UC Berkeley Haas vs UPenn Wharton ($150k+ debt)
CA high school senior looking for advice on which school is better for IB/ Consulting recruiting given my situation:
-have to take out $150k+ in debt to attend Penn, in-state Haas tuition would be essentially free for me
Many people say the Wharton degree "will pay for itself" because of the six-figure starting salary, but doesn't this only apply to the best of the best given how competitive these pipelines are?
Does a Wharton degree somewhat guarantee a high paying consulting/IB job that I will be able to confidently pay my debt off with? To be honest, I’m not at the top of my class, and my public speaking skills are average at best. I have the passion and grit, but when it comes to securing a high-paying job, to what extent is the debt worth the value of a brand-name degree?
Dude go to Wharton. This is not even a question. If anyone tells you otherwise on this thread, they’re trolling you
What about the $150k in debt part? Will Wharton name brand be sufficient enough to carry average person to landing six-figure salary? I'm trying to approach my decision with as realistically as possible
Yes, I just took on about $220k for HBS. I’ve already paid over half down over a year. The monthly payment would be $2k or something. And undergrad loans are more subsidized with a lower rate than grad loans. The question is do you think going to Wharton will help you earn an additional $150k? If you don’t know the answer to this, enjoy UC. You’re NPV would go up unbelievably more by choosing Wharton. There’s a reason parents had a college admission scandal for schools like Wharton, but I don’t remember Haas being one of them. In the history of dual admits to Wharton and Haas, I bet you would be the one and only to choose Haas. Everyone at Haas would gladly switch seats with you if they had the chance
Ridiculous to suggest you need to take on that much debt given the backup is a top tier school. I went to Haas and got similar recruiting results as most Wharton students (boutique in nyc). Idk if you were smart enough to get into Wharton, then that’s indicative enough of how well you’ll fare for job recruiting. Good luck!
This is such bad advice. For one, no one is saying Haas is not a good school or that you can place okay coming out of it. Nothing wrong with going to Haas; there is something wrong with choosing Haas over Wharton. I guarantee no one currently attending Haas turned down Wharton for it. But hey, go be a contrarian
My friend declined Wharton for Haas cause he was a CA resident and didn't get into 250k debt. But hey, I guess you like to be a broke-ass prestige whore getting fucked by the bank; keep up with great work!
go to wharton and take the debt
Debt is temporary. Prestige is forever.
Wharton
Simply put, the Penn + overarching Ivy League network will serve you much better for the rest of your career.
Most people that get stuck under student debt burdens in this country are either a) irresponsible or b) not career oriented.
Of the 150k debt you would incur, there's no reason you can't pay down 100k before graduating. 25K / year income is not at all a stretch as a college student if you're working part time during the school year / full time during the summers.
This leaves you with 50k debt postgrad - a number you should be able to extinguish entirely in your analyst program. Even in "less desirable" job outcomes at Wharton (middle market IB, middle office BB, corp fin, etc.) you're still going to earn 100-150k out of school - more than enough to pay down 50k of debt over 2-3 years.
I'm not saying you couldn't get the same job out of Haas and bank the 150k, I'm just saying don't not go to Wharton because you're scared you won't be able to pay the debt off.
wow a triple negative
Haas. Wharton shills here are idiots. 150k debt in this macro is a terrible idea.
Yea base your decision off the current “macro.” Dumb. He wouldn’t have to start paying off the debt till 5 years from now. So how’s the macro look in the next 5-15 year window while he’ll be repaying it? What does inflation do to erode the value of the dollars he has to pay back?
But yea bro it’s a bad macro. Going to Wharton in this macro would be bad from a macro perspective.
… don’t talk to me about long term thinking when you are chasing/chased IB out of ug in 2025. Classic upper middle class mediocrity.
I go to Haas right now - if I was in your position would pick wharton without thinking twice.
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