<p>I'm a current freshman and I'm wondering if I can get any tips for getting into the Jerome Fisher M&T program. Since I discovered this program a few weeks ago it has been a bit of a wet-dream for me(yes I know it may be a little early to be thinking about this, but hey, no reason not to).</p>
<p>I know that you have to get good grades and scores to even be considered, but what can I do over the next 2.5 years to put myself over the top. I go to an extremely large high school (4300 students) with many opprotunities open to me, so I'll be able to do most generic clubs like NHS or key club for example.</p>
<p>Any ideas from other prospective students or from current students in the M&T program would be greatly appreciated.</p>
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<li><p>If you’re not good with math or science, you won’t get in. So be sure to do well in your math and science classes. Moreover, everyone is pretty well-versed in science and economics and finance. You’ll have students with strong focuses on the M (quote from one of my friends - “I’m so passionate about finance, I’d get a Ph.D in the field!”) and students with strong focuses on the T (a bunch of kids run their own tech start-ups). However, everyone knows about both fields and is quite adept in them. I personally am geared more toward the T side, but hell, I interned at a hedge fund last summer, and I’ve been reading the WSJ for a few years.</p></li>
<li><p>Be unique! I didn’t do any science or business extracurriculars in high school, but I was able to explain why I was interested in studying the two fields in college. However, I am probably the only student in M&T history to have attended a magnet arts high school. I think my desired switch of fields from an arts high school to a business / engineering university really made me stand out in the application pool.</p></li>
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<p>Don’t worry so much about the general clubs like NHS and Key Club. Those things are sort of staples that are expected to be seen on your list of extracurriculars, but they’re totally meaningless since everyone does them. If NHS is your main activity, you’d better have a darn good reason for it being up there. My main activities were coaching Little League baseball, composing / performing music, self-pedagogy, and tutoring students in all subjects.</p>
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<li><p>It can’t hurt to do some business or science stuff, though. One of my close M&T friends in my class interned at IBM for three summers; another did some comp sci research work for a couple of years; another took finance courses at his local university while in high school; another was an FBLA champion.</p></li>
<li><p>M&Ts are academic powerhouses. The program doesn’t accept students who can’t handle doing two rigorous degrees at once. Curiously, M&Ts also immerse themselves in extracurriculars. If you can demonstrate your ability to balance a full slate of academics with strong extracurriculars in high school, that’s a plus for your application to M&T.</p></li>
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<p>I’m not saying to kill yourself with work. I took 11 APs as a senior in HS, and my friends - even those in M&T - think I’m absolutely insane for doing so. But you shouldn’t be slacking. If you can’t handle a full slate of APs/IBs in high school, why should Penn think that you can handle the Wharton/engineering dual degree?</p>
<p>All I can say is I wish I knew about the M&T program as early as you did. I applied for it ED this year and was deferred. I would definitely take Keasbey Night’s advice.</p>
<p>I have been granted admittance to both Penn’s M&T program as well as Cornell’s school of Engineering.</p>
<p>I am a math and science guy. But I do not want to have a profession in Engineering. My plan is Business with an Engineering background. What I am struggling with is I am not sure if it is better to have an engineering background from a good engineering school like cornell, then go to grad school for Business. OR should i go to Penn for a lesser engineering program, but a potential ability to cruise right from bachelors into WHARTON business MBA program?</p>
<p>I am in the same boat as you except I have not been accepted into either yet.</p>
<p>Definitely, given the option, go with M&T. It will be a much better experience and you will learn how business and engineering go hand in hand while learning about them on individual levels as well. Going to Cornell Engineering then getting your MBA will not give you the integration understanding that you will need for the management and technology you are looking for.</p>
Sound good but can you elaborate on the integration part. Do people come from this program eventually become venture capitalists? My understanding from years of working in Silicon Valley is that venture capitalists typically have MBA degrees.</p>
<p>M&T is a world-wide, renowned academic program. You are getting TWO bachelor’s degrees in the same time another student gets 1. I 100% would recommend going to M&T over Cornell Engineering. </p>
<p>Were you a likely letter candidate/recipient?</p>
<p>Do you guys know that if you are in the M&T program and you decide that it is not for you, is it possible to “drop” one of the degrees and just be a Wharton student?</p>