<p>I'm not exactly sure what I want. Perhaps a career in business, although I can see myself as an academic or working for the treasury. Either way, I see Dartmouth and Penn as equal in terms of academics, but I don't know which school is a better fit for me..</p>
<p>I was initially leaning towards a liberal arts education, but I was put off by rumors of Dartmouth's social life–which seems to consist of getting into the right frat and drinking parties. So now I'm leaning towards Wharton, because after all, you are required to take 40% of your classes in the liberal arts at SAS.</p>
<p>Have you visited Penn? It has a very similar social life to Dartmouth’s. At either you can find alternatives to drinking parties but they exist to an equal extent at both.</p>
<p>I went to Wharton and have had a career in banking. If I knew then what I know now I would have gone to a liberal arts college. I didn’t need Wharton to do what I do and would have preferred a broader undergrad education. For someone who isn’t sure about what they want, to me Dartmouth is the better bet because non Wharton Penn isn’t as strong as Dartmouth and you can’t get in as many internships to help figure out what you want to do. </p>
<p>Great contacts for jobs at Treasury now, too!</p>
<p>To hmom5, would a broader liberal arts education have helped you more in your career than a Wharton education? And, hope you don’t mind if i ask this, how many years are you into your career?</p>
<p>Oh, and the ‘stigma’ or stereotype (true or not) is that Dartmouth is somewhat isolated, leaving the students fewer options when it comes to social life – thus, frats/sororities play a large role and more students are drinking rather than seeking other alternatives. Hoping to get some clarification from current or recent students.</p>
<p>To hcvops, why not turn down Wharton? Justifications? I assume you are matriculating to college this year–and you must be interested in Dartmouth, given that you are on this forum.</p>
<p>(edit: I’ve visited both Penn and Dartmouth. Though I took a campus tour at both colleges, I didn’t sit in on classes, stay overnight, or meet many students. I will visit and stay overnight at both colleges in two weeks.)</p>
<p>You had to ask…I’m 30 years in. My son is a freshmen at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>I think that a liberal arts education would have been beneficial to my life and I think I would have enjoyed it more. Back in my day we all got MBA’s in my line of work and my Wharton MBA was more of the same.</p>
<p>I wish I would have taken some art history and another language and had more time to play and not work like a dog constantly. My son and his friends report none of the cut throat competition that defines Wharton.</p>
<p>My son is a NYC kid who is loving Dartmouth. The 9/10 week terms are work hard/play hard and then there are nice breaks. He gets his fill of city and has fit in lots of travel with classmates this year. He doesn’t feel isolated or bored and particularly loves the Dartmouth ski hill and other outdoor activities. </p>
<p>Although he’s interested in finance, he didn’t use his legacy to apply to Wharton. He’d like an international graduate degree and feels he’ll learn any necessary finance specifics then and on the job. Dartmouth is allowing him to have lots of great internships. He has a great one in PE and one in VC this coming summer and on his off term next year. You just can’t do that at Wharton.</p>
<p>Then again, if Wharton is what you want it can’t be beat. Penn is great! You are in a city, even if it’s Philly, and NYC is accessible. The social life is active if you can make the time. You have two great choices.</p>
<p>I was in a somewhat similar situation last year where I had to decide between going the liberal arts route (Dartmouth) or the Undergrad Business school route (UVA/Michigan/WashU/NYU, didn’t apply to Wharton) and a teacher of mine who I consider a mentor basically told me to choose Dartmouth because I was ‘too smart to study undergrad business.’ (self-call). IMHO, The value of doing undergrad business is way overrated. I also question the value of four years at Wharton considering you will end up working alongside Dartmouth grads (or similar) once you graduate, and they will be able to learn on the job and catch up in a month or two. A lot of these things, along with the amazingly inclusive and engaged student body lead me to choose Dartmouth and the Lib. Arts route. I couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>Go to Dimensions and Penn’s accepted students weekend to determine for yourself which one would be better. </p>
<p>Man my comments from some of those other threads are just having a ripple effect aren’t they…</p>
<p>If that is your main concern keep in mind that there are going to be just as many d-bags at Penn (ESPECIALLY Wharton, which concentrates all the “totally sweet, my dad’s making me a VP as soon as I get my diploma” econ major d-bags who at least sort of get balanced out at Dartmouth). In fact, my theory is that if you were to drive around most of the Top 25 schools with a “d-bag-o-meter” it would break. But anyway. Dartmouth can be fun. Especially if the administration doesn’t screw you for no reason, and the incoming president actually sounds like a pretty good guy. Freshman year will definitely be great because everyone loves freshman year, and if you guess right and get involved in extracurriculars that are socially self-sustaining, you will enjoy the other three years, too.</p>
<p>S considered Wharton and Dartmouth last year, and took Dartmouth for the liberal arts foundation; Dartmouth culture and environment; Tuck bridge program is next, which is great and you should investigate it; then MBA or law school or both. IMHO, this is a better path for some… ps-- The Wallstreet Journal and Fortune rated Tuck above Wharton.</p>
<p>A new cool thing related to business on campus, is that undergrads can now take a select few classes at Tuck with other grad students. These courses are ‘only’ the basics of accounting and marketing, etc. but it prepares you to at least be familiar with the terminology used in a workplace setting, and a foundation on which to guide your further learning on the job. Students have been doing just fine without these classes for years, but this will make the transition even easier.</p>
<p>I just read an article today that came with Dartmouth’s acceptance package that mentioned something about Tuck starting to offer 3 undergraduate classes in business beginning in the spring 2009 term.</p>
<p>Ditto Xanatos. Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone who would be turned off by Dartmouth’s party scene not being turned off by the party scene at a school like UPenn or even some of the less ragey schools. We’re still nothing to look at compared to a lot of state schools. If you really cannot stand partying, then you should be thinking about UChicago or maybe Swarthmore.</p>
<p>The main thing about Dartmouth is that although most people aren’t really superficial, there’s a small vocal and socially active group which is often quite superficial. It’s really the same reason we seem conservative or even still too preppy WASPish – it’s because these subcultures, though not dominant, are extremely vocal and vibrant. It makes for an interesting campus, if nothing else.</p>
<p>I always say visit and stay overnight if you can. There’s not really a better way to figure out if Dartmouth is right for you.</p>