Studying Business – The Academic Route: Introduction
I would like to acknowledge and thank the many professors and staff from both UW Madison and Creighton whose guidance has contributed not only to my own success but to the content below.
Among the crowd at the Wisconsin School of Business, it is commonplace to see many students walking around in their sharpest suits and professional business attire; dress to impress seems to be the name of the game. Around every corner, there is not only talk of classes but also of interviews, internships, resumes, job offers, and more.
The Wisconsin School of Business truly embodies its motto, “Trusted to Lead”, as it shapes the future business leaders of tomorrow.
Many of the undergraduates I have talked with show sparkles in their eyes as they talk of the many professional opportunities they see in their future and the potential to get the coveted MBA. Even among my master’s colleagues, the vast majority look on excitedly in anticipation of hitting the ground running in financial and other business-related industries in the world outside of school.
I too have been tempted to follow this path, having received offers from numerous investment firms and banks, whose ticker symbols comprise “the market” of my asset pricing models. But I am drawn to a different calling — the world of academia.
I hope this series of articles may help you the reader; perhaps you are an undergraduate student in business who feels that life in industry does not appeal to you and seeks a world of enlightenment, or perhaps you are a curious bystander wondering what could have been. Regardless, in this series, I hope to provide a different perspective, an alternative path if you will.
This path is not an easy one; to venture down this path without passion is to seek disappointment, but for many out there, it is the right one. As a master’s student who is only beginning this path myself, even I am not fully well-versed in the extent of my decision. However, I hope that the perspective I offer (which I supplement with the advice and guidance I have gained from many other more learned people) will serve as a good first step by which one can begin to explore.
In this guide, I will focus mainly on the path to academia. From the decisions and steps that can contribute during undergrad, deciding whether or not to get a master’s or do a pre-doc, to the application process, the topics I discuss will only be limited by the questions that surface and my interest in finding their answers. As my focus is on Finance and Economics, the information will pertain primarily to seeking a career in academia in those fields. The path of research in accounting, marketing, and other business fields is almost certainly very different.
Regardless, if the academic life appeals to you, I would encourage you to seek out further answers and advice to broaden your understanding and leverage others’ perspectives and expertise.
