With 7,500
undergraduate students on the Bloomington campus, 18 majors, 4 minors, and 1
certificate available, Kelley is an environment for personal and academic
growth. Although the majority of Kelley students are either finance or
accounting majors, there are a variety of paths to explore and truly
personalize your college experience.
It can
be easy to find yourself tunneled into either finance or accounting if you
enter college unsure about what you want to pursue. I am a firsthand example; Freshman
year I entered Kelley with the mindset “I am going to be an accounting major,
work for the Big Four, and join Women in Business.” Women in Business didn’t
work out, and after my first A100 accounting class second semester, I quickly
realized accounting wasn’t my strong suit. Following this turmoil, I found that
sophomore year confirmed I wasn’t passionate about accounting, then junior year
I-Core confirmed finance was not my destiny.
To be
frank, I am not disappointed in this revelation because I found a true passion
for the brand management, marketing, and advertising side of business—the one
that often gets overlooked. Originally thinking I was set on working for the Big
Four, I now am confident I want to work for a marketing or advertising agency.
I’ve discovered it is completely normal to feel many moments of doubt,
discomfort, and confusion because they are stepping stones to finding a passion
you can transform into a career. There is no growth without discomfort. Students
question why everyone takes the same classes until Junior year, especially when
the course load can seem to be finance and accounting heavy at times. Reflecting
back, Kelley wants each student to dip their toes in every major to gain a
variety of knowledge, but more importantly, Kelley wants students to learn
about themselves and how to productively work in teams comprised of students
across the globe and in a variety of majors.
If you
are not in Kelley but want to pursue a career in business, that is great too!
Just because you are not in School of Business does not mean you cannot pursue
a career in business, and vice versa. One of my close friends did not get
accepted into Kelley freshman year due to a single B-. Naturally she was disappointed, however she
quickly learned that there are many other areas of study at IU to pursue a business-related
degree, and is now majoring in economics and minoring in Kelley. Luckily, she
has not felt set back in any way and through the process, she’s learned a great
deal about herself and what career she wants to pursue. Another friend of mine
is a math major and is affiliated with the Liberal Art & Management Program
(LAMP). Both are incredibly bright, intelligent, and are applying to similar or
the same internships as Kelley students.
Overall,
IU offers a plethora of opportunities catering to a large spectrum of majors
and personalities. Every school at IU hosts students with exceptional talent,
all you need to do is look!
