10 Biggest Regrets Of Business Majors

Amanda Arboleda, University of Georgia (Terry)

5) Embrace Risk: “As a first-generation student, I was unsure of how to navigate the complexities of college. Initially, I let fear get in the way of putting myself out there, applying to join organizations, and attending events. One day while scrolling Pinterest, I came across a quote that would forever change my life: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” I realized that without embracing the uncomfortableness and overcoming these feelings, I would waste what could be the most impactful years of my life. So, I took this advice, and I began to get excited about new opportunities – not fearful of their outcomes. If I could do one thing differently, though, I would embrace the idea of fearlessness even sooner.”
Amanda Arboleda, University of Georgia (Terry)

6) Take More Analytics Courses: “Looking back over my experience, the one thing I’d do differently in business school is taking more Business Analytics and Technologies courses like Data Mining & Business Analytics, Machine Learning for Business Analytics, Modern Data Management, End to End Business Analytics, Mathematical Models for Consulting, and Financial Text Mining.

As businesses are becoming increasingly data-driven and analytics-dependent, business majors should be motivated to supplement their “traditional” business education with more quantitative courses in the spheres of Business Analytics and Technologies, Statistics, Data Science, and Computer Science. Although most businesses presently employ separate data, analytics, quantitative, fundamental, or “traditional” business teams, businesses are bound to structure harmoniously combined “quantamental” teams in the near future. Moreover, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of artificial intelligence and machine learning pose the risk of rendering “traditional” business education and “traditional” business roles obsolete in the near future.

The business program at the Tepper School of Business is quantitative and forward-looking in this respect since business courses always involve scrutinizing data, conducting analysis, and investigating patterns in order to devise solutions. Contemporary business education encompasses not only reading textbooks and studying cases, but also working with data to solve real-world problems. Consequently, looking back over my experience, the one thing I’d do differently in business school is learning SQL, Tableau, and improving my proficiency in Python.”
Aditya Darshan Gandhi, Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)

7) Try Entrepreneurship: “I probably would have started a bunch of companies during my freshman year because I had so many great professors and mentors who could have guided me through it all.”
Tumelo Seemule, Hult Business School

William Ryu, College of William & Mary (Mason)

8) Engage With Alumni Networks Earlier: “From day one, we were told to reach out and chat with our alumni to hear about their careers and experiences. However, I was initially unsure of what I wanted to pursue professionally and felt that I may be wasting their time. After finally connecting with a few alumni, I realized how critical those conversations are to the process of exploring jobs and industries. Every alum gave me insights and perspectives that I would not have otherwise considered, so I highly recommend connecting with those in roles that are of any interest at all.”
William Ryu, William & Mary (Mason)

9) Ditch The Imposter Syndrome: “I would stop being afraid of looking or sounding unintelligent. There are so many times I haven’t asked questions in class or given an answer because I didn’t know if others were thinking the same thing. In hindsight, it’s clear a mentality like that can limit the value you stand to gain from educational experiences. Not everyone knows everything; it’s important to acknowledge that and to put yourself out there. A willingness to learn, and being vulnerable in that endeavor, is the key to true growth and development.”
Bethany Antuna, University of Illinois (Gies)

10) Explore Everything College Has To Offer: “During my first few years, I was very focused on fulfilling the core requirements and spent most of my day in the Hariri Building, taking business classes. In hindsight, I should have dived deeper into the liberal arts side of Georgetown and really tried to find a passion outside of business.

This past year through my Urban Ecology and Real Estate courses, I developed a new interest in city planning and development. If I had taken a moment to explore more during my first few years, I may have discovered this passion sooner and drawn different insights from my other courses. Also, if I could go back in time, I would have participated in undergraduate research. These research programs provide an invaluable opportunity to grow closer with faculty and leave college with a deep understanding of topics you find most interesting.”
Michael DuTot, Georgetown University (McDonough)

“Looking back, I would’ve carved my own path and explored my unique interests earlier. Starting out, I was only going after certain opportunities (internships that looked “good” on my resume and classes that fell within my major, etc.). I did this because I believed I needed to follow some set mold to be successful, not because these were my actual interests. My epiphany came midway when I finally realized that I alone define what my success will look like and I should march to the beat of my own drums as they will lead me down the path that’s meant for me.”
Dimitri Pun, New York University (Stern)

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