Is there something wrong with the way I'm thinking?

Colleges & Universities Boston University
1

<p>So I got into BU last week. I’ve also gotten into some other colleges as well, but I’m seriously considering BU. However, I’m not there yet but I’m already looking to transfer. Is there something wrong with my approach?</p>

<p>I’m looking to work in the Japanese market after I graduate school. I’m a Japanese who has lived in America for 90% of his life. My dad has worked for Goldman Sachs Japan and is now working for a hedge fund firm that has offices in Tokyo, New York and also many other cities around the world. I know what I’m getting myself into.</p>

<p>So with that being said, as I said before, I’m looking to transfer already. As some of you may know, the Japanese job market and people that live in Japan have an obsession with the prestige of a school. I really love BU, and I really love Boston and I would love being there. However, I’m pretty sure that while BU has an amazing business program, I probably could not get the job I want with a degree from BU due to the way Japanese look at the names of colleges. (I could be wrong about this)</p>

<p>I am going to double major in business and Japanese. Another reason I picked BU over some potentially stronger schools is because BU has a particular study abroad program in Japan that is very attractive. BU’s exchange agreement with Keio University in Japan, one of the best universities in Japan for econ and business (+ wonderful location, near my family’s house) would cost me very little for studying abroad (since I wont have to live in the dorms).</p>

<p>I have a 4.34 GPA at a challenging boarding school and a 2110 SAT. I am extremely motivated and I’m going to work extremely hard to keep my GPA high. </p>

<p>My plan for now is:</p>

<p>Freshman Year: Go to BU
Sophomore Year: Go to Keio University in Japan with BU’s exchange program
Junior Year:Transfer to a (Cornell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, UPenn, Columbia, etc.)
Senior: Graduate.</p>

<p>Freshman Year Course Load would be something like:
Calc
Japanese I/II/III? (Dunno which)
Econ( I will have the AP credits)
Any Business classes
English/Writing requirement
Bio I/II (for Cornell’s AEM transfer)</p>

<p>Is this an okay way to think? Or should I not just go to BU in the first place?</p>

<p>Also, I took Bio my freshman year of high school and never took it again. How challenging is Bio I/II for someone who has little/no interest in Bio and has not taken it in a long time?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>well if BU has such an amazing program hook up with Keio U. in Japan, then shouldn’t Japanese employers know about that? I can’t say I know anything about the Japanese culture or the way employers think there but i’m pretty sure it’s how you present yourself and set up that resume right? I do also believe that BU is a very highly ranked international school. however, you do seem to have a plan in mind already and it seems like that’ll be your ticket to the japanese market so go for it. </p>

<p>you might just find that you like it here at BU too much and won’t want to transfer haha.
beware, transferring credits from one school to another can be a tricky business so make sure you do your research before you transfer if you decide to do it</p>

<p>can’t help you with the bio stuff though. best of luck with everything</p>

3

<p>^thanks.
But I’m not sure that it works that way. I know that BU is well-regarded in places around the world, but I’ve heard way too many stories in Japan that if employers look at your application and you don’t go to “X school”, that your app is politely but quickly pushed to the side. </p>

<p>and you may be right, I might just love BU so much that I might choose not to transfer. And scratch that I probably won’t do Bio.</p>

<p>So it’ll probably be:
Calc (I/II)
Econ(??? AP Credits… So I don’t know what to do)
English/Writing Requirement
Japanese
???</p>

<p>I’m also thinking about transferring out of SMG to go to CAS and majoring in Econ.
Any opinions?</p>

4

<p>Hey, I think you and I are very similar. I’m Chinese but have lived in the US for most of my life. I also got accepted to BU School of Management where I plan to double major in international management concentration for business and Chinese language.</p>

<p>The way I see it is that it doesn’t really matter where you go to get your bachelor degree (but keep in mind that BU SMG is ranked 34 for internationally for their business program, so it’s still really good!). I plan to get my MBA and that’s when I will look into the ivy schools or some other famous school.</p>

<p>Also, are you planning to apply directly in Japan? or through an American branch or something? I think if you’re applying in America, they should know that BU is a really good school since they know this country and everything.</p>

<p>About the transfer option, I think you should look into where you want to transfer to before you do anything, since some schools have unique programs or paths that their business students take. It might get really complicated with the transfer credits and makeup works to catch up with the rest of the students.</p>

<p>This is just my thoughts, hope it helped! But in the end, ask yourself what you really want and just go for it. Believe in yourself!</p>

5

<p>Very similar situation here.
S has lived in US since he was 4, actually from Japan. You’re concerned about name of schools. BU is not as well regarded as Ivies, MIT, Tokyo U, Keio or other top schools as you mentioned but I believe BU is well regarded even in Japan as in ‘THE QS World ranking’ which is often referred.<br>
I agree that many people in Japan have an obsession with the prestige of a school…Well, this has changed dramatically. Even very famous Japanese leading firms no longer consider ‘name of school’ is must have. Excellent firms considers the person, academic skills, unique experiences or accomplishments before students graduate. I’m aｔ management position for one of top Japanese firm in US and I’m telling you that’s true.
S got accepted BU and 'm also very excited.</p>

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<p>I think you should take it one step of a time as you go. If you feel certain about going to BU right now, then start off there. Like Alectricity said, you might end up loving it here. If you end up with a bunch of friends and a program you love, it might be worth staying the four years and trying to do your master’s somewhere more prestigious. Or, you may be better off transferring if it works out better for you. Give BU a chance and go from there.</p>

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<p>I’m definitely giving BU a chance! If i wasn’t, I wouldn’t be going there!</p>

<p>The way I see it now, I’ll continue with my freshman and sophomore year with the way I planned, (take rigorous courses and then study abroad). Then after, I can try to transfer. If it doesn’t work out the way I hoped, I’ll still be happy here and that’s the end!</p>

<p>Does anyone know what courses you would take in economics if you were to get a 5 in both Micro/Macro Econ? I’m also not so sure if I should go into SMG because I’ve read somewhere that BU SMG students do their studying abroad during their junior year. If studying abroad during my sophomore year would cause a problem, I’d rather just start out in CAS and major in Econ and Japanese (since I love econ anyways). </p>

<p>I’m not necessarily looking to get an MBA, many of my dad’s colleagues at companies like GSACHS and Hedge fund firms never got an MBA and are doing fine so I don’t think I’ll pursue one unless its necessary. I’m pretty sure the amount of MBA holders in Japan is particularly low.</p>

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<p>if you are planning to transfer to a prestigious ivy league from BU just like that…fat chance
if you just want another school of a similar caliber…good luck with that
remember that all the already selective schools are far more selective towards transfer students</p>

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<p>I’m not counting on it.
I know the acceptance rates to transfer schools are ridiculously low so I’m really not expecting to get into a good/better program unless I really work hard and do well.
So I’m just going to work my ass off and see what happens.</p>

<p>Worst case scenario, I graduate from BU with a good GPA and use it to apply to grad school!</p>

10

<p>I’ve never heard of anyone in SMG going abroad as a sophomore. SMG has a very specific curriculum, and even though there is always room to move things around, your plan would work out better if you were in CAS.</p>

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<p>Can I transfer into CAS right away even though I was admitted to SMG?</p>

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<p>That shouldn’t be a problem. Sort it out when you go to orientation.</p>