Calling All Potential Business Majors! Choose the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland!

WOAre you planning to major in business but are unsure what college is the best in your field? You should consider the Robert H Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland (UMD). Smith Business School brings a diverse collection of scholarly individuals together in order to further their education. A world renowned University, UMD is a public institution located in College Park Maryland just minutes outside of the most powerful place in the world, the capital of the United States, Washington D.C. UMD has gained many accolades as it has transformed over the years, topping the lists of rankings for universities in the US. In fact, when you go onto social media sites, many graduates of UMD refer to it as Public Ivy, comparing it to private Ivy League colleges.

 

There are extensive lists of reasons why the University of Maryland is a prestigious university in which to further your education, and begin your life long career journey.

The first thing that I would like to call to your attention is the recognition that UMD receives from numerous well renowned publications ranking UMD, and their business school very high on their lists. To go into more detail: US News & World Report ranks UMD-CP #60 in National Universities. This is an extremely high-ranking due to the fact that this list includes private schools, which have many more resources at their disposal. In terms of solely public universities, the University of Maryland – College Park ranks #20 in US News public school rankings, and even higher at #14 overall on Forbes Top 25 Public Universities of 2016.

 

Within UMD, the Robert H. Smith School of Business also receives national acclaim. The Smith Business School page on the UMD website lists many of them in their Quick Facts/Ranking. Full rankings can be found here.

 

Besides national acclaim, there are many other reasons for potential business majors to choose Maryland and Smith. Another aspect of the RH Smith School of Business that may get overlooked is the diversity of the student body. Smith prides itself on diversity and inclusion, which is easily seen roaming Van Munching Hall. Students of all colors can be seen at your time at Smith, not to mention the wide array of ethnicity that is prevalent in the faculty, where professors of all colors come to achieve the same overarching goal — shape the young minds of the students at Smith. The RH Smith School of Business places an emphasis on inclusion, as can be seen through the many diverse clubs and organizations on their website.

 

One more thing that is of great advantage to the students at Smith is the network that they may create during their time there. One of the biggest things that they instill in the students at Smith is to create a large and active network of individuals. In doing so, you are able to obtain information, knowledge, and experience that you otherwise would not be able to. This also increases your chances greatly when the time comes to enter the hiring process. Having UMD Smith school alums in virtually every business around the country allows for easy connections, and greater opportunity for the students of Smith.

 

One little known fact about the Smith Business School is the Shady Grove campus. This is a remote campus 20-minutes outside of College Park. This campus is very useful for students who could not get into the CP campus for a variety of reasons. Many of the students at Shady Grove are those of who have switched their major, or transferred into the University of Maryland late. Although Shady Grove may seem as if it is a different degree all together, that is not the case. A student who graduates from the RH Smith Shady Grove campus receives the same degree, and the same exact diploma from a student who graduates from the College Park campus. This provides an excellent alternative avenue for students who may have certain circumstances. A good friend of mine who also graduated from Glenelg High School has done just that. He attends the Shady Grove campus, where he is going into his senior year as an accounting major. Billy told me, “My ability to switch majors in the middle of my academic career probably would have crippled me and set me back immensely at any other school. The Smith Shady Grove campus provided me with a chance to become a business major when I thought that possibility had run its course”. As you can see, there are many examples that are quite similar to Billy’s where UMD provides the students with opportunities that many other universities do not.

“Shady Grove.” Shady Grove | Office of Smith IT, it.rhsmith.umd.edu/shady-grove.

Works Cited

Merrileebarton. “No. 14: University of Maryland, College Park – Pg.12.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 4 May 2017, http://www.forbes.com/pictures/5774477ca7ea436bd18bf99f/no-14-university-of-maryl/#23f178581361.

University of Maryland — College Park Best Colleges. http://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-maryland-2103/overall-rankings.

“Quick Facts & Rankings.” Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, 19 June 2017, http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/about-us/quick-facts-rankings.

Unsure about a Major in College? Just Ask a Business Major!

Have you ever made some wrong decisions and wished you could have had the advice of someone else who may have encountered the same circumstances prior to your fateful decision? Wouldn’t you want to know what something is like from someone who has gone through the process? The most useful advice and learning comes from someone speaking from experience. Experience is one of the biggest teachers in life and experience comes in many forms. However, learning through experience takes self-reflection and time to gain its fullest benefits. The first-hand experience of the prides and perils allow for the learner to gain the insight of another’s knowledge and wisdom, without having to experience it themselves. I don’t know about you, but I believe that learning from experience is the best way to establish a view of something.

 

This is particularly true for high school students who are conflicted about choosing a college, a major, and a vocation. It is impossible for someone to know exactly what a school is like, or what benefits a major may bring you without first-hand knowledge. In this website, I have expounded the virtues of the business major. Certainly, I am an example of someone who is a business major and my experiences are valuable, but wouldn’t you like to hear what other business majors have to say? After all, mine is only one opinion. I am going to provide you with that insight, without needing to even look past your computer. How am I able to do this, you might ask? I am going to do this by sharing conversations with other business majors. The two people that I have chosen to interview are Billy Noyes and Blake Richardson, current or past majors in the University of Maryland RH Smith School of Business.

 

The first person who I interviewed was Blake Richardson, a graduate of the Smith Business School, who is now in the working world. I think that this point of view is extremely valuable to my readers because Blake has not only majored in business, but is now employed and can speak on how being a business major has been beneficial to him in his career. Like many business majors at Maryland, Blake double majored in accounting and finance, and currently works with KPMG as a CPA in Washington D.C. The interview that I conducted went into depth regarding Blake’s time at Maryland. Blake praised the value of majoring in business. “My decision to major in business has led to a successful career for me. I have friends who chose other majors and they are still seeking other degrees or they are not employed. For me, a business major was the right choice” (Richardson). Blake also spoke on the life lessons that he gained through Smith. Blake stated, “When I first entered the business school, I was unaware how much an education in Business would affect my entire life, not just my career. The life lessons that I learned while attending Smith have stuck with me in many different aspects of my life. The most beneficial thing about Smith, to me, is the fact that the values that are instilled, and the lessons that are taught are applicable in almost all assets of life” (Richardson). Blake cited examples such as team-building, collaboration, and communication. As you can see, a business major can be useful in a variety of ways beyond the degree.

“What’s Next.” What’s Next » Passion, blogs.rhsmith.umd.edu/marcus/uncategorized/passion/.

The second person I interviewed was Billy Noyes who is a senior and a current business major at Maryland. I chose Billy as my second interviewee because Billy was undecided about his major and made a late decision to major in business. He is also a contrast to myself, because Billy is currently attending the RH Smith Business School’s Shady Grove Campus (SG) is an extension of the business school, but on a campus outside of College Park (CP). Billy, as a late applicant for business, could not be accepted into business at the main campus. Not only does SG provide the exact same curriculum as CP, but there is absolutely no difference in the diplomas. Throughout this website, you have heard my opinions on the business major. Billy is a real-life example from someone who did not originally believe that business was the route for him. When speaking to Billy, he told me some things that even I did not realize. He said, “In the beginning, I was a little apprehensive in choosing to go to the Shady Grove business school. Most of this was due to the fact that I would be living in College Park, and have to drive to class everyday instead of walking like I was used to. After 3 years of Shady Grove, I can confidently say that it was one of the best decisions since my time at UMD . . . I love the business school and the connections I have made. I have no doubt that I will find a good job in business as a result of my business classes” (Noyes).

 

Not everyone is on the same time plan, but being a business major, especially at Maryland is an excellent avenue to achieving success beyond college. As demonstrated by Blake and Billy, business majors are happy, satisfied, and confident in the life decisions they have made.

Max Foley-Keene August, and Erin Hill August 8. “Thanks, Mom and Dad.” The Diamondback, http://www.dbknews.com/2016/04/28/thanks-mom-and-dad-parents-graduation-reflection-thank-you/.

Works Cited

Noyes, Billy. “Expert Interview.” 15 August 2017.

Richardson, Blake. “Expert Interview.” 16 August 2017.

“Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.” Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/.

“Smith School at Shady Grove.” Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, 1 Dec. 2016, http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs/shady-grove.

 

 

The Data Tells the Story! Attend College and Choose a Major in Business!

 

Are you a high school student who isn’t sure if college is right for you?

There are a lot of options open to today’s high school graduate. Among them are college, trade school, or going straight to the job market. With the expense of college, the delay in entering the job market, and the debt accrued as a result of attending college, many may feel that it is better to enter the job market after high school and not take on the employment delay and debt burden that come with attending college. There is also the common belief that for our parents’ and grandparents’ generation, the earnings potential for college graduates far outweighed those who do not attend college. Things like factory jobs and the recent recession are cited as evidence of this. What is really true?

The first place to start is with the facts. Look at the data. What does it show? The data will help to determine if college is worth the time and cost. The Pew Research Center has analyzed trends in college graduates across generations and has found that despite the recent recession, “college graduates still out-earn people without degrees.” (DeSilver). The graph in Figure 1 below shows that not only do college graduates still out earn people without degrees, but the gap in the wages has actually increased, not decreased over time. The data also shows that wages of colleges graduates have steadily increased since 1965 while wages of workers who did not attend college have steadily decreased since 1965 (DeSilver). It is important to note that the graph is adjusted for inflation based upon 2012 dollars. A more recent 2017 article by Money cites research from the Hay Group of Korn Ferry and states “the average starting pay for college grads has never been higher than it is now” (Tuttle).

Another important characteristic of Pew’s research is that it also includes a comparison with two-year college graduates. Interestingly, the steady increase in wages for college graduates is only true of graduates of four-year institutions. Like their non-college counterparts, their wages have steadily decreased over the same period. In fact, the wage-earning gap between graduates of community colleges and high schools is decreasing and wages are close to being equal in 2013 (DeSilver).   This data is also captured on the same graph in Figure 1 below.

I believe it is safe to draw the conclusion that four-year college degrees are worth the time and cost over the long run; however, two-year degrees are probably no better than a high school degree, unless you are going to use community college as a less expensive pathway to a four-year degree. In that case, the choice of starting at a community college is a good one.

In addition to demonstrating the impact of a four-year college degree on wages, the Pew research also examined satisfaction among college graduates and found that despite debt and cost “most grads think college was worth it” (DeSilver).   Again, their research crossed generations and examined college satisfaction for All, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers. This data is contained in the graph in Figure 2 below. The conclusions of that research is that college graduates in all these generations are satisfied with their education and feel that it is worth it, with the greatest satisfaction coming from the highest wages earners (DeSilver).

If you still aren’t convinced, further data on the earning potential of college graduates can be obtained from The Bureau of Labor Statistics has 2016 data on employment projections. This data is broken down by unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment.

Now that you know the benefits of college; are you unsure of a major? The answer is simple: Choose a Business Major!

If you have read this far, I’ve probably convinced you to aspire to getting a bachelor’s degree or beyond. However, you are probably wondering about what major to choose. A business major is the best major. It is versatile—you can choose majors within a business school as diverse as finance or as technical as information systems. This article on my website demonstrates the versatility of the business major. A major in business also has tremendous wage-earning potential. This article on my website demonstrates the wage-earning capacity of a business degree. Not sure which college/business school to attend? This article demonstrates the benefits of attending the Robert H. Smith School of business at the University of Maryland and this article provides first person testimony from Maryland students who have attended or are currently attending the Smith Business School.

Clearly, a college education is worthwhile and a major in Business is the best choice you can make!

Welcome to post-high school education! Focus your energies on a good college education and a major in business!

                        Figure 1                                                                              Figure 2

 

                                                                                             

Works Cited

DeSilver, Drew. “5 Facts about Today’s College Graduates.” Fact Tank: News in Numbers. Pew Research Center, 30 May 2014. Web. 19 July 2017

Tuttle, Brad. “College Grad Starting Salary: Class of 2017 Pay at New High? | Money.” Time, Time, 12 May 2017, time.com/money/4777074/college-grad-pay-2017-average-salary/.

“Unemployment Rates and Earnings by Educational Attainment.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 Apr. 2017, http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm.

Why a Business Major’s Future is Looking Bright

 “Sleep Review Salary Survey 2013.” Sleep Review, sleepreviewmag.com/2013/11/sleep-review-salary-survey-2013/.

There are many reasons to justify going to college so that you can earn your degree. For what reason is better than to ensure yourself a bright future once you walk across the stage and receive that piece of paper. A bright future may mean a wide variety of things depending on the person, but there is one common theme in having a bright future. That means successfully getting a job and making enough money in that job to pay off student debt, provide for yourself, and in most cases, to provide for your family. Majoring in business can provide you with a job that has financial security.

Often high school students do not choose to attend college due to financial reasons. They are concerned about racking up huge debts in student loans that are difficult to pay back. High school students in this quandary should consider majoring in business. There are few degrees that you can earn from a university that provide the opportunities right out of school, to readily be employed in a job that pays a good salary and provides more earning potential than that of business majors. Johnny Chaisson, a high school senior at Glenelg High School in Howard County told me that he saw the huge debt that his older siblings have incurred at college. He said, “I am scared of graduating with large debts!” (Chaisson). If this is one of your fears, you should investigate a major in business.

The earning potential of a student in a business fields increases over time. One of the main reasons that contributes to the increasing salaries of business majors over time is the fact that employment in a business field can be obtained with a bachelor’s degree. As a business major, you don’t have a hastened requirement to further your education and obtain a higher degree. Unlike many other professions, which pay larger salaries, business majors are able to enter the workforce directly using their bachelor’s degree and make a lucrative salary without having to get a master’s degree or even a doctorate. Consider medical professionals and lawyers who must continue schooling and even after achieving a graduate degree, they must pass exams or boards to obtain certification before they can be employed. A business degree that can yield a job that pays a high salary without added schooling goes a long way when speaking of student loans and money that must be spent obtaining a degree such as a master’s degree. Instead, a business student is able to take the time and money that is spent on schooling and turn it into straight line earnings, meaning that you will have a head start into your working career.

Jeff Kauflin in Forbes Magazine, cites research by Glass Door who ranked the top 20 college majors that pay the highest salaries once the graduate enters the job market. According to Forbes, Glass Door analyzed “hundreds of thousands of resumes and their corresponding salaries” in order to create their top 20 list.   Students who major in business can go into a lot of different fields once they graduate and enter the job market, even with just a bachelor’s degree. As described in another article on this website, business majors have a tremendous amount of versatility in choosing various business professions that they can pursue. It is rewarding that six out of the top 20 professions who pay the highest salaries as cited by Forbes are business-related professions. These are:

• information technology (ranked #6), with a median base salary of $64,008;
• statistics (ranked #8 ) with a median base salary of $60,000;
• management information systems (ranked #10 ) with a median salary of 58,000;
• finance (ranked #11) with a median base salary of $54,900;
• accounting (ranked #14) with a median base salary of $52,000; and
• general business (ranked #20) with a median base salary of $47,850 (Kauflin).

If this data doesn’t convince you, consider the data in a report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), from 2015 to 2016 Jeff Schmitt states that business majors saw a 2.9% increase in starting salary over the course of a year. Not only does this growth mean for greater potential in the moment, but it also means that future growth may be indicative of a trend. Growth in anything is usually part of a pattern, and this means that there could very well be more growth in the future. Even without the growth, there is a much higher starting salary in comparison to other majors in general. In addition to the growth, business majors also were reported to make $8,500 in starting salary more than other majors as a whole (Schmitt). This report by Jeff Schmitt goes a long way in showing the specifics and statistics behind the true value of obtaining a business degree.

Certainly, money should not be a deciding factor in choosing a profession. Students should consider their interests and hopefully their passions; however, salary is certainly a factor that should be highly considered. With the large number of professions that fall under the umbrella of the business degree, it should be easy to find a business major that can fit into individual interests and passions.

Brassfield, Marissa. “5 Tips for Negotiating Your New Job Salary.” Career News, 23 June 2016, payscale.com/career-news/2013/07/5-tips-for-negotiating-your-new-job-salary.

Works Cited

Chaisson, John. “Expert Interview.” 14 July 2017.

Kauflin, Jeff. “The 20 College Majors With The Highest Starting Salaries.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine. 17 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 July 2017.

Schmitt, Jeff. “Starting Salaries Rise for Business Majors.” Poets & Quants for Undergrads. N.p., 14 Oct. 2014. Web. 31 July 2017.

Want a Major with Flexibility? A Business Major is for You!

“Versatility.” Excel Blades, excelblades.com/versatility/.

Are you undecided about what major to choose in college? Do you want a major that will provide you with a lot of options? If so, think about majoring in business. A business major is very versatile and offers a large range of job possibilities. It also offers the ability to work anywhere. Do you know of any company that does not have a business division? Often companies have multiple business divisions. These are in a wide range of possibilities from finance to information systems.

If you are undecided about your major, a business degree will provide you the flexibility you need to move easily into a variety of fields. It provides you with the ability to change your mind. There’s a lot to choose from as a business major. You can choose finance, data analysis, human resources, accounting, information systems and so much more! What other majors provide that kind of versatility?

The flexibility of the business major will also allow you to easily change majors within the business school or even to pursue a double major. Most of the pre-requisite courses that you take for one business major is the same for another. A quick comparison on the website for the University of Maryland, Smith Business School reveals the versatility of the prerequisites across majors. This versatility is a great benefit if you want to change majors or double major! Either of these can easily be accomplished without putting in extra time to graduate. In fact, a double major will make it easier to find a job once you graduate.

I am a great example of the versatility of a business major. Being a double major in business myself, I am enjoying the flexibility of being able to graduate with degrees in both finance and information systems. While both of these majors seem very different, they actually have a lot in common and are both part of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Therefore, the pre-requisites for both of these very different majors are the same. That makes it easy for me to double major. In fact, most of my friends in the Smith School of Business are double majors just like me. Smith Business School makes that easy. Wouldn’t you like to do this as well? It looks great on a resume and makes you more marketable!

Don’t just take my word on this. Listen to the experts. Do you trust College Board? College Board offers the SAT exam and AP courses. They are also a highly respected non-profit organization. They want to help high school students be prepared for college and also to be successful once they attend college. According to College Board, the business major “offers limitless opportunities.” College Board has researched most college majors and states that business majors have the most variety from which to choose and upon graduation can work in a variety of settings that include traditional businesses, as well as government, and non-profit organizations (College Board).

Rasmussen College also praises the versatility of the business major. They researched various college majors and chose business as one of the top. Speaking for Rasmussen, Brianna Flavin provides the top four reasons to major in business. One of the reasons is related to the versatility of the business degree into most other types of businesses. Flavin’s article demonstrates that a student who is a business major is not locked into one profession and can have the versatility to successfully change professions if they are unhappy with their choice. In fact, Flavin takes the versatility of the business major a step further and cites the transferability of the skills acquired in business schools. “What makes business graduates stand out is their value even outside of the business world.” Therefore, even if you chose to change your major (you won’t), the skills you acquire in business school transfer to most other professions. Clearly, a business major is not a waste of time (Flavin).

Julian Hooks at Business Administration Information (BAI) states that the breadth of the broad field of study of the business major is the reason for its success. Hooks agrees with the findings of Rasmussen regarding the acquisition of easily transferable skills. They cite the following worthwhile skills acquired as part of a business major: “communication skills, team building ability, conflict de-escalation, and critical thinking.” All of these are “pillars of effective leadership” and will assist the business major in finding success in any occupation he or she chooses (Hooks).

If you are planning to attend college and still can’t make up your mind about your major, you should consider your lifestyle and interests. The versatility of a business degree is a good fit for many lifestyles and interests. After reading this article, it should be clear to you that a business major is a great choice. Still unsure? Would salary convince you? Check out this article on my website regarding the financial benefits of a business degree.

 

Works Cited

“Business Majors: The Basics.” College Board Access. College Board, n.d. Web. 19 July 2017

Flavin, Brianna. “Should You Major in Business: 4 Reasons to Say ‘Yes.’ Rasmussen College. Rasmussen College, n. d. Web. 20 July 2017.

Hooks, Julian. “Why Business Management Degrees Are Great For Versatility.”Business Administration Information. N.p., 28 Feb. 2013. Web. 30 July 2017.

My Favorite Season

Throughout my life, I have been lucky to experience one of the most underrated aspects of living in Maryland. That is, being able to experience all four seasons. For this reason, I have the ability to choose exactly which season that I like the best. For me, I believe that Fall is my favorite season. In many other states, I cannot say that this would be the case. In Maryland, there is something special about the fall, and I will explain to you why.

First and foremost, the wonderful weather is the backbone of my favorite season. Fall in Maryland is a delightful mix of many different temperatures and weather elements, mixed with lovely fall aromas and scents. September starts out quite warm, as the heat from August lingers, but quickly becomes the perfect temperature. No longer are you sweating through your shirts, but with a simple sweatshirt or long sleeve you are as comfortable as ever.

Not only is the weather perfect, but fall is also accompanied by the best sports season, Football. There is nothing quite like Football season and that is ever so prevalent when you are in Maryland. There is something about the smell in the air that means the Ravens are playing, and spending long relaxing Sundays in Baltimore. Growing up an athlete and playing football, Fall always meant a return to playing my favorite sport.

Derek Arnold BmoreBirdsNest, and Tony Lombardi RSRLombardi. “We Must Protect This House…with a Roof!” Baltimore Ravens News | Russell Street Report, 6 June 2016, russellstreetreport.com/2016/06/06/street-talk/ravens-retractable-roof-m-t-bank-stadium/.

One of the other aspects that makes Fall ever so special to me is the holidays. October 31st marks Halloween, while although Fall technically ends on December 21st, 4 days later marks Christmas time, and the New Year is right around the corner. Being family oriented, these holidays mean spending time with the family. I could go on and on about what I like most about the Fall, but these few factors are the most important to me when thinking about my favorite season.

“Celebrate Fall Festivals in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.” Celebrate Fall Festivals in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. | EzStorage, test.ezstorage.com/blog/celebrate-fall-festivals-maryland-northern-virginia-and-washington-dc.