GetBschooled

Finding Time for Campus Clubs

Becoming involved with a business-related campus club is a good way to meet people in your major and learn about business. Not to mention, it helps enhance your resume. Campus clubs also provide opportunities to network with professionals and professors in business fields, which can lead to internships and employment after graduation. Volunteering or running for an officer position within a club can provide even more valuable experiences and further enhance your resume. If your school does not have a club related to an area you are interested in, start one. Establishing your own club is excellent for your resume and helps others with similar interests have a place to meet.

Most universities have a variety of campus clubs related to business. For instance, there are campus clubs for financial managers, international business professionals, entrepreneurs, accountants, etc. Visit your campus’s student services office to see a list of your school’s clubs, and also to find information on starting your own club. 

Three Schools Earn AACSB Accreditation

Central Washington University (USA), Ewha Womans University (South Korea), and the University of Zurich (Switzerland) have recently earned AACSB Accreditation for their business programs. 

Central Washington University, located in the United States in Ellensburg, Washington, has approximately 1,200 business students. The school has programs in accounting, business administration, economics, finance, management, and supply chain management.

Ewha Womans University, located in Seoul, South Korea, offers classes in multiple languages. The school has multiple courses in business administration, international exchange programs, and a website that is viewable in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. 

The University of Zurich is located in Zurich, Switzerland. The school offers programs in business administration, economics, informatics, economic sciences, and quantitative finance. Several of these programs are available at the bachelor's and master's level. 

Preparing for an Entrance Exam (Like the GMAT or GRE)

Most business schools (especially in the U.S.) rely heavily on standardized entrance exams (at all levels—undergrad, masters, and doctorate) as an admission's requirement. Besides your grades, an exam is the primary method used to select students—especially at the graduate level. Therefore, if graduate business school is on your mind, start studying ahead of time and prepare yourself for success.

There are many resources for test takers—books, videos, classes, practice tests, study groups, etc. But, before you dive into an expensive class, consider how you learn. Do you learn best reading…working problems in a coffee shop…following instructional videos…sitting in classes…or just practicing the real thing over and over? Depending on your learning style, focus your time reviewing the material in a manner that is best for you. After you figure this out, get your hands on all the supplemental materials you can—especially workbooks with loads of practice problems. 

A Few Study Tips

1. Write things down and learn to work the problems quickly and accurately.
2. Know what to look for as soon as you see a problem (many test preparation books teach you what to look for). Ask yourself, what are they asking me to find? And, what is the quickest way that I can find this? 
3. Further, if you can't find the answer know how to eliminate answers (the process of eliminating incorrect answers will help you greatly on test day).

A Few Websites for Test Prep

Kaplan, an organization providing classes and materials:
www.kaptest.com

Princeton Review, offering classes and materials on all kinds of tests (even for non-business programs): www.princetonreview.com/business/gmat-test-preparation.aspx

GMAT Official Website, provides practice tests and other resources: www.mba.com/mba/thegmat/prepareforthegmat

GRE Official Website, provides practice materials:
www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare

Why Did I Get an MBA?

By Bob Barnwell
Copywriter/Marketing Professional

Right now, there is no shortage of articles and blogs making valid points on reasons to invest time and money in pursuing an MBA. In fact, in my cohort, the reasons were varied. For some, the MBA represented an opportunity to advance within their current organization—as many were receiving financial support from their employers to do so. For others, the MBA represented a competitive advantage in an uncertain world. For example, one woman spoke of working in the newspaper industry. She saw that an MBA was critical for her to land on her feet, regardless of what the future held for the newspaper business. For still others, the MBA represented a personal goal waiting to be achieved. They sought an MBA for the purpose of both doing their jobs better and climbing a mountain they had always known was waiting for them.

For me, I wanted the training to do my job better, and I also wanted a competitive advantage to face the future. But most of all, I want to earn a PhD in marketing. Therefore, my goal in pursuing an MBA was to make myself an attractive applicant for a PhD program. This is why I made sure that the MBA program I applied to was AACSB-accredited. You see, articles like Ronald Alsop’s 2007 Wall Street Journal piece, “PhD Shortage, Business Schools Seek Professors,” and Dr. Kristy Reynold’s 2005 American Marketing Association (AMA) PowerPoint presentation, “Is there a doctorate in the house?” inspired me. As an experienced copywriter, I can honestly say I love marketing, its nuisances, contradictions, mysteries, and opportunities. This is why, for me, a professional life spent pulling back the curtain to find answers and ask new questions, as I educate others, is a life I want to live.    

Overall, what I’ve learned about business and about myself as a result of my MBA experience, I’ve been able to put into practice nearly every day, and that’s the bottom line. 

Bachelor Degree Grad Trends: More Women, More Business Majors, Decent Starting Salaries

A Yahoo! News video points out some interesting aspects of bachelor degree graduates. Such as, the average starting salary is around $47,000, the average student loan debt is around $23,000, the most popular major is business, and 57% of new graduates are women.