<p>We all know that business schools generally don’t like it when applicants already majored in business for undergrad. Would it be even worse if a student got an AA in Business Administration along the way of getting a BA in Business Economics?</p>
<p>Basically, in my path of getting a BA in Business Economics, I could easily get an AA along the way without any extra coursework. My question, then, is whether or not this could backfire and end up doing more harm than good.</p>
<p>Basically, which path is more attractive to business schools:</p>
<p>Path 1:
2 years
AA in Business Administration
Without break, 2 more years
BA in Business Economics
After a few years
MBA</p>
<ul>
<li>or -</li>
</ul>
<p>Path 2:
4 years
BA in Business Economics
After a few years
MBA</p>
<p>Or, could getting an AA help me by making me more attractive for an internship, and thus giving me the work experience that business schools like?</p>
<p>Or, would it just be completely irrelevant and not make any difference?</p>
I’ve definitely read more than once that business schools tend to disfavor students who pursued flat-out business degrees for undergrad, opting instead for less academic redundancy on the student’s behalf.</p>
<p>Schools act in their own interest (first and foremost). Regardless, most of the things an MBA student can get out of a program are not redundant with an undergraduate business education. There is obviously some redundancy as basic finance, accounting, and marketing principles must be understood. However, there is also some redundancy for those who have an undergraduate economics background or even those with an engineering background (ie statistics, operations).</p>
<p>Admission committees do seek individuals with unique backgrounds. However, this is more relevant in regards to work experience and can be as much of hinderance to the likes of engineers and software developers as it is to those with a business background.</p>
<p>Your typical entering business class is 65% business and STEM majors (science, technology, engineering, and math). The other 35% are non-business/engineering, such as the humanities, social sciences, art/theater and other majors. You can still have an undergraduate major in business, but you might face stiffer competition among your peers if your career focus is high-demand/paying fields, such as finance or investment banking.</p>
<p>Some people who get undergraduate business degrees realize they don’t need an MBA in their careers. It depends on whether you really want to major in business or study something else.</p>
<p>One could argue that about any undergraduate degree. How valuable an undergrad business degree is dependent on a lot of factors such as the school it’s from, the major chosen, and the students post-graduate plans.</p>
<p>As someone who has hired top MBA’s for 25 years, I can assure you, there’s no negative to having been a business major undergrad.</p>
<p>I can also assure you an AA would be worthless is securing a meaningful business internship. Certainly in my business there would be absolutely no value and it would not impress. </p>
<p>Go to the best 4 year college you can get into for your best chance for good internships, jobs and grad schools.</p>