Resources for Future and Current Business Majors
By Karen Schweitzer, About.com Guide to Business School
Surviving business school takes hard work, determination, and in some cases, preparation. Here you will find all sorts of resources for current and future business majors--get help choosing a specialization, find out which classes are essential, secure an internship, check out sample cases studies and other homework resources, navigate the murky waters of financial aid, and much more.
- Choosing a Specialization
- Business School Curriculum
- Essential Classes for Business Majors
- Case Studies and Case Study Samples
- Study Tips and Homework Resources
- Internships
Choosing a Specialization
You've established you want to work in business. Congratulations! Now all you need to do is choose a business specialization. As you can see from this list of common business specializations, there may be more options than you think.
- How Do I Choose a Specialization?
- Degree Choices
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Hospitality Management
- Human Resources
- General Management
- Information Systems Management
- International Business
- Marketing
- Non-Profit Management
- Operations Management
- Project Management
- Public Administration
- Public Relations
- Sales Management
Business School Curriculum
If you have never attended a business school before, you might be surprised by the curriculum. Some business schools require students to complete a core curriculum before choosing an elective; others do not even have a core curriculum. There is also a varying amount of work required depending on the business school you choose, your area of study, and where you are in your school career. Get the full scoop on the way business school curriculum works here.
- The First Year of Business School
- The Second Year of Business School
- Typical MBA Core Curriculum
- What MBA Classes are Really Like
- Crash Course MBA
Essential Classes for Business Majors
Wondering what type of classes you will be required to take if you want to become an accountant or an office manager? Maybe you're curious about the current program you're in--are you getting the education you need? You can get these questions answered by perusing this featured selection of essential classes for business majors. Each class/career profile contains information about the minimum education and essential classes for the specified profession, information about salary potential, job outlook, and more.
- Essential Classes - Accountants
- Essential Classes - Advertising Executives
- Essential Classes - Business Managers
- Essential Classes - Corporate Recruiters
- Essential Classes - Credit Analysts
- Essential Classes - Executive Recruiters
- Essential Classes - Finance Officers
- Essential Classes - Financial Analysts
- Essential Classes - Hotel Managers
- Essential Classes - Human Resources
- Essential Classes - Insurance Underwriters
- Essential Classes - Management Analysts
- Essential Classes - Management Consultants
- Essential Classes - Marketing Research
- Essential Classes - Office Admin
- Essential Classes - Public Relations
Case Studies and Case Study Samples
Case studies are a big part of the business school curriculum. If you have never worked with case studies before, if you need more information on how to write or analyze a case study, or if you just want to take a look at a few case study samples, the following case study resources will help.
- Case Studies 101
- What is a Case Study?
- Why Do Business Schools Use Case Studies?
- How Many Case Studies Will I Work On?
- How Long Should a Case Study Be?
- Analyzing a Case Studies
- How to Write a Case Study Analysis
- Case Study Directory
- Top 5 Sources for Free Case Study Samples
- Case Studies from Top Business Schools
- Case Study Sample 1
- Case Study Sample 2
- Case Study Sample 3
- Case Study Sample 4
- Case Study Sample 5
- Case Study Index
Study Tips and Homework Resources
Studying is a necessary part of the business school, but there’s no reason why you have to spend all of your time doing homework. Make the most of your study sessions with these study techniques and homework resources.
Internships
Many business schools require students to complete an internship before earning a degree. If your school requires this or even if it doesn't, you will want to start looking for an internship as early as possible. A good internship position will give you hands-on experience and a chance to network with successful people in the industry.
- All About Internships
- Handling an Internship with Class
- How Does an MBA Internship Work?
- Top 10 MBA Internships
- Featured MBA Internship: Nationwide Insurance
- How to Become a Nationwide Intern
- Book Review - Intern Files
Financial Aid FAQ
Financial aid is a must for most students, but applying for aid can be tricky. You need to do it right if you want to get a decent financial aid package. The best thing you can do is learn as much as you can about the financial aid system and the application process. To help get you started, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about financial aid.
- How Much Does College Cost?
- What is Federal Aid?
- What is State Aid?
- What Kind of Financial Aid Can I Apply For?
- How Do I Apply for Financial Aid?
- When Do I Apply for Financial Aid?
- What is the FAFSA?
- When Should I Fill Out the FAFSA?
- Where Can I Get a Scholarship?
- How Can I Avoid Scholarship Scams?
- Where Can I Get a Grant?
- What is a Merit-Based Grant?
- What is a Pell Grant?
- What are PLUS Loans?
- What are Stafford Loans?
- What is a Perkins Loan?
- Should I Get an MBA Loan?
- Should I Borrow Extra?
- Should I Consolidate My Loans?
- Where Can I Consolidate My Loans?
Financial Aid Advice
Need money for college? Financial aid is available. Click on the links below to learn more about how financial aid works and how you can make the most of the financial aid opportunities available to you.
- Financial Aid 101
- Government Financial Aid
- State Aid vs Federal Aid
- How to Fill Out the FAFSA
- Financial Aid Document Checklist
- Paying for College Without Going Broke
- Why You Should File Aid Forms Early
- Increasing Your Financial Aid Package
- 8 Can't Miss Financial Aid Tips
- Common Financial Aid Myths
- 4 Things to Know About Tuition Reimbursement
- Business School Tuition Calculator
Grants
Grants are the ultimate way to pay for college. Unlike some of the other forms of financial aid that are out there, grants do not have to be paid back. Find out what type of grants are available and gets tips on how you can use grants to finance your business education here.
- Merit-Based Grants
- Top 5 Grant and Scholarship Resources for Minorities
- How to Get Business School Grants
Scholarships
Like grants, scholarships are a wonderful way to finance your business education. Scholarships are available from a number of different sources; nearly every business program applicant is eligible for some sort of scholarship. Click on the resources below to learn more about scholarships, including how they work and where to find them.
- Free Scholarship Search
- 10 Professional Groups That Offer Business School Scholarships
- Undergraduate Schools with Full Scholarships
Student Loans
Student loans are loans available to students who need help financing their education. There are two basic types of student loans: loans from the government and loans from private sources, such as banks and credit unions. You can learn more about both types of student loans here.
- 3 Ways to Pay for an MBA
- Perkins Loans
- Stafford Loans
- PLUS Loans
- MBA Loans
- Before You Take Out an MBA Loan
- Top 5 Private MBA Loan Resources
- Consolidating Student Loans
- Should I Consolidate Before July 1?
- GreenNote's Social Network Student Loan Program
- Using GreenNote to Pay for Business School
- What Students Think About GreenNote
Student Finances
It is easy to rack up a lot of debt while you are in college. That's why it is important to learn as much as you can about debt management, student credit cards, and other personal finance matters. The links below will get you started.
