Wharton

I got into Wharton for undergrad and I cannot afford to go. Even though it's one of the best schools out there, 320k is simply too much money. My question is, are there any target schools outside the US? I'm an international student so getting a job on Wall Street is already hard enough, but will going to a school outside the US make it almost impossible? Thank you for your time.

12 May 2020

I am currently in the process of applying to business school via the deferred admission route, and would like to give my $0.02 on the decision of whether to take the GMAT or GRE. When I first decided on whether to really focus on the GRE or GMAT for business school I looked at a bunch of posts on here as well as read articles online and saw (assumed) that the GMAT was pretty much the norm and - being strong in math - I opted to vigorously start studying for the GMAT. However, the plan to take the GMAT kinda blew up when (1) my in-person test got cancelled because of freaking COVID and (2) the

18 May 2020

I got into Wharton for undergrad and I cannot afford to go. Even though it's one of the best schools out there, 320k is simply too much money. My question is, are there any target schools outside the US? I'm an international student so getting a job on Wall Street is already hard enough, but will going to a school outside the US make it almost impossible? Thank you for your time. If I were to attend Penn, I would be participating in a well-known dual-degree program between Wharton and the college of arts and sciences

12 May 2020

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23 Feb 2021

I'm lucky enough to have Full-Time Analyst offers for Investment Banking from both Evercore NYC M&A and PJT NYC M&A. I know I'm splitting hairs here but I'm just wondering if any of you have thoughts if one firm is slightly better positioned in terms of exit opportunities into PE mega-funds (Apollo, Blackstone, Warburg, KKR, TPG, Bain, Carlyle) as well as top MBA programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton)? Appreciate any insight!

23 Aug 2019

Hello, I was recently admitted to the Huntsman Program but it will probably result in my taking out around 200k in student loans. I was wondering if this amount of loans for undergrad worth it? I've heard opposing opinions, and want to see if I'm going to make the right choice. Currently I am interested in taking a concentration in finance, healthcare management, or business analytics at the Wharton school. I'm not sure if I should go to graduate school and get my MBA, but I'm interested in careers in investment baking and hedge funds as well. I'm not sure what I specifically want to go into

07 Jan 2021

Here's a high-level overview of my background to level set readers: Asian female in mid-20s Moved to the U.S. for college and have been here since; grew up abroad (UK, Australia, etc.) Went to top 15 undergrad; finance & econ major; 3.95 GPA; graduated Summa + a bunch of honors; also was very active in various student groups Did IB out of undergrad for ~1.5 years, then 2 years at MBB, and now < 6 months in at an upper-middle market PE shop 760 GMAT I consider my profile as strong and others in my network including several HBS/Wharton alums have said the same - but as the header suggests, I

05 Jan 2021

Hello WSO world, I would greatly appreciate some inputs as to my chances to get into the Wharton MBA program. I graduated from an SEC school with a 3.8 GPA, got my CPA license, passed all 3 parts of the CFA exam, got a 700 (even) on my GMAT, and held a senate position as well as president of the business school while in undergrad. I went straight into working as an investment banking analyst and am now am a first year associate. By the time I would enroll I will have three and a years of work experience. What percentage chance of admissions would y'all give me?? Thanks in advance!

15 Sep 2019

All - Some of you might be knee-deep in the MBA application process (currently Round 2), and others might be considering applying next year. I was in your shoes about a year ago and know how convoluted the process can be - it's about as "black box" as it gets. Before I get any further - a bit about myself. I'm currently a first-year student (RC) at HBS. I've been a WSO reader and poster for over 10+ years now, and the community single-handedly got me through investment banking recruiting as an undergrad, and private equity recruiting pre-MBA. A couple of HBS / GSB / Wharton friends and I

20 Feb 2018

What classes are generally needed for recruiting if your a business major? I go to W and am just wondering if basic intro to ACCT and intro to Finance is enough to take by the time recruiting comes or if you generally need higher level courses on valuation, fixed income etc.

14 Aug 2019

All: I have been accepted into the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at Wharton at UPenn as well as two of HYP. I need advice on choosing between the two styles of education. At Huntsman, I can earn an SB in Economics and AB in International Studies. I also plan to complete the submatriculated AM in Mathematics during my four years. I might be interested in an MPhil and PhD in Economics or else business and law school later. With my interest in hedge funds (global macro, quant, and others), I think Huntsman presents an interesting opportunity. At HYP, I can earn an AB in

01 Apr 2018

First post ever, go easy on me. I'm exploring Penn's EMBA (in SF). I'd be targeting class of 2023, and would be in my mid-30s at program start. Delayed application related to Covid, GMAT prep, and a busy period coming up at work. I'm not sure if it is the right move for me - thoughts? Career Snapshot * ~8 years of work experience (all start-up); ~10 years by EMBA start * Currently Director in Corp Finance (at a very high growth company) * Comp: >$175k, plus equity / great benefits * Top 5 undergraduate uni (but no secondary edu) * No indication that I'm hitting a ceiling... yet **Why I'm

31 Jul 2020

Hey, First post but been reading WSO religiously for the last month. I just graduated from a non-target (Pitt, Rutgers, Drexel, Delaware), with a degree in bioengineering. Stats are 3.4 GPA (honors), 760 GMAT. I got a job with Bloomberg as a Global Data Analyst, and have very solid EC's and am a URM. I'll be in Philadelphia for the next few years due to a family circumstance, but might have some freedom to leave for a year. I'm seeking to transition into equity research. I'm fairly sure I can't do that without a postgraduate degree. Would aiming for a MBA at Wharton be unrealistic? How about a

29 Aug 2017

Hey Guys, I am wondering if any of u know any particular tricks for getting accepting into a top MBA Program. Tricks, such as- when applying for upenn for undergraduate (but really want to go to Wharton), the school statistics have shown that students are far more likely to get accepted if they apply into the college, as something like econ major, and then apply to internally transfer to wharton. thats just one example Was wondering if anyone else had any tips or strategies for better chances of admissions to a top MBA program. Thanks,

02 Dec 2016

Hey WSO, Looking for some guidance from PE professionals on how to frame my background for PE recruiting Post-MBA, where I stack up against others and other general insights. My background is a bit unique, worked at a well-known boutique bank for two years earning a third year offer then went over to corp dev, fortune 1000, acquiring over 15 small-midsize companies and getting promoted to VP over my three years there. State school undergrad and now I'm heading to Wharton for my MBA. I'm trying to answer the following questions: I. How should I think about framing my deal experience for PE? II

22 Mar 2017

Stanford GSB vs Wharton to transition to HFs after graduation? Thank you all for the responses.

31 Mar 2017

Hip hop artist Clyde Kelly Atkins (stage name is Clyde Kelly) quit his job at McKinsey so he would have more free time to pursue his music career and obtain a Wharton MBA at the same time. [quote] "You don't have anyone in your life that you sort of see on a daily basis. It's very transient," Atkins says of the young consulting lifestyle. "It's fun. I was excited to be doing that at that point in my life. But I also missed that I used to freestyle everyday. I had friends I would come home to and we'd kick raps at the end of the day. It was way different coming back to a hotel at the end of the

25 May 2017

Hey guys, So I've been trying to get into finance/investment banking/equity research for quite some time. I have an undergrad in econ and a master of accountancy from a CSU that isn't too high on anyone's radar. I think I've hit the point to where I can admit that I've failed and I will continue to fail unless I do something to drastically change my life position. After speaking with professionals in the ER space, they left me with the inclination to take the CFA exams and use those channels to break in. I'd registered, bought the expensive exam material, studied, and have a test scheduled in

26 May 2016

I've read this I think once or twice on WSO and many other times on random places on the internet. Clarifications from anyone who is actually in PE would be much appreciated. If they do ask, could one just lie, or do they go through the trouble of requesting evidence? Also, is it possible this is true only for people from non-targets (not that it matters for me; my alma matter is a target school)?

30 Apr 2016

Hi all, I am fortunate enough to receive admissions offers and partial scholarships from both Columbia Business School and Wharton, but Columbia is giving about $50k more. (I would say the Wharton scholarship is on the smaller side). Given the following, where do you suggest I go? -My post-MBA goal is private debt / distressed debt investing. I have some relevant pre-MBA experience (think investment grade structured lending) but not LevFin/RX/M&A and would need as much help as I can get from career services and the school brand/network. -I don't mind living in Philly at all. High cost of

03 Apr 2016

Hello all, I'm new to this forum but thought I'd kick things off by trying to offer any advice I can on aspiring b-school applicants preparing for the fall 2016-17 application cycle. Background I did consulting at a boutique for several years, was dinged w no interview at HBS, and interviewed at Stanford and Wharton, ultimately getting dinged at Stanford as well. I'm Wharton bound this fall and can think back to this time last year when I was prepping for the GMAT and beginning to think about essay topics and recommendation writers. Some of these tips may be obvious but here's my $0.02 Work

14 Feb 2016

Hi all, Somehow I'm in a situation where I have to choose between HBS, Stanford & Wharton. Career goal: I want to end up at a long/short with an excellent track record and reputation. I'm currently in PE. Thoughts? Which one would you choose? And does it matter? Timeline wise: I've put down the deposits. I'm in a situation where my partner (fiance) is all R2. Right now I have no idea where we will go. I have a preference and she has a preference. TIM

16 Feb 2016

I have been admitted to Wharton & CBS fullt-time MBA, no money. I am non-traditional - co-founded a nyc public HS - and looking to move into edtech/start-up and also interested in exploring PE/VC. Obviously this is a big career pivot later in my career. I already make post-mba salary. Live with my gf here in NYC and we'd have to do distance (obviously a personal choice). However, all my family and many friends live in Philly area. Trying to determine if there is a big enough difference in brand/opportunity between the two schools considering I am paying for all of it to warrant a move for

11 Apr 2020

I was accepted to both Columbia University and UPenn Wharton for undergrad. But I don't know which to pick. Any insights would be great, and please specify whether you have affiliations to either school/acknowledge your biases. Keep the following in mind: 1. I definitely want to pursue finance/business/entrepreneurship as a career 2. I could see myself as a teacher much, much later in life 3. I enjoy the humanities particularly philosophy and political science (although I'd never want to make a career out of either) 4. Financial aid is practically the same at both institutions and very

03 Apr 2016

New Quantitative Finance Major and Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Professorship and Scholars Mark New Chapter in Quantitative Finance Research and Education at the Wharton School They are also also offering some scholarship money to top second years who pursue the major. Not that Wharton wasn't already the best finance school but this will further poach Booth students who were

02 Apr 2020

From all the research I've done, they really seem to be much more similar than they are different. Both very finance/wall street focused, recruited heavily, competitive, selective admissions. Other than the Ivy League tag, the financial aid (Penn definitely has better aid if you need it than NYU), and the 'lack of a campus' (even though Penn really does not have very much of a core campus aside from the main quad. It's pretty urban. Not as much as NYU obviously, but it's up there), there really seems to be no difference. But a lot of people on here praise Wharton and any chance of going there

06 Jul 2015

Hi, I wanted to hear some opinions on these three schools for banking recruitment. I'm probably looking to do 2 years in Investment Banking in NY in a BB and then come back to Brazil to work in PE Megafund. Current BG is 2 years in ER at a local bank and 2 years in PE/ Impact Investing The way I see it Wharton: Pros - More elite for PE job medium term, Stronger network in the region and stronger academics - Cons Living in Philly for two yeras Columbia: Pros- Being in NYC for networking with bankers 24/7, Strong recruitment in BB IBD (Goldman, Citi) Cons: Living in NYC is really expensive

30 Nov 2014

I'm thinking about applying to wharton, stanford, columbia, duke but I'm wondering if it's worth the almost 250k debt hence getting in with financial aid is almost impossible for me (international). Especially compared to schools like Amherest or Bocconi. I'm guessing that wharton and stanford are probably worth it...

23 Dec 2015

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry for posting about deciding on where to go for college, but....I was admitted off the Harvard waitlist with the condition that I can attend for the class of 2021 (i.e., I'd have to take a gap year). I had already been planning on going to Wharton for the class of 2020 because, well, I was admitted and Wharton is Wharton (such a sound argument, right?). Anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of one school over the other, the different personalities and social/academic environments at each one, and anything else you deem important. As a side note

18 Jun 2016

I have a dilemma as I have an offer from two schools - Wharton and Kellogg. Wharton is offering 20% aid while Kellogg is offering 65% aid. Female currently am in MBB and have assured rehiring so that I have no problems of placement post MBA. Question is which should I choose?

28 Mar 2015

I have 3 years of work experience and was accepted to Wharton for the class of 2017. However, I also received a job offer to work at a startup as Director of Finance. I'm having trouble deciding whether to go to Wharton now or get some more experience at a startup (

14 Apr 2015

I'll be starting undergrad at Brown and I've already been considering transferring to Wharton after freshman year, even though freshman year hasn't started yet. Would that be wise, or no? Since the end of application season in the fall, where I regrettably didn't apply to Wharton, I've given it a lot of thought and realized I really want to go into investment banking. Sure, Brown in an ivy league school, but not as many of its students are interested in business or finance. Looking at the Wharton website, they suggest transferring Sophomore year which means I'm going to need to pick my classes

15 May 2016

So, I know there are hundreds of threads on this topic already, but for the purposes of transferring, I wanted to know what you guys think. I'm currently at a decent top 50 school, but as somebody who wants to break into IB, I really want to go to Penn. I've heard that CAS people are at a serious disadvantage to Whartonites, but at the same time, both are probably better than my current school. Should I apply to Penn CAS, get a high GPA, and then try to break into Wharton through the Uncoordinated Dual Degree Program? I think I could get into Wharton with my high school GPA, but my college GPA

06 Mar 2016

Hi everyone: I would love to get my MBA at Wharton and wondering which of the two following two schools, which I have been admitted to, will give me better chances at getting into Wharton. So, in other words, does the admissions committees look more favorably at one of these schools than other, all other things being equal. University of Michigan (Ross School of Business) Georgetown University (McDonough School of Business) What do you think is the best option considering my goal? Thanks guys!

31 Jul 2017

Let me first state that I am part of the problem. Okay now that that's out of the way, I'll start my post. Recently I was accepted by an exclusive biz honors program at my state flagship. I was invited to attend at luncheon about the program and went ahead and attended. As I mingled with some of the students, I learned that each one of them had applied Early Decision (you're forced to attend if accepted) to Penn Wharton in hopes of investment banking. Here's some of the things the kids were saying "Yeah when I'm 25 I'll be making like 500 grand, living that crazy Wall Street lifestyle." "Make like 20 grand during my summer internship, but that's not that much." Various jokes about doing blow, etc.

10 Dec 2014

I have 2 years of work experience (currently in a F100 corporate strategy role) and was accepted to Wharton round 1 (dinged at H/S). I am considering switching jobs to a late stage tech startup and reapplying to business school two years from now. The main reasons are as follows:

26 Dec 2014

I'm currently entering my senior year of high school and preparing to start filling out some college applications. I have my eyes on a career in investment banking - either Houston (because I'm in Texas) or Wall Street. I've used a financial aid calculator for all the above schools, and they all come out to around $20,000 per year, so there is no actual difference in cost between the schools. I might apply ED (for those who don't know, Early Decision is a program through which if you are accepted, you are forced to attend that school. It boosts your chance of acceptance because schools know you will attend and they can build a solid class in advance) to Wharton. If I was accepted Wharton it would obviously be a dream come true. Some questions about Wharton:

08 Jun 2014

Would appreciate any help in regards to my chances of getting into a top 10 MBA Program: Stats: 2.4 GPA (top 50 Uni - 4 years out of school) 760 GMAT Started own NPO Started own company out of college that grosses 2 m/yr and employs 5 people Now in Sales/Relationship Management at large US Bank I know the GPA is low but how much will my GMAT, EC's, and work experience help offset it? Chances of getting into a top 10? Thanks again

08 Sep 2014

Hi all the amazing monkies. I am a HS senior and very settled to pursue a career within the IB industry, specifically FO because I had some exposure to M&A. (I decided to follow this path after very serious consideration. My family has some network within the financial services industry in Asia, and I was exposed to this at a young age.) Though still have a long way to go in order to excel in this field, I am very determined to presevere, and I also think my personality is a great fit for this industry.

29 Dec 2014

I just got accepted to Wharton and I wanted to get some outside opinions on if it makes sense for me to go. I am considering an MBA because I would like to get into an operationally-focused, turnaround PE firm and also would frankly just enjoy learning more about other aspects of business (not finance and accounting).

17 Dec 2014

I went to Wharton and spoke to some of their MBAs about Entrepreneurship and thought you guys might like the video of it :-) 18 minutes and 40 seconds on the following four topics: Is quitting your job and starting a business right for you? How to come up with a good business idea How to make money without investing a lot into the business or putting your own money at risk (without raising outside money) The best advice I have for making the business a success faster Hope you like it!

21 Jan 2016

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20 Dec 2014

http://whartonjournal.com/2015/04/19/yellow-fever-coloring-my-wharton-experience-red/ Have a good day! Wharton MBA is a valuable degree!! Not surprised that it didn't come from the undergraduate student clubs. Those guys are too intense.

20 Apr 2015

Hey all, I'm a high school senior who will be attending Wharton in the fall and I'm looking for advice on how to get a job/internships in Asset Management, specifically one in equity research. I've seen some internship opportunities, but it seems like there aren't nearly as many available as there are for investment banking. So, What opportunities exist for internships/jobs in asset management (firms like Wellington, Putnam, Fidelity, etc.) out of Wharton? Should I have a portfolio (and if so how much money should be invested)? Which clubs and activities would be best to get into the industry

23 May 2016

Hi guys, I am facing an important decision for my career and I like to share it with you. Background: • Italian Management Consultant, I've been working for almost 3 years now for Second Tier Consulting firm (Top 4/5 in Europe according to most rankings , way below in US) • Planning to apply to MBA (2nd round, starting date August 2017), targeting HBS/Wharton/Columbia in USA or LBS/Insead in Europe • My firm is willing to finance (partly) my MBA but this will theoretically imply a lock-in period of 2 years • Short / medium-term career goal: switch to PE I know that it will sound pretty

27 Sep 2016

http://whartonbeachweek2013.com/ Ok monkeys. If there are any current Wharton students or alums who have been to beach week, give us some JUICY details. It sounds like it's batshit crazy and fun, much moreso than any undergrad party I've been to. Was there a lot of hooking up? Were the Wharton people BALLING out of control in Miami?

31 May 2013

So here's the situation, I was recently admitted into Wharton, Princeton and Yale for my undergraduate studies and plan on pursuing a career in finance after graduation (IB,PE,HF). Until recently I was completely set that Wharton was my number one choice because it provides the best career opportunities, however, I have now read that some people put Princeton and Yale(less often than Princeton) above Wharton based on their pedigree. I understand that all three will provide me with opportunities, but I wanted to know what people in the industry believe is the best school in terms of career opportunities. I want to know what recruiters think of each and whether Wharton, despite its business education, is considered less because it's not HYP.

30 Mar 2014

This is my first time posting on any forum so I apologize in advance if I do anything wrong. I'm a second semester Freshman at the Wharton School and am not enjoying my experience thus far. I'm a pretty social guy, the kind of person people say "knows everyone," but am not enjoying Wharton/Penn and don't feel like it is a positive experience and is instead something I have been trying to make the best of. I don't feel genuinely connected to anyone here and I am not a part of any solid communities (I have applied to so many different Wharton clubs, and although I usually make the final rounds I

14 Mar 2014

Hi everyone, I'll be starting school at Penn this fall (2014), and I'm in the LSM (life sciences and management) program. So initially when I applied to LSM, I thought I would be pretty interested in doing things like healthcare investment banking/healthcare private equity - basically areas of finance that require both finance and bio/science knowledge.

01 Aug 2014

It is often assumed that Tier 1 of B-schools is "H/S/W." It is also (I believe) generally assumed that within the top 3, H/S are tied for #1 and Wharton is a clear #3. I think that it is fairly clear that H > W from a reputation standpoint. I think whether S >W depends on whether one is focused on tech / entrepreneurship. What are everyone's thoughts (clearly this is a totally subjective question)? Is Wharton clearly a "Tier 1.5" in the minds of people, or would you lump it into the "Tier 1" and make no distinction?

28 Apr 2014