.

 

[californiagrown]

The "top 10" is too subjective. There are graduates from schools like Carnegie mellon (really good but not "top 10" making billions managing hedge funds and GSB grads working at schools teaching econ. To be successful in business a person needs a lot more than just a degree with a good name on it.

Haha sure there are exceptions. There are superstars in the NFL that came from FCS schools, bit most come from top programs.

Same deal with b-school.

 

[iFlip]

Highly successful people tend to be the ones that get in...

There is a lot of not-so-good information in this post. I probably have more experience in the area of MBAs and top schools than anyone else here. What is undoubtedly true is that an MBA from a top school (we'll let that definition fall wherever for now) is absolutely worth more than an MBA from a less-desirable school. Top schools recruit MBA candidates in two ways:

1: They recruit geniuses, those who earned 4.0 GPAs, have solid work experience, and bright futures. 2: They recruit big names, people with last names like Rockefeller, Kennedy, and the like. These people will be entering senior management on merit of their family, whether they are the sons of CEOs, the sons of Senators, etc.

This brings about a great balance, which is the primary reason for entering a top-ranked school. The "made men" who will be CEOs regardless will meet the geniuses, who they will then hire. Thus the university succeeds in securing bright futures for all of its students. Harvard has said that it tries to split the ratio for this reason.

Now, is an MBA from a lesser school worthless? No. Worth less, yes. A Columbia MBA will get you in the door at Ernst & Young, P&G, JP Morgan, etc. Is this door impossible to open with an MBA from a lesser school? Of course not, but you will really have to put all your strength into opening that door. The big firms recruit from the top schools. Don't believe me? Look at a list of the employers who come to MIT's career fair (information is available on their website). Then contrast this with the employers who come to, say, NC State's career fair (again, information available on their website).

Getting into a top MBA program is extremely difficult for an average candidate. You will need solid work experience, a kick-ass GMAT score, a good undergraduate GPA, and hopefully letters of recommendation from the CEO of a major company and other "important people." Now, the conundrum of MBA or no MBA comes into play. Realistically you (whoever is reading this) is unlikely to get into a top school. Have you looked into a 4+1 MBA program? Many schools offer this, and not always just combined with an undergrad business degree. Some schools will do a 4+1 MBA degree that combines with an undergraduate degree of English, or similar subject. You will obviously have to take some business courses while you are undergrad, but having this 4+1 MBA does not represent a great outlay of time or money. You will not have to study for and take the GMAT. It gives you tremendous options.

An MBA, regardless of school, requires a good deal of work. You may be able to glide through a liberal arts degree, but an MBA will force you to take a great many courses you cannot BS your way through. If you do decide to get an MBA, apply yourself. Your GPA will matter. You had better actually learn the skills you are being taught. There will be a lot of statistics, accounting, finance, and other skills-on courses.

 

[californiagrown]

There is a lot of not-so-good information in this post. I probably have more experience in the area of MBAs and top schools than anyone else here. What is undoubtedly true is that an MBA from a top school (we'll let that definition fall wherever for now) is absolutely worth more than an MBA from a less-desirable school. Top schools recruit MBA candidates in two ways:

1: They recruit geniuses, those who earned 4.0 GPAs, have solid work experience, and bright futures. 2: They recruit big names, people with last names like Rockefeller, Kennedy, and the like. These people will be entering senior management on merit of their family, whether they are the sons of CEOs, the sons of Senators, etc.

This brings about a great balance, which is the primary reason for entering a top-ranked school. The "made men" who will be CEOs regardless will meet the geniuses, who they will then hire. Thus the university succeeds in securing bright futures for all of its students. Harvard has said that it tries to split the ratio for this reason.

Now, is an MBA from a lesser school worthless? No. Worth less, yes. A Columbia MBA will get you in the door at Ernst & Young, P&G, JP Morgan, etc. Is this door impossible to open with an MBA from a lesser school? Of course not, but you will really have to put all your strength into opening that door. The big firms recruit from the top schools. Don't believe me? Look at a list of the employers who come to MIT's career fair (information is available on their website). Then contrast this with the employers who come to, say, NC State's career fair (again, information available on their website).

Getting into a top MBA program is extremely difficult for an average candidate. You will need solid work experience, a kick-ass GMAT score, a good undergraduate GPA, and hopefully letters of recommendation from the CEO of a major company and other "important people." Now, the conundrum of MBA or no MBA comes into play. Realistically you (whoever is reading this) is unlikely to get into a top school. Have you looked into a 4+1 MBA program? Many schools offer this, and not always just combined with an undergrad business degree. Some schools will do a 4+1 MBA degree that combines with an undergraduate degree of English, or similar subject. You will obviously have to take some business courses while you are undergrad, but having this 4+1 MBA does not represent a great outlay of time or money. You will not have to study for and take the GMAT. It gives you tremendous options.

An MBA, regardless of school, requires a good deal of work. You may be able to glide through a liberal arts degree, but an MBA will force you to take a great many courses you cannot BS your way through. If you do decide to get an MBA, apply yourself. Your GPA will matter. You had better actually learn the skills you are being taught. There will be a lot of statistics, accounting, finance, and other skills-on courses.

Sounds pretty much like what everyone has been saying in regards to the top b-school.

 

[BenWhit]

yeah this guy is trolling or just a kid pulling names of colleges he thinks are good out of his ass.

If i could ship off to Wharton tomorrow, I absolutely would. But what do I offer a top-notch program like their's as a 1-year post undergrad? virtually nothing.

 

[BenWhit]

wachusetts student deal is shitty, its like 600 for the weekend pass

college pass cost me $180/yr.