Tuck vs Wharton-Lauder

This is a tough decision. If I'm reading you right, you're interested in a non-banking finance or top consulting position. Tuck certainly places well into these roles, but Wharton would give you an advantage in both in terms of opporinuties.

On the other hand, you strongly prefer Hanover to philly, and your career goals are still well within reach at Tuck.

Honestly, if it were me, the 50k per year at Tuck would be enough to sway me there. You like the scene there, and you'll have dozens of opportunities to travel during school, and an extra 50k to do it on.

Congrats on both acceptances btw. You really can't go wrong.

You sound like your mind is made up. Go with what your heart says

I don't have great advice. My assumption would be you're intelligent enough to get into both programs so you're going to be successful in life either way. Wharton does have a bit of a prestige edge but Tuck is a great name as well. And I wouldn't put your happiness in the backseat if you are truly going to be unhappy at Wharton. If you aren't going to be unhappy but would just prefer Hanover then maybe Wharton is a good call. Also just depends on how much you value the difference in price. Would you mind sharing stats?

Not an MBA, but people pass on "prestigious" programs all the time for various reasons. I think the question here is do you really think Wharton's prestige outweighs not liking the vibe of Philly and the $50k Tuck is giving you. I think you'll be in the running for any M/B/B opportunities coming out of Tuck. However, I'd imagine long term your career shapes itself depending on what you put into it.

Just curious about something-If all you want to do is typical finance/consulting MBA stuff, why'd you apply specifically to Wharton-Lauder? Was there a particular or specialized opportunity you were seeking from the program outside of those fields?

Because otherwise your opportunities will be very similar coming from both schools given your interests. I'm biased (Tuckie)-but you only need look at placement numbers, salary levels, etc. to see that there's no great distance between the 2 -Tuck is among the very top in each of those areas. Outside of a small number of impossible to get buyside roles-which have more to do with one's resume coming in anyway-you can write your own ticket from either school. I can also tell you from experience that Tuck's exactly as you describe it, so if that's the vibe you're into and you're getting 50Gs thrown your way no one will think you're crazy for passing up W.

Now, back to my original question-if there's some sort of international track you'd like to get on, then Wharton-Lauder would be more advantageous and the prestige difference becomes magnified. I'm still not sure I'd pay sticker for it...my loans weren't anything close to 220K at 7% and they still piss me off, however that has more to do with your tolerance and appetite for risk...but for international opps hands down absolutely nothing beats it.

This is actually an easy choice. These schools are essentially peers with a slight edge to Wharton. The marginal difference in quality is not enough to compensate for the difference in price and your preference. Wharton definitely has an edge in buyside recruiting but, based on your background, it doesn't look like you'll be competitive for PE/HF. It's much more likely that you'll end up in MBB/consulting, where Tuck has an advantage.

So yeah man. The money is a big deal, your preference is important and Tuck will probably do more for you professionally anyways (or as much).

""This is actually an easy choice. " -Yes

"These schools are essentially peers with a slight edge to Wharton"

-Uhhh no. It's not a slight edge and they are not peer school (Booth/HBS/Stanford). I don't think anyone is impressed with your "Tuck" degree.

Wharton::Dartmouth is to Ferrari 458::BMW M6

If it was Tuck and any other school (Haas/SOM/CBS), I would have said take the money. But this is Wharton. They are not at the same level.

I say Wharton. If Tuck wants to take you from the best business school in the world they need to give a full ride. Call their asses up and tell them "I got into Wharton you need to up your package or I walk". They are underpaying you for sure.

Future you with a Wharton degree thanks you. Future you unemployed with a Tuck degree thank you!

Two years out of the MBA and despite two years into a job that I love, part of me regrets not having gone to a better-brand-name institution for business school (I get the sense that the brand name follows you for a long time).

... But part of me is also happy that I don't have any student debt.

Tough decision bro!

Also, I visited Dartmouth's campus and it's certainly a cute little city "tucked" (you're welcome) away in the rolling hills. As pleasant as this place might seem to live in, I could see it as a major setback when trying to network.

https://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/uploads/content/tuck_employment_report_2…

MBB consulting firms want experts in an industry as much as big name MBAs. You have significant experience in energy so I think that will help you more than splitting hairs about the difference in Ivy League prestige. Nothing impedes the freedom to pursue opportunities like the burden of debt.

It's simple.

If you're on the fence for schools that aren't drastically different in terms of reputation, take the money.

Wharton.... you know you want to.

You can go to Dart-mouth and be a a regular joe with a Tuck degree.

OR

You can go to the best business school God ever created, Wharton.

50k? Peanuts. That's how much Dart-mouth grads on average make.

Wharton is Wharton. You're not comparing Wharton to HBS here. Dart-mouth is not at that level.

For MBB and anything that's not HF/VC/PE : Having been through business school and seeing how recruiting works...I'd definitely pick Tuck. The marginal advantage Wharton has in recruiting is due to them having, on average, marginally more qualified students. Among the M7+Tuck, the brand doesn't really matter - you have a chance to interview everywhere. Your individual qualifications are what will matter.

For HF/VC/PE: You don't have the background to get into this field (aside from shitty boutiques), so not really worth putting into your calculation.

Whartons joint degree with the Lauder program is an incredible option. I have many friends currently pursuing the dual degree and I hear nothing but great things. It's a very strong community. Did you go to Wharton's welcome weekend? If you didn't go to the first one, come to the second one. In regards to your thoughts on Philadelphia, it's actually a great city once you step outside Penn's surrounding neighborhood, University City. Center City and Old City are fantastic with great restaurants, bars, etc.

My friend who made partner was one of two at his PE firm that was invited to stay. The rest of his colleagues were all kicked out to go back B-school.

The other guy that was allowed to stay was an HBS grad.

You can keep smoking on that joint thinking Dart-mouth and Wharton are the same. You can throw all types of meanigless stats arguing that they are the same, but you know deep down they are not and that your lying to yourself. None of you other than OP has the luxury of actually choosing between the two, so as far as I know all your views are just chatter. Had you actually been presented the two choices in real life, you would all be agonizing to turn down Wharton to go to Dart-mouth, a good but substantively inferior choice in terms opportunities and prestige. You will agonize over the fact that no one will ever care or be impressed after you graduate that your a Dart-mouth Tuck grad. You will be mortal like all the meat-grinder MBA programs out there. If you were all in OP's shoes, you would realize exactly what I said, 50k is NOT enough. Not at all. 50k is chump change in the grand scheme of things.

The only other school I would turn down Wharton for is HBS and Booth (with some money package 30k+ needed).

I'm biased but Tuck all the way! I'm an undergrad at Dartmouth but I know Tuck is an amazing school. Nothin' like Dartmouth street loyalty. My friend's roommate (a sophomore) landed an internship with KKR through an alumni. I also know 2 other freshman who got internships with another major PE firm (think Apollo/Blackstone) through an alumni. I'm sure they won't be doing major deals or anything like that but it is still impressive to get those gigs as underclassman. Go Green!

Sorry but Vancouver is small time, and it's only the 3rd best city in Canada.

If the OP wants to work internationally, he should go to Wharton. That's what the Lauder program is for. If not, save money and go to Tuck.

Now that I think about it, I talked to Penn and Dartmouth today. IMO, people in this thread going back and forth about their prestige look small time. There's always going to be someone with better credentials... e.g. MD/PhDs from ivy league schools that did residencies and fellowships wherever, prep school kids that went to Princeton, blah blah blah. In fact, some people I've met where I go (Oxford for a drug development masters) consider MBAs as glorified middle managers. Not that I agree with that, but I'm just saying that you need some perspective in life if you're splitting hairs about these two schools.

For some back of the envelope calculations, from a cost of living perspective, say consulting which has avg MBA salary of 140, 150k. Put 18k into your 401k, and tax by half if you live in NYC, and it's at 60k take home more or less. Rent can easily be 1500, which in a year is 18k. Depending on lifestyle, you may be looking at costs of 20 - 25k+. On the higher end, it leaves about 20k to pay your loans.

This is without taking into consideration family (your parents/significant other) and tax status, future plans, etc.

If your goal is MBB, Tuck and Wharton place on par with on another. Take Tuck and the money and don't look back.

I think some people are also dismissing the difference in life enjoyment at these schools. If you really feel like you'd have a blast at Dartmouth, and a shit time at Wharton, then two years of misery is a lot of lost happiness that you may never recover.

Again won't go into the dick measuring contest. One thing though - can you decide NOT to do the Lauder program? This adds a lot of money to your tuition and not sure what it brings you. Don't hate on Phili - you are doing an MBA, it's a bubble. You will never talk to anyone outside of your class (you just won't have time for it).

Clarify your career goals, next, do informational interviewing with people in those jobs. That will guaranteed help you figure out which program is best suited to help you achieve it. I would think about your goals before women, status, money, and lifestyle. You can probably carve that stuff out wherever you go. And let me assure you, you will be so slammed in b-school you won't be thinking about much more than exams, internship recruitment, doing externships, clubs, and your learning team. I am from the West and agree Philly is not the friendliest, but I could have been on Jupiter and it would have made no difference, there was not much time for social stuff.

Why would anyone want to spend time in Russia?

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