How to Find the Right Business School for Your Student

Business is having a moment. Again.

According to new research released in August 2025 by Validated Insights, business remains the most popular field of study at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the United States. The Bachelor of Business Administration leads all undergraduate degrees nationwide, with enrollment topping 1.6 million students, a nearly 5% increase over the prior year and the highest growth rate of any major field. At the graduate level, the MBA continues to hold the largest share of master's degree enrollment by a significant margin.

Students are clearly drawn to business. But the path to a business career is far more varied than most families realize. Here's my take on a few programs worth knowing about — and one idea that might surprise you entirely.

If Your Student Wants to Go Into Finance

The names everyone knows, Wharton at Penn and Stern at NYU, sit at the very top for a reason. Their alumni networks run deep into Wall Street, private equity, and venture capital, and the career pipelines are real. But admit rates hover around 5%, so they belong on a list alongside other strong options, not as the only options.

Indiana University's Kelley School of Business is one I recommend to families all the time. It has a strong finance track record, a loyal alumni network, and an admit rate around 30%. Students genuinely love it there, and that enthusiasm translates into a community that actively supports its graduates.

If Your Student Learns Best by Doing

Some students thrive in traditional lecture-based environments. Others need to be in the field, working on real problems, from day one. For that second group, the program structure matters as much as the name on the diploma.

Babson College is the gold standard for entrepreneurial education. Students don't just study business. They run actual ventures as part of the required curriculum. It's hands-on from the start, with an emphasis on iteration and real-world application rather than polished presentations. For the right student, it's transformative.

For a more traditional setting with strong experiential bones, the University of Illinois Gies College of Business embeds real client projects into its core coursework. It's rigorous, practical, and more accessible than many families expect, with an admit rate around 20%.

If Your Student Is Interested in AI

This is an exciting field because the programs are genuinely new and the career opportunities are wide open.

USC offers a joint AI for Business degree through both its Marshall School of Business and its Viterbi School of Engineering. Students graduate with a dual-school diploma and a curriculum that spans technical AI skills alongside business strategy, ethics, and digital transformation. It's one of the most forward-thinking undergraduate programs in the country, with an admit rate around 10%.

For students who want a similar foundation at a more accessible school, Bentley University's AI for Innovation degree is worth a look. It's a STEM-designated program that teaches both the technical and business sides of AI, and graduates are well-positioned for careers in data, consulting, and strategy. Admit rate is around 40%.

You Don't Have to Major in Business to Work in Business

Here's something most students never consider: a traditional business degree isn't the only way into a business career.

The University of Colorado Boulder has built a resource that makes this point beautifully. Their "Programs from a Different Lens" tool shows students how to pursue fields like finance through non-business majors. A student interested in finance might combine an Economics degree with a Data Science minor, or study Statistics and Data Science alongside a Business minor, and arrive at the same destination through a more distinctive route.

This kind of approach can actually make a student more interesting to employers. It signals intellectual range and quantitative strength, and it tends to produce graduates who think differently than the standard business school cohort. You can explore the CU Boulder resource here. Even if Boulder isn't on your list, the framework is worth reviewing.

A Few More Worth Your Attention

The programs above are the ones I often talk about with families, but they're far from the only options. A few additional schools that deserve a spot on your research list:

For finance, Lehigh University, the University of South Carolina, Ohio State, and the University of Delaware all have solid programs. They're worth a look, especially for students who want a strong finance education without the ultra-competitive admit process.

For experiential and co-op focused programs, Northeastern University, Drexel University, the University of Vermont, and Purdue are all worth exploring. Co-op programs in particular offer something most traditional programs can't match: real, paid, full-time work experience built directly into the degree.

For AI and business, Stevens Institute of Technology offers a full AI major. The University of Miami, Texas A&M, and American University have AI minors that pair well with a business degree (or Econ, Math, etc.).

Getting a business degree

Business is booming, but that doesn't mean every student needs to follow the same path to get there. The right program is the one that fits your student's goals, learning style, and strengths, not just the one with the most name recognition.

If you're trying to build a list that actually makes sense for your student, that's exactly what I'm here to help with. Let's connect.