Wharton Vs Princeton (Undergrad)
I was recently accepted into these amazing schools, and over the past month, I've been debating on which one to attend. I'm all over the place in terms of what I want to specifically do in finance, but it's either Investment Banking, Management Consulting, Real Estate PE, or LS HF in NY. I also plan on getting my MBA in the future. I'm splitting hairs, but it's been a hard decision, and I'm looking for those working in the finance honest opinions. Any feedback is much appreciated!
Pton
Anecdotally I ran into far more people from Wharton than from Princeton in my group in BB M&A. That's not to say Princeton is lesser (in fact I would choose it over Wharton for a more well-rounded education), but Wharton is definitely more Finance-focused.
No shit
So since I want a more finance/business focused education Wharton is the better choice correct?
If your concern is purely how many finance/business courses and clubs you'll have access to, definitely Wharton.
no shit, Wharton has ~350 finance majors and offers accounting, econ, etc. majors, Princeton has ~90 econ majors and no business school
what difference does a "business school" at the undergrad level have in terms of course structure and whatnot, is it like you are mandated to take certain business subjects along side your major?
I feel like I come across more Wharton kids. But seeing someone with a Princeton background stands out. Either way congrats. I personally would go to Princeton.
Princeton
If you want to work in restructuring Wharton would be the best decisions. Otherwise Princeton.
Princeton! I'm going this year. Wharton obviously places more for IB, but Princeton also does just fine with IB placement. And I'm sure that Wharton is great for MBB, but know that Princeton also sends a TON to MBB which is excellent for business school so you will be in a good spot.
I had a similar dilemma but am going to Princeton. I can get into IB or MBB from Princeton. And Princeton is a more well-rounded university; everyone knows that Princeton is the creme of the crop. If you're concerned about acquiring business knowledge, Princeton offers a certificate in finance. And you could always take finance / accounting courses from Wall Street Prep or some other online course.
Go with the better overall school. Princeton > Wharton
I attended both schools: Princeton (undergrad) and Wharton (MBA). I won’t tell you what to do but just want to share my own experience. I graduated a few years ago and am grateful that the combined networks that I have now could open many doors.
I agree with the comment above that Princeton gets good placement into IB and has an extensive network of alumni in Finance as well. A lot of my classmates went to work at BB and megafunds. Some went on to get their MBAs as well. In addition to finance, I appreciate that many of my classmates are also top in other fields such as tech, academia, consumer etc. As I progress in finance, having a deeper network in other fields becomes an edge because I can tap into those networks for sourcing and developing differentiated insights. You probably have also read how loyal the Princeton alumni network could be. I also think a more balanced undergrad education would make a person more interesting / less one dimensional.
I eventually got a MBA at Wharton because I wanted to broaden my network further in international finance. I witnessed how hard the Wharton undergrads work. Wharton has a slight edge over Princeton at placing undergrads straight into PE / HFs because of its focus on finance and highly competitive environment. I have to say this though this is just a head start and it’s a long road to be successful in finance.
Good luck and all the best!
I'm old and jaded on "prestige" so take it with a grain of salt, but if you know you want to do finance you can't go wrong either way and Penn will be more fun.
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