<p>I'm currently a freshman at UT, and right now, I'm going to major in accounting. Some people have told me that accounting majors almost exclusively get jobs as accountants (although it's possible to do other stuff, like consulting or ibanking, it doesn't happen very often), and that finance is the best major choice for B-school.</p>
<p>When I applied for college admissions last year, I applied to UPenn (specifically Wharton) and I was accepted. Since my grades are pretty good (better than they were in HS, at least) and I've been keeping with with my ECs, I think I have a decent chance of transferring into Wharton. Now, my question is this: If I am accepted to UPenn (which is still a big IF, but let's just assume), would it be better to do finance there, or would it be better to do accounting at UT? I think both of those schools are the top of their respective fields. </p>
<p>I have trouble in believing that you were accepted by Wharton but decided to attend UT and then after just 4 weeks at UT, you want to transfer to Wharton.You should know that chances for transfers to Wharton are much lower than for new freshmen.</p>
<p>Well, the reason I'm going to UT is that it costs about a third as much as going to UPenn. I didn't qualify for FA at UPenn, but I should have enough money earned/saved for me to be able to go for 3 years and be debt-free after my undergrad years. And I'm well aware that transferring in is much more difficult. That's why I was asking a question based on a big IF. I'm just wondering which program is better, so that I might consider a transfer in the future.</p>
<p>you picked UT over Wharton? and not only that, F***ing accounting? Who cares if it costs 1/3 as much to go to UT, Wharton is worth far more than the cost especially compared to a 2nd rate state school.</p>
<p>hahaha, I'm sorry dude, but if you really chose UT accounting over Wharton that has to be one of the worst moves ever. I'd say you still have a decent shot at getting in as a transfer but you better have a 4.0 or damn near close.</p>
<p>stoneimmaculate notes "you picked UT over Wharton? and not only that, F***ing accounting? Who cares if it costs 1/3 as much to go to UT, Wharton is worth far more than the cost especially compared to a 2nd rate state school."</p>
<p>Response: A lot will depend on his financial situation. I would definitely pick UT in a heartbeat IF he had to take out a lot of loans in order to attend Wharton. Also, UT has a very different culture than UP. Maybe the poster wouldn't have been happy there. Finally,if someone majors in accouting, the school attended is almost irrelevant. It is the GPA that matters most!</p>
<p>Again, WHO CARES how much in loans you have to take out, it's Wharton. The amount of job opportunities you have at W compared to UT is exponentially higher. After uni. you're going to be making way more than enough to pay off those loans.</p>
<p>Ask yourself if it is worth a few years of financial discomfort vs. a lifetime of the opportunities Wharton can give you, I don't think people understand the difference; there are firms that ONLY hire Wharton grads, with the inclusion of maybe one or two other top schools that certainly aren't UT.</p>
<p>About Accounting: why the **** would you want to be an accountant when you have the opportunity to work on wall street making way more money. No offense to any accountants, but the perception of accounting by many is that it's a really lame job and I haven't heard any evidence to the contrary.</p>
<p>***disclaimer: I'm not saying UT is a horrible school, it's a great school actually but anyone who wants to work in business and picks UT over W, in my opinion, is a fool; even if it is for financial reasons.</p>
<p>stoneimmaculate, sorry to burst your bubblle,but wall street likes accounting majors with strong GPAs. They understand financial statements,which is a great skill for wall street. Accounting opens up more oportunities than most majors.</p>
<p>As for the loans, check out a former featured thread in the parent's forum about incurring substantial debt. Most folks sincerely regretted their large debts incurred for undergrad education regardless of their undergraduate school. In addition, two Princeton professors had a published study that showed that graduating from a top ivy school didn't show substantial enough increase in earnings over a lifetime to justify the higher cost. </p>
<p>You are speaking from emotion and not from logic. Oh yes, I do understand the cache of Wharton's name.</p>
<p>You could apply to the business honors program at Texas, which would make you more competitive, and probably have an excellent chance of getting into.</p>
<p>
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As for the loans, check out a former featured thread in the parent's forum about incurring substantial debt. Most folks sincerely regretted their large debts incurred for undergrad education regardless of their undergraduate school. In addition, two Princeton professors had a published study that showed that graduating from a top ivy school didn't show substantial enough increase in earnings over a lifetime to justify the higher cost.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, this may be true for other majors, but there are exceptions and I think a finance degree from Wharton is one of those exceptions. If you read carefully, the OP said he has enough money to cover 3 years at Wharton, so we are only talking one year of extra expenses.......to me it's a no brainer.</p>
<p>That's funny. Only in a previous thread, you mentioned of being a Biomedical Engineering and NOT applying to UPenn.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Hi everyone. I'm a freshman currently attending UT-Austin. I'm a biomedical engineering major, but I want to switch my major to actuarial science. UT does not really offer a solid actuarial program (they tell you to take lots of math and econ classes, and some finance classes if you are in the business school), but they do not have a technical degree for it. So, I am trying to transfer into Wharton. I did not apply to UPenn for freshman admission, but if it serves as any indicator, I got into some competitive schools (although not as competitive as UPenn) from HS (Caltech, Rice, Duke, ...etc)
<p>Taxguy, I want you to ask Wharton grads on Wall street if they regret incurring debt at Wharton, and if they would have rather gone to a school like UT.</p>
<p>Seriously, go to <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com%5B/url%5D">www.wallstreetoasis.com</a> and ask this question and I seriously doubt more than one or two people will agree with you. Also the fact that you think accounting majors are valued for Wall street anywhere near as much as Wharton grads makes me question your sanity.</p>
<p>Oh, and myrmidon, you are a tool for expecting no one to notice the inconsistencies in your earlier posts.</p>
<p>Yeah, I am considering transferring (there is the thread in the transfer section). I'm just speculating right now.</p>
<p>I absolutely hate engineering, but I love the accounting and economics classes I'm taking/have taken. I am just trying to expand my options. I have a pretty strong mathematical background, so I was considering apply to Wharton for Finance. I'm sorry if I don't know very much; that's why I'm here. </p>
<p>Anyways, SI, I do not really appreciate the hostility towards me. I don't really understand what I've done to warrant such anger from you. Anyways, if you wouldn't mind (since you seem like one of the most knowledgeable posters here), can you look at the link at the top of this page, and help me out? I really appreciate the input you've given me. Thanks.</p>
<p>
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I have trouble in believing that you were accepted by Wharton but decided to attend UT and then after just 4 weeks at UT, you want to transfer to Wharton.You should know that chances for transfers to Wharton are much lower than for new freshmen.
[/quote]
My initial conclusion to your post was right on.</p>
<p>We don't mind offering you advice, but don't lie to us.</p>
<p>OK, I was NEVER accepted to Wharton, but I do think I have the stats to at least have a decent shot at transferring there. The reason I'm at UT is because it was way cheaper than the private schools, and that I expected to do engineering, which needs at higher level degree (MS or PhD), so I figure I could go to a top institution for grad school. But, for finance (or accounting, which is just a 5 year program at UT instead of a 4 year program for undergrad), you don't go to a grad school right out of the gates, and your undergrad school name is more important. This why I'm just CONSIDERING is right now. I want to be prepared come time to submit a transfer application, if I do it.</p>
<p>I'm sorry if I have caused any confusion; I'm just not interested in engineering (in fact, I'm pretty much only in it because my parents pushed me into it), and I really like business. I'm not very knowledge about this stuff, so I'm asking for advice from you guys.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your responses, and if you have any further questions, please ask.</p>
<p>EDIT: I just looked back on the first post. I did not apply to Wharton. I said that so I wouldn't get a bunch of "you won't get into Wharton because you go to UT" one-liner responses. I wasn't trying to incite anything. The profile I have on my UPenn app thread is all 100% true (the one at the top of this page), so if any of you guys could take a brief moment to look at it, and give me a realistic chance for a transfer, I'd be really happy. I'm sorry about that you guys. I didn't realize that I made that statement on the first post. Sorry again for all the confusion.</p>