About to Graduate UG Seeking Advice

Question

Hey all,

I am a Chemistry major who is about to graduate from College this year. Coming into college I wanted to go on to Med or Pharm School. However, now, with my grades and other things, I don't think that can happen. I have also gotten more interested in business. I feel that an MBA can help me both in what I want to achieve in terms of my professional life and my personal life in general. I hope to get into the business side of the pharmaceutical industry and consulting later on.

I have a 2.6 GPA from a Top 25 school. Also, I have been involved in religious clubs, non-profits and volunteering.

I am taking a few economics courses and have taken some business classes in the past.

My main question is what should I do now or after graduation so that I can be on track to an MBA? Can I get a "business" job with a Chemistry degree?

Thanks all!

Jerz · Answer

Probably the "business" job you're most able to get with a science degree is as a consultant. It would be much harder without the relevant coursework and major to get jobs in finance or marketing. That said, you don't need a business job to get admitted into an MBA program - several of my classmates came from science backgrounds. So I think you'd be best positioned for an MBA down the line by taking a job that you actually think you'll enjoy, and that you'll be good at, and then excelling at your job and looking for ways to demonstrate your leadership.

mrblack · Answer

Pound the pavement, start calling alumni, and network. You don't need a business degree to work in business. There are plenty of successful businessmen who did not enter their respective industry via the traditional path.

3underscore · Answer

A bit late to tell you, but a 2.6 GPA is really not gonna help.

sciencenerd · Answer

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Is there anything I can do to rectify the problem with my GPA?

Should I do a Masters?
Am I limited to 50-100 ranked schools only now?

bakfed · Answer

Somewhere down your working years (I'm assuming you won't be applying to b-schools until 3 or 4 years later), you should think about building an alternative transcript. Masters won't really help here much because adcoms know how inflated Masters' GPAs are. Your undergrad GPA is set in stone now and there's really nothing else you can do anymore to erase that mark. By taking some courses via some reputable online courses (UCLA extension comes to mind) and acing them, it shows the adcoms that you may just be immature in college (or for whatever reason) and that you're able to do the work. Your GMAT score will be the utmost importance here as well. The best way to remedy a 2.6 is with a killer GMAT score. If you want to aim for a top 20 b-school, think nothing less than a 720 or better on your GMAT. This is easier said than done. There are a ton of resources here at GC that can help with GMAT but you'll still need to put in the time.

In terms of job, I fully agree with Jerz that you should find something that you enjoy. Don't let your degree limit your possibility. Look at boutique consulting companies, pharma/biotech companies, or anything else that may interest you. I graduated with a biology degree and decided business school is the route. I ended up working in the operations department at a global pharma (albeit I was lucky because I was at the right location at the right time).

beehagit · Answer

I actually graduated from UG about two years ago with a major in Biology. Like you, I was considering med school but after working as an EMT for several years in college I realized that life in a hospital was not for me so I added a minor in Accounting and was able to secure a position with one of the Big Four accounting firms after college.

I don't know if something like this is an option for you (adding a business-related minor at the last minute) but I was able to pick up some relevant knowledge that I could leverage to gain entry into a field completely unrelated to my major. As long as you have some sort of solid work experience from your college days, I think a major in the hard sciences tends to get a good amount of respect and you'll just have to draw attention to how the skills you learned in your college job apply to the job you're applying for (e.g. working in ambulance prepared me to keep a level head in chaotic and unpredictable situations).

It's all about spin! :lol:

About to Graduate UG Seeking Advice

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