<p>I've heard it all from the Penn side, but I'd like insight from people who know/love Columbia.</p>
<p>My choice is between Columbia College and UPenn Wharton (supposed best undergrad business school). I'm fairly certain I want to go into business, but I realize I can accomplish this with a liberal arts degree, which I would rather get at Columbia. Should I decide I hate business, I could drop out into Penn College but I would rather be at CU from the start. </p>
<p>I want the best undergraduate experience that I can get.</p>
<p>Anyone? I want to exhaust all aspects of an argument before I decide.</p>
<p>if you are certain about business, go to penn, give up your columbia spot, and hopefully someone dying to go to columbia will get off the waitlist</p>
<p>Well, to start with Columbia has a core (I'm not sure about Penn here) that emphasizes both the liberal arts and the sciences. So, you gain a very general and broad scope of knowledge to become someone who is educated in the pure sense of the word. With this knowledge you have increased career mobility and also a more refined member of society.</p>
<p>The thing I love about Columbia is that it's a great science school as well as a liberal arts institution. Also it doesn't hurt that its location is NYC (can someone say lots of internship opportunities?).</p>
<p>For business, I would definately say that Wharton is probably hands down the best for business. But, to be honest, I think you will probably come off knowing ONLY business and not too much other things (depending on what other classes you decide to take). So if you're sure about what you want to do and just want to cut the crap and get down to it, then I'd say go with Wharton. Otherwise, I believe Columbia would provide a more comprehensive and fulfilling education (and you can be in the most awesome city in the world ;-P).</p>
<p>afaforce, the number of people who are telling you to go to penn so they can get off the waitlist here is reason enough to come...
...alright no its not. But go for the reasons you mentioned, AND because 1.)Wharton's curves are ridiculous and miserable 2.) from someone who doesn't have a clue yet, the core IS a better undergrad experience than penn's college of arts and sciences, and wharton is too narrow 3.) NYC, *****! (do not underestimate this factor)</p>
<p>ahaha morningside is relatively boring <em>cough</em></p>
<p>yeah, i know about the core. and i realize it's pretty awesome, but of course i can get some liberal arts education at penn along with my business. They have a liberal arts requirement, too. I would hope to, ideally, double major (one business, one liberal arts). It'd be pretty hard, though, from a personal standpoint... </p>
<p>(i've had my share of "go to penn!!" because of the waitlist thing around here lol)</p>
<p>Man, everytime I think about this, I can imagine myself at Columbia more and more. Then I get convinced back. Ahh tug of warr X(</p>
<p>Some people spend fridays at Columbia doing internships, don't they? You could build up 4 years of experience pretty easily; it might not have the instant name recognition of Wharton, but hey you get (1) experience, (2) to enjoy Columbia's diverse menu of classes. . .</p>
<p>If you like business, go to WHARTON. You can always change your mind later, but that's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Plus, I have friends there, including two who will be attending next year. The education is also more well-rounded than you think, it's not ALL business, though that is certainly the focus. </p>
<p>Columbia and Penn are both great schools, but nothing compares to the Wharton program at Penn in terms of business.</p>
<p>For a career in business, all you really need to be 'credentialed' is to get your MBA. Your undergraduate study really doesn't matter that much and from an educational standpoint, you're plenty likely to succeed without college study anyway. Business success hinges more on creativity and leadership than on textbook study.</p>
<p>At Wharton, you'd graduate with a BS in Economics, something you could also get at Columbia. At Columbia, you'd gain a much broader perspective on the world through your other classes, including the core, which might be of more value to you in the business world than a few accounting classes at Wharton.</p>
<p>Also, Columbia has several built-in dual-major programs in economics that you should take a look at.</p>
<p>If you are certain that i-banking/consulting is your path, then Wharton without a doubt gives you immediate advantages and network effects - that you might be able to replicate at Columbia but not without additional effort. </p>
<p>However, going to Columbia has alternative advantages and network effects too. So if you limit your CBA to immediate utility for specific career advancement, I think the difference is marginally in favor of Wharton. But if the marginal utility gained is worth less to you than the utility of all that Columbia can provide... </p>
<p>While going to Wharton won't limit you from pursuing any other path, the opportunity cost of doing so (and the liberal arts focus foregone) would probably make you think twice. Perhaps if you value increased options and consumer choice...?</p>
<p>Someone I know who is doing premed at Columbia turned down MIT, Princeton, Harvard, and some others to go to Columbia. She is a fan of their premed advising and other advising and also the campus. She's some kind of science scholar there, too, and her winter break ended early so she could participate in some science activities at Columbia.</p>
<p>I like biology, too, and also English and music. Columbia is good for me because their music is also excellent on campus and in NYC, and a good number of Columbia teachers are authors of books or chapters in books that my mom published.</p>
<p>hahah i actually did. my penn friend told me someone actually did that. penn vs duke.. and got penn. yeah but after i flipped i didn't feel satisfied w/ that method of picking the next 4 years of my life.. lol</p>
<p>so i guess invictus, you're going to columbia? that's awesome. good luck!</p>