Many liberal arts majors wonder if they can pursue a business career after graduation from college. The answer depends on how much business experience you have acquired in addition to your major field of study. To be sure, anyone (regardless of undergraduate major) with high grades, work experience, and strong letters of recommendation is eligible for graduate studies in business; however, it is important to note that all successful applicants to master of business administration (MBA) programs usually possess strong quantitative, economic/analytical, and leadership skills. Thus, if you are planning a career in business or management and would like to pursue an MBA, we urge you to acquire the skills mentioned and keep in mind the following suggestions.

General Things to Consider:

School Visits
General visits to business schools are always helpful in gaining a sense of what the school is about - the atmosphere, size, location, student body, faculty. These visits should be informal. Since such visits are part of the preliminaries, it is probably too early in your search to schedule an interview, but a (casual) stop by the admissions office is practically a must. Also, be on the look out for other UW-Madison students at the schools and ask them questions about decisions they made in selecting a business school.

Advice from the field
It is a certainty that wherever you go and whatever you do, you will encounter people who have already made the decision to attend or not to attend business school. You can build your decisional base by quizzing them on the choices they made: Did they enter directly after college? How important was location? How many applications did they complete? What is the general market for MBA's? What are their school's strengths and weaknesses? Family, friends, summer employers, and academicians all have a perspective (and probably a different one); do not hesitate to ask them questions and hear their side of the issue.

The GMAT
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) must be taken since most business schools require it. It is a good idea to take it as early as possible in the school year in which you are making applications. Some find that taking the test during the senior year gives them a head-start; others prefer to wait until closer to the application year. Gaining an understanding of the GMAT is an important preliminary and should be undertaken with great care. There are several study guides available as well as test preparation courses. The extent to which you seek aid in preparing for the test is your decision, but the idea is not to enter the test blindly.

Information and Printed Matter
Early in the application year, write schools or visit Web sites for information and to request bulletins, applications, financial aid information, and program announcements. It is a good idea to seek information from all of the schools that interest you; more information, better decision. As you receive materials, look through them noting admissions criteria, application dates, program options, and courses to be taken during the first year of study. Too, try to note differences and get a feel for approaches that are commensurate with your abilities. Several readings of the materials will be needed if you are to benefit from comparative shopping.

Work experience
If you have time for an enriching work experience, during the college years, try to secure a position in which you can engage in some business function. Internships, private efforts in enterprise, and volunteer work are all examples of activities that can be helpful to you. Business schools do value work experience, be if full-time or part-time, and if you have a chance to gain some, by all means do so. The need for full-time work experience remains high at most schools.

Remainder of Academic Program
A review of the publications from various schools should give you information about what is expected of you. While academic preparation may not be clearly defined, there are some expectations, particularly in terms of background courses. You should look over your UW-Madison coursework to date with an eye toward altering it. For instance, mathematics, economics, accounting, statistics, computer science, and foreign language are especially recommended. If you have not taken any one of these, you should schedule one in your academic program as soon as possible. Alumni needing to take preparatory courses can take advantage of institutions in the area where they reside.

Letters of Recommendation
Recommendations from both faculty and employers are an important part of your application profile; thus, it will be to your benefit to select carefully the persons you plan to ask to provide a recommendation. Now is not too soon to begin identifying and approaching prospects for recommendations. Faculty, deans, employers are all possibilities to consider. Remember, it is important to ask someone who knows you well and who has had a recent association with you. A variety of recommenders who can respond from various viewpoints will be useful.

Further information
The Graduate Management Admission Council offers general pertinent information for anyone interested in MBA programs. We urge you to consult its website at http://www.gmac.com. Check it out; it has loads of good information.

A Plan of Action to Prepare You for Graduate Business School

As a Sophomore you should...

1. Begin exploring programs and financial aid information at various schools. Business schools differ greatly. Points of difference are found in teaching approaches and concentrations offered. Some offer only general preparation while others have specific programs in areas, such as international management, accounting, or hospital administration. The Web offers extensive information. One very useful website with information on some of the best graduate business programs and fellowships/scholarships information for ethnic minority students interested in business is the Consortium For Graduate Study in Management at http://www.cgsm.org/
2. Begin thinking about preparing for the GMAT. The best piece of advice I can give about the GMAT is prepare for it. A planned program of study is essential since the test will have sections different from any seen previously. Some study individually; others in a group; others in courses offered. It is a personal decision about the best approach, but the idea is that some study is a must. The time to take the GMAT is in the summer after the junior year or in the fall of the senior year if applying to schools during the senior year. Otherwise, serious thought should be given to taking the test before leaving school or soon after graduation since most schools will accept scores as long as the Educational Testing Service (ETS) reports them, usually for five years. To register for the GMAT, go to http://www.gmac.com.
3. Identify professors you may ask for recommendations. If applying to business school directly or shortly after college, an academic recommendation may be necessary. It is important to have professors get to know you so that they can speak to your academic and intellectual promise as a graduate student in business. Try to arrange opportunities so that they may get to know you better. After work experience, only one - if any - recommendation from a professor may be required. Make sure you open a Letter of Recommendation Service File for yourself through the UW-Madison’s Letters & Science/Human Ecology Career Services Office at Identify professors you may ask for recommendations. If applying to business school directly or shortly after college, an academic recommendation may be necessary. It is important to have professors get to know you so that they can speak to your academic and intellectual promise as a graduate student in business. Try to arrange opportunities so that they may get to know you better. After work experience, only one - if any - recommendation from a professor may be required. Make sure you open a Letter of Recommendation Service File for yourself through the UW-Madison’s Letters & Science/Human Ecology Career Services Office at http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/careers/reference.html. See also our handout on how to formally request letters of recommendation from faculty for further information.. See also our handout on how to formally request letters of recommendation from faculty for further information.
4. Search for a summer work experience that will help you discover career alternatives and gain insight into the world of management. The UW-Madison’s Letters and Science/Human Ecology Career Services Office (http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/careers/reference.html) and the UW-Madison’s Business Schools Career Office (http://www.bus.wisc.edu/mbacs/) are good sources of employment information.
5. Register for courses that will provide a background for graduate business school. Specifically, courses in basic accounting, computer science, microeconomics, mathematics, and statistics are essentials. Others in public speaking, logic, composition, management sciences, and foreign language will prove beneficial.
6. Learn as much as you can about the MBA degree: what it is, what its possibilities are, what it can do for you. One useful way of doing this is by visiting the websites of various MBA programs. For a comprehensive list of the top business programs in the U.S, go to http://www.mba-business-schools.com/ or http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/mba/brief/mbarank_brief.php

As a senior you should...

1. Take the GMAT (the Graduate Management Aptitud Test), which is required for admission to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Programs. If you have not taken the GMAT as a senior in college, we urge you to take it shortly after graduation. You should be conditioned to enter a challenging test situation after having just been involved in the rigors of undergraduate academic study. The Educational Testing Services (ETS), which handles the GMAT, reports scores for five years after the test date, and most schools accept scores as long as they are reported. The GMAT Bulletin contains details relating to score reporting. Information on the GMAT can be found at: http://www.gmac.com/gmac/thegmat/.
2. Approach professors and administrators you may ask to write recommendations. When meeting with them, explain your plans and ask if in the future they would be willing to serve as a reference. You should also offer to bring them up-to-date periodically. See our handout on how to prepare requests of letter of recommendation from faculty for details.
3. Ask about the Letter of Recommendation Service in the Letters & Science/Human Ecology Career Services Office (if you have not done so already). Information is at: (http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/careers/reference.html) For a small fee, this service allows you to have your letters of recommendation from professors or administrators placed in a file for retrieving when you apply to business schools. Since most applicants would have worked prior to applying, this service can help in facilitating a faculty member's recommendation.
4. Search around campus for as many materials about business school as possible. The academic environment offers a collection of resources, an advantage often only realized once away. Go to the library, bookstore, and the MBA Career Advising Office in the UW-Madison business school for information. The website for the Career Advising Office is at: http://www.bus.wisc.edu/mbacs/.

Once you leave UW Madison you should...

1. Keep abreast of the business world and business schools. Read current literature; inquire about schools from associates; visit campuses when traveling; attend an MBA Forum (either in your hometown or wherever you work).
2. Choose a work experience that will help define career goals. There is no one best kind of work to choose; rather, it should be such that you can gain some insight into yourself as a professional as well as knowledge of the functions engaged in the work-a-day world. The dilemma of over-committing to a job concerns many who seek two or three years' experience. In the past, consulting firms, teaching positions, and financial management groups have allowed for easy movement from work back to school.
3. Feel free to write or call the UW-Madison Business School (or for that matter, other business schools) for further information, materials, and advice. The admissions office at the major business schools in the U.S welcome visitors and are usually able to answer all types of admission-related questions.
4. Enroll in courses to extend your preparation for business school. If not already taken, courses in calculus, accounting, computer science, statistics, microeconomics, and foreign language will be invaluable. While all may not be required for admission to a program, they will certainly improve your understanding of the material encountered in the business school.
5. Request transcripts (have them ready to use in advance) from the Office of the Registrar at the UW-Madison. The request must be made in writing, or in person if you are in Madison. The Registrar’s office website is http://www.registrar.wisc.edu/.

Preparing for A Business Career Through Summer Programs

Summer programs in business are offered by a few universities across the United States. These programs are generally designed for the liberal arts undergraduate and consist of a group of courses that will provide a foundation for a business career or graduate business school. They vary in length from two to six weeks. The list of the programs is here below, and we urge you to consider applying to these programs if your goal is to obtain a graduate degree in business administration or to pursue a career in business right after finishing your undergraduate degree.

Summer Programs to Consider:

The BASE Summer Program
University of California, Berkeley
Haas School of Business
Berkeley, California
http://groups.haas.berkeley.edu/undergrad/BASE

The BASE program is an intensive six-week program offering a solid background in the fundamentals of management. It is open to students in the arts, sciences, and engineering, and recent graduates, and generally begins in July. Participants enroll in three courses: Introduction to Financial Accounting, Marketing, and Introduction to Organizational Behavior. Extracurriculars consist of field trips, on-campus briefings, and career-focused workshops.

McIntire Business Institute
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
www.commerce.virginia.edu/MBI

The McIntire Business Institute offers a condensed version of the curriculum at the McIntire School of Commerce to participants with little or no business background. The program provides a fundamental understanding of business as well as the skills important in career exploration. Specific instruction is given in management, finance, accounting, and information technology through faculty members in the McIntire School of Commerce.

Stanford GSB Summer Institute
Stanford University
Stanford, California
www.gsb.stanford.edu/si/

The Stanford GSB Summer Institute is an intensive four-week business program for liberal arts and science undergraduates. Open to students who have completed at least three years of college, the program allows students to learn the fundamentals of business, get an overview of MBA students, participate in workshops for career building, and visit area businesses.

The Stern Advantage Program
New York University
New York , New York
www.stern.nyu.edu/sternadvantage

The Stern Advantage Program is an intensive six-week program for undergraduates to introduce them to the fundamentals of business with attention to marketing, accounting, finance, and management. The program also offers workshops to enhance skills needed to be successful in the business world, visits to New York businesses, and participation in projects leading to hands-on experience. The faculty of the Stern School of Business provides the instruction.

Tuck Business Bridge Program
Dartmouth College
Hanover , New Hampshire
www.dartmouth.edu/tuck/programs/

The Bridge Program is a four-week, residential program with classes in accounting, finance, managerial economics, marketing and management communications, taught by faculty in the Tuck School of Business. Career advice is offered to program participants through planned events and services.

Still have Questions about Graduate Programs in Business?
We are here to assist you! See Miguel Rosales, Coordinator and Student Advisor for further assistance. He can be reached via email at mrosales@lssaa.wisc.edu.