Is Williams good for business?

fallenchemist
Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:15:09 +0000

@BarrelBlaster‌

IMO, while bright students will have good careers whether they major in business or in something else, I definitely agree with @HuskyLawyer‌ and @marvin100‌ on this one, and anyone else that took that point of view. Most businesses are in the business of providing a product or service that is in some particular area. Scientific products, chemicals, computer chips are examples in the technology world. It is often more valuable if you get a degree that gives you some depth of understanding in whatever world you hope to enter, and learn the business side on the job along with getting an MBA. At the least it helps you relate to your customers better, but it can also help within the company, depending on what role you play.

I am not saying that if you are going to be an accountant for a chemicals firm you need a chemistry degree, that is silly. But if you hope to do other things within the company and/or rise up to upper management, it can be very useful to understand at a more than superficial level what the company does. In less technical areas this can be learned on the job too, of course, and there are thousands of examples of business grads doing well in these companies. I just personally think that the education you get from a more specific major and a broader variety of courses serves one better in the long run. A Williams education in whatever interests you most will serve you best. Companies hire based on a lot more than what your degree was in, unless it is required for the job such as engineering or architecture.

Of course it is past the deadline, so I guess you have either applied or you haven’t. But I think the message is the same no matter where you end up.