Mariangeliz
Im a Junior in high school and I'm interested in business. I was wondering what courses are good to take during your freshman year of college?
Im interested in business #college #courses #buisness
2 answers
Luke Kelly
Luke’s Answer
Hi Mariangeliz,
Great choice on looking into a career in business. Business studies in college were some of the most interesting and fun experiences I had. I would recommend taking a mixture of courses in accounting, finance, management, and marketing in your first year of school in order to get a feel for each subject. Even at the introductory course level, you will be able to get a glimpse into what a career in each field will look like and ultimately gauge your interest in pursuing a major. Also, I'd highly recommend you go into each course with an open mind and try to get to know your professor as well as you can, as he/she often will come directly from the respective industry of the course they are teaching. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Good luck!
Luke
I agree with Luke on getting to know your professor. This could lead to helping with projects, which in turn help with internships and introductions industry professionals.
Jen Galvan
Jonathan Evans
Jonathan’s Answer
For your first year in college, I suggest taking whatever courses most interest you, whether or not they're related to business. Your first year in college is a year of adjustment and exploration: Use it to follow your passions or what you're curious about, to test hypotheses in what you think you want to focus on, and to get accustomed to and strengthen the skills, self awareness, and executive function abilities that will serve you whatever you study and whatever career path you pursue.
You will have time in subsequent years to layer in business-specific courses, so don't rush it. I went and earned my MBA without taking a single business class in college, and instead had majors in Human Development (like applied psychology) and English. Business is such a big and general field, so nearly anything you study has or can have a business dimension, whether that's retail, hospitality, film, environmental science, education, etc.
When I asked a question similar to yours of the former admissions director at Harvard Business School (which I recognize is a graduate rather than undergraduate business school), she felt that finance, economics, and accounting were the three most foundational courses to build basic business knowledge and skills. But those skills are best when they're applied to a field that you are truly passionate about.
Best of luck!