MBA decision: Wharton or Booth?

Question

Hola kiddos,

I'm having a good type of headache these last days. I was admitted into both Chicago Booth and Wharton (+Lauder) MBA programs and I'd like to hear different perspectives on the options.

Background: single, latin/asian, army veteran, currently in MBB, going to MBA to have a good time and also thinking about transition to buy-side (HF or PE) in the medium/long-term

What I value: international experiences, brand, good network and tight bonds (aka friends) during the program
Current status: slightly leaning towards Wharton

Appreciate any inputs, thanks!

BreakingOutOfPWM · Accepted Answer

Tough but doable from both. Ex-consultants can compete on good footing, both from MBB and T2 firms.

In terms of international recruiting - expect a good deal of travel and missing class if recruiting for AM overseas. I assume you have ties to the country you're targeting; otherwise, this further complicates an already difficult career transition.

It will take a little extra to set yourself apart though. CFA progress is almost table stakes from a non-investing background. It's a very meritocratic process though. If you are a superstar in your stock pitches you'll be fine.

Winnfield · Answer

You can definitely accomplish everything you propose at Booth, but at Wharton, due to the Lauder element, it'll be more structured. The career differences between top schools for IM tracks is basically zero: as BreakingOutOfPWM said, it really is about your stock pitch and whether you have the CFA.

So it's more a matter of which city you want to be in, and which community you felt more a part of. If you're enjoying that, then the investment interview prep will come more easily.

pnb2002 · Answer

Given that you care about international experiences, I think it's a no-brainer to go with Wharton. (Would have said Wharton even without Lauder, but it'd be a much closer call.)

I'd just caution that at either school, it'll probably be an uphill battle to go buy-side without previous experience in those (even if you are focused on non-US opportunities). Not that it's impossible, but friends who've tried to make a similar transition in b-school generally had a really tough time.

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MBA decision: Wharton or Booth?

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MBA decision: Wharton or Booth?

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