Since you’d consider going to SoCal for USC, you might check out the Science Management major at Claremont McKenna, which has a neuroscience track. CMC is extremely strong in econ/pre-MBA, and neuroscience and premed advising are strong throughout the Claremont Consortium (which offers mid-sized research-university resources even though the individual schools are smaller than others you’re considering). It sounds like the blend of business and science that you’re looking for. Science Management - Claremont McKenna College - Acalog ACMS™ It’s just as much of a reach as your other reach schools, but worth comparing for fit. (Here’s a profile of a student in the program: Natural fit: For polymath Connor Bloom ’19, science management had it all | Claremont McKenna College)
Well - there are gazillionaires from many schools.
There are partners in consulting firms - Deloitte, McKinesey, etc. from MANY schools.
I don’t think you can plan for this.
Yes, you need to develop a network…but yes you need to bust tail for many years and get a lot of luck.
I agree with this: where I can use my skills to make a bunch of money.
But that doesn’t change the where… or your entire initial equation.
I’d also argue - the world will look different in the future - including the “school” connected given most employer’s dependence on the Internet today. It’s no longer unusual to see a Bama at a Jane Street or Goldman Sachs or an ASU at McKinesey, etc.
Are you on the wrong thread? OP hasn’t mentioned either of these schools.
ahhhhhhhh - thank you
Done. See if it’s ok with you.
Great, thanks
Just from a Google Search, you can find that some Universities have more value to the MBB than others.
I don’t know about you, but it looks like more than luck to me. I don’t want to be an exception to the statistics in order to get where I want to get. My initial equation is not knowing what I want to do, and sorting together my extracurricular activities to see what I’m the best at.
Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. However, I’m thinking of premed and business as two split paths; I either go one way or the other. Still, very cool program.
Historically, yes, they pick from certain schools. That door is opening. But also don’t forget, the # of kids getting these opportunities are less and less each day.
If you’re not quantitatively oriented, that impacts - but the Deloittes of the world hire from EVERYWHERE.
Many firms hire MBAs and many MBAs are ex engineers - so you have to look deeper to do what you’re doing.
I hope you achieve your goals - but it has to be about more than - so i can make a lot of money. I hope you find a true passion.
And I hope you have an enjoyable four years.
You have great #s and you’ll likely have some great opportunities. But I’d add a W&M Mason (very respected) or W&M in general and if you have interest in Neuro, Va Tech - and I think you’d be set - have your reaches but your safer school in case it’s needed.
It’s hard to plan out years from now like you’re trying to do and I wish you success but also know, it’s a hard path - and many, once they get there, don’t like the work environment - why I turned down Deloitte in grad school.
Best of luck to you.
Fair enough! I just think that it’s tough to make that kind of binary call before you even start college; so it could be good to go somewhere with enough flexibility that you can explore both options a bit before deciding. Of course, you could also do this almost anywhere by doing an econ+premed blend. You don’t have to do a full STEM major to prepare for med school; the prereqs for med school can be combined with practically any major as long as it isn’t something all-consuming like a conservatory BFA.
A Cognitive Science major would include a neuroscience background but would be broader, so that might be worth considering.
Have you looked at Carnegie Mellon? Tepper is a top-tier business school, and offers both business and econ majors for undergrads. In the Dietrich School of Humanities & Social Sciences, there are a number of majors that might work, including the Neuroscience and CogSci majors in the Psychology department, and the more business-adjacent Behavioral Economics and Decision Science majors in the Social & Decisions Sciences department. Given your interest and experience in AI, CMU could be a great place for you, as their computational strength is infused into many of their programs including business, CogSci, and beyond.
I know a few people who actually have made “a bunch of money”. I do not think that any of them (with one possible exception) actually started off intending to make a bunch of money. I think that they started off trying to solve a particular problem. In most cases they started off trying to do something that they thought was important and interesting. They succeeded (which is how they made money). The one possible exception might be the smartest person I have ever met. He has started multiple very successful high tech companies. However, I just do not know whether money was ever a motivation for him. Certainly he kept starting successful companies long after he had anything to worry about wrt money.
Very high paying jobs are often very stressful and time consuming. They know that they can demand your time (and maybe your soul) because they are paying for it.
I would not go into medicine for the purpose of making a lot of money. Medical school is a HUGE commitment. You really need to want to do it. It can take years, possibly decades, to pay off your medical school debt. Also, when you are half way through medical school you will already have run up enough debt that you are sort of stuck finishing. At that point you better like the path that you put yourself on.
I do understand that it is very tough for a high school student to know what path they want to take with their career. For me, even at the point that I graduated university (with a degree in mathematics) I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I figure it out over time. Fortunately mathematics is a major that can be of some value in a range of careers.
What were the Bs in science in? Chem and Bio but do you mean the AP versions or not? Have you taken or are you currently taking AP Chem or AP bio? Do you have AP
Scores in these? How are your grades this year, in all of your classes? What classes are you planning for next yr as a senior?
You are aiming high and you have a top10% rank and the scores that support, so you are in the running for the reaches, but you still will need to maximize your chances at the reach schools you mentioned and work very hard to get As and make good impressions in the classroom for LORs.
If your school is one of the top 2 that are “known” in the Norfolk/VA beach area then I think you should be able to count on UVA as low match/close to a safety if you have maximum rigor, but please meet with your counselor and ask for precise details on how your school does with UVA as well as ivy-plus types. They will know much more than anyone here.
Yes, I took the AP classes. I have all A’s this year, with a pretty heavy courseload (6 APs, 2 Honors, 2 Online). UVA is generally considered a relatively easy school to get into from our Magnet program.
I appreciate your insight.
This is exactly what I’m trying to do, but I think it always starts out with having the momentum to quit your job and work on an idea. That’s super easy to do when you make a bucket load of money, whether it’s stressful or not. I would take years of stress for the option to drop out of the corp. ladder and produce my own “magnum opus”, and not go broke.
I’ve been using UVA as a reference point for business schools, as it has a pretty good undergraduate and MBA program, and it is in-state for me (making the acceptance rates higher), so I haven’t looked into CMU. I will definitely consider it, though.
Pre-MBA can be any major, but work experience after BA/BS matters, so major choice can affect what opportunities you have for that criterion.
Pre-med can be any major, but you have to add the pre-med science courses. Biology is a common major due to overlap, but about half of pre-med students are some other major.
Intending to do something professionally for years with a goal of doing it so successfully that you can stop is a flawed strategy. Particularly when it appears your only measure of success or interest will be how much money you make.
I admire your ambition but trying to succeed in highly competitive fields typically requires more than a simple financial ambition. You will be happier and find greater personal and financial success if you target professions that interest you and fit your personal skill set. Even better if they happen to pay well.
I also wouldn’t underestimate luck so better to be doing something you enjoy as invariably life will throw you some surprises.
MBA is not relevant now.
If you go that route - which means you haven’t made buckets of money - it won’t be until at least two years and likely 3-5 years after undergrad.
And you don’t have the foggiest where you’ll be living after undergrad so it’s not necessarily likely you’ll be a Va resident.
UVA is a wonderful b school or commerce school. But getting into UVA is not getting into the B school which comes later. It is not direct admit.
There’s always Econ.
If you 100% want to study business, there are many great schools. IU Kelley will be a safety and is higher ranked. .
In state, I think for you Va Tech may be a better choice. Why ? Pamplin is direct admit and very well regarded. And Va Tech it has a Neuro school, not just major. Also well regarded. Oh and yes they place at McKinsey and Goldman etc.
I know you think a name in and of itself means the most - but it doesn’t. You do. You want to at least give yourself the assuredness of studying what you want.
UVA is awesome and Econ majors will do great. But Econ is not business and many students there do not make it in the b school. So you have to be open to another major - if commerce doesn’t work out and neuro doesn’t suit you.
Ps - I don’t think you need to redo your SAT but it’s fine if you try. I think your current score will work as well as a 1600 short of schools that give more merit for a 1600 - but you’re not applying to Alabama.
For in-state students from top magnet or other highly competitive schools, though it is not really fair, many do not consider VT to be a anything other than a distant backup to Uva or William& Mary. It may not be fair, but that is how it is perceived by many such students. I agree with you it would be another great safety for OP!
I understand your point, but the name matters less to me than it does to firms (seriously). VTech has a lower in-state acceptance rate than out-of-state, and is known for engineering, so I don’t plan on applying there.