Cover All Your Bases When Applying To College As a Business Major with CIT Consultant Anne Weber
Written by CIT Consultant Anne Weber
For more than four decades, a business major has held the top spot in popularity amongst undergraduates. Perhaps it’s the versatility that draws so many students to this area of study. What’s certain is the business major shows no signs of waning, in fact, it continues to become more and more competitive.
Top undergraduate business programs are seeing double-digit increases in applications, thus making their acceptance rates lower and lower. In a recent article, we discussed the top five majors that suffer from capacity constraints. Two of the top five–economics and finance– fall under the umbrella of business schools. For a prospective undergraduate student who remains steadfast in pursuit of a business degree, we have several points of advice:
Fortify your academic resume with the most vigor you can handle. Make sure you are taking the highest level of math and a full four years of sequential mathematics. AP Statistics should not replace a year of math (but is a great addition if offered at your school). - Reinforce your transcript with high math scores on the ACT or SAT
- Prove your dedication to business with extracurriculars in the arena (clubs, competitions, internships, paid work, etc.)
- Understand the process of applying to business schools at each college, making note of those that offer second chances to sophomores if you are not directly admitted as a freshmen
- Consider a business minor or a certificate. Many schools offer these to students who are not in the business school. Example: Villanova’s Summer Business Academy
Diversify your application list to include less competitive business programs. Many young professionals will go on to pursue an M.B.A. At that point, your undergraduate GPA, your GMAT scores, essays and work experiences will arguably be more important than the prestige of your undergraduate business major.
There are hundreds of universities with business schools, as well as liberal arts colleges that can prepare students for successful careers in business. We’d be happy to help your student navigate this process.