<p>Hi Guys</p>
<p>Just wanted some more general opinions</p>
<p>Im interested in being an investment banker or someone who works extensively in areas such as trading or personal banking</p>
<p>i currently hold offers from the University of Cambridge, as well as Wharton Business school to study my undergraduate degrees.</p>
<p>Where do you guys think i should go and why?</p>
<p>thanks so much for all the help</p>
<p>Wharton of course.</p>
<p>UPenn. BUT, Cambridge is extremely beastly too. Depending on your course (Econ + Management if you decide to do it) Cambridge could really get you anything and everything in the Financial world. Additionally, it’s also better if you’re aiming for Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School for your MBA - less competition from the UK, and fewer applicants from Cambridge in general aiming for those two schools.</p>
<p>Imo, go for the one you like more, since both will get you where you need to be. Getting IB out of either isn’t exactly all that difficult (I got into an informal internship program at a BB in London simply because of my HS, and the school I will be attending this fall). Think about whether you like the idea of being in an American college in Philly, or a British university in Cambridge, for example.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>hhahahahah @ramaswami, I LOVE how cambridge wanst even noticed</p>
<p>@princetondreams </p>
<p>WELL here’s the thing</p>
<p>I loved camb as a place, but i felt the quant hogwarts thing would wear off, but that ofcourse is aesthetics</p>
<p>in terms of the course, with the UK its pretty rigid, and i dont know whether i’ll get bored doing pure econ for that long. i do reckon id enjoy penn and the US education system a fair bit(double major in finance and econ if i have the scores to) </p>
<p>Im DEFINITELY gunning for HBS (literally nothing else) for grad school, because its basically my dream school at the mba level. </p>
<p>Also the camb system (from a few seniors from my school there) sounds a little dry. </p>
<p>But the name - i had drpped it for a while and decided on penn - but the name of 800 years of history is weighing down annoyingly upon me - maybe even too much?</p>
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<p>Yeah, Cambridge is gorgeous. But I agree, choosing a University based on the aesthetics of a campus probably isn’t the best decision. Then again, if the thought of living in Philly, a much grittier city, makes you uncomfortable, then the surrounding environment should definitely be considered.</p>
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<p>True. If you prefer the US style of UG education, you should go for it. That said, Wharton isn’t quite as flexible as say, HYPS. It’s still a Business School at the end of the day. </p>
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<p>LOL, me too! 
HBS is just pure awesomeness. :)</p>
<p>Idk, if HBS is your goal, coming out of Wharton may actually make it extremely hard to attain it. Basically, around half of your entire graduating class will be aiming for HBS from the get go. Most will get similar jobs in the financial world too. So, you end up competing against 400 or so Whartonites who studied the same thing, went to the same school, and are from the same industry competing for the ridiculously small number of slots at HBS, where a diverse background is key. While at Cambridge, far fewer are interested in HBS, and IB in general. And, adding to that, it has a reputation that can rival HYPS. Those factors really can make all the difference.</p>
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<p>What about the Cambridge name exactly? If you’re interested in having the Cambridge name, you can do it for UG, work two years, and then apply to Wharton/Harvard MBA…? But, I feel that’s not what you want…? </p>
<p>Cambridge would be cheaper too, I presume. What do your parents say? Haha, I’m assuming you’re Indian from your user name…? Indian parents tend to give the best advice. :)</p>
<p>Prestige wise, especially in finance, Wharton is second to none maybe except Harvard, but Wharton graduates have the same opportunities if not better opportunities than Harvard College graduates.</p>
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<p>Less than 30% of Wharton graduates pursue an MBA degree, simply because Wharton graduates don’t need an MBA. At investment banks they hit the ground running and become top of their analyst class or simply make the jump to buy side straight out of college. Out of that 30ish% who do go on to receive an MBA I would say a fair amount of them receive a Wharton MBA through UPenn’s submatriculation program which allows undergraduate students to pursue a master’s degree.</p>
<p>Wharton sends students to the best places out of undergrad hands down. Even Haravrd and Standford are behind it for business.</p>
<p>Come to Wharton!</p>
<p>Disregarding my personal bias, it still is definitely the best undergraduate education you can get if you’re aiming to go into investment banking or be employed by a hedge fund.</p>
<p>AvidStudent made a very valid point, too; most Wharton grads don’t go on to pursue MBAs. I’ve heard that they find the second degree repetitive and, in many cases, unnecessary for taking the next step in their careers. If you do decide to apply for an MBA with a Wharton undergrad degree, though, the fact that only 30% of Whartonites pursue an MBA will reduce the admissions competition, I’d think. Also, job experience usually factors pretty highly into MBA admissions and Wharton will likely provide better business/IB employment opportunities right after graduation. The Wharton network is pretty incredible when it comes to the business world.</p>
<p>Also, Wharton students can take up to 40% of their classes in non-business disciplines. I doubt that there will ever be a semester when I’ll take solely math, business, econ, etc. There is definitely enough flexibility to take science, art, lit classes or whatever suits you. 30% of Wharton undergrads also pursue a second Penn degree, either from Nursing or Engineering or Arts & Sciences. Some are in coordinated dual degree programs like Huntsman, but an uncoordinated dual degree is also possible if you are really invested in it. I don’t know much about the Cambridge curriculum, though.</p>
<p>Best of luck making your decision & hope you choose to become a Quaker!</p>
<p>Hasn’t the deadline for decisions come and gone?</p>
<p>Isn’t your question hypothetical?</p>
<p>Cambridge for London or Europe at large, and Wharton for New York City</p>
<p>Cbreeze - I suspect Cambridge decisions were only finalized recently while Wharton would have put it out end of March. UK schools wait until high schools grades are posted before they confirm your admission.</p>
<p>Mumbaicab, you are wrong, I did “notice” Cambridge but apologize for being terse. Here are my reasons: the US undergrad education is broad-based and you get a wider perspective and broader education. I presume you are coming from India in which case such an education is invaluable otherwise you will be repeating the narrow Indian curriculum. Undergrad education ideally is an exploration, who knows you may change your interests to astronomy or nursing, so the US system which does not foreclose options is better. Cambridge has a better reputation in Asia but Wharton will give you a better start in IB since the crucial banks and prop shops are still US based. The MBA is essentially useless as an education; it is a branding degree, for rolodex and networking purposes. A top undergrad who is successful in his work rarely needs an MBA except to change career focus and the successful ones go to the finishing school MBA which is the executive MBA.</p>
<p>Hey Ramaswami,</p>
<p>i am indian (name REALLY gave it away huh 
) but ive grown up abroad, so my education has been british curriculum the entire time, i hear you about MBAs, ive read that a fair amount as well, with these exec-mba’s though from top nnotch profs adn the best schools in the world, usually end up being networking ops for the already rich and successful. Educationally cambridge is hands downt he winner, for their tuotrial system smaller class ratios etc. but in terms of dynamic /gritty/ know what the real would is like and industry prep it seems wharton emerges victorious.</p>
<p>I am leaning towards wharton. but im just terrified that giving up the oppurtunity to be sealed as 'academic aristocracy" (i quote my school head) is going to come back to haunt me. </p>
<p>A double major in economics and finance, do you think that would even out the wharton pre-professional vs the cambridge academic aims, giving me a good mix of both</p>
<p>also seriously, thank you to EVERYONE who’s posted. i really appreciate you guys taking the time to throw your opinions at me, and esepcially being so objective and helpful with it :)</p>
<p>Depends on whether you’d prefer to work in London or NY. Also I suggest you read more about the fields you are interested in, the ones you mentioned are all over the map, and some of them (ie trading in particular) you wouldn’t waste your time with an MBA.</p>