Penn Engineering - Interdisciplinary Options (Wharton?)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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Hey everyone! This is my first post on CC so bear with me.

Back in December, I was admitted Early Decision to Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science with the intended major of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. I applied for the Jerome Fisher M&T program with SEAS listed as my second choice, and I chose ED for both because I knew that Penn’s influence on interdisciplinary studies would allow me to supplement an engineering education with many business classes form Wharton and liberal arts classes from the College. I am certain that I don’t want to make a career out of being a pure engineer or scientific researcher… which does seem a little odd considering I’m an engineering major right now. Truth be told, I have no idea what I want to be, but I did know that it is difficult to try to to transfer into Engineering if one doesn’t start there due to prerequisite requirements. Since around sophomore year, I’ve been very passionate about STEM, Business, and Politics, and haven’t really been able to narrow them down, but I know I’ll have to soon, so I’m here for advice. I have a bunch of possible courses of study for once I get to Penn, and I don’t know which I want to try to pursue, so I’ll start listing them and asking questions I guess. My end goal is to be an entrepreneur in a STEM field / with a STEM background, and one day try to get into Politics.

  1. Transfer into M&T at the end of my freshman year. I understand that they only take ~ 5 transfer students into M&T each year, and that the GPA and Essay standards are very high. Does anyone here have any insight on what GPA a CBE major would have to get to transfer into M&T, and how feasible it is? I mostly see Computer Science, Systems, and BAS students in M&T... and I'm not settled on what kind of engineering I want to do.
  2. Add an Uncoordinated Dual Degree via application at the end of my freshman year. I understand that one can apply to transfer into M&T and to add an uncoordinated dual degree through The Wharton School concurrently (to maximize odds at getting one, presumably). Does anyone have insight on what GPA a CBE major would have to go this route? I know since it's uncoordinated it likely takes 5 years, but I'm okay with that.
  3. Should I decide that I don't like engineering at all (this is not something I plan on happening, but I know it's common), what are the GPA standards for an internal transfer to Wharton for a SEAS student? Does it vary by major?

I also have a few questions that are relevant to all 3 of these routes:

  • When applying to transfer into M&T, Uncoordinated dual, or internal transfer to Wharton, does the intended Wharton concentration impact chances of admission?
    • Would it be a better move to take few requirements and few extracurriculars freshman year in an effort to maximize my GPA, or to take as many Wharton electives as possible and involve myself in a lot of extracurriculars before applying to show interest, but risk a dip in GPA?
    • I'm not really certain what kind of engineering I want to do, but I do like Chemistry and Biology, but also stuff like Computer Science... out of curiosity could someone rank the general perception of SEAS majors from easiest to hardiest or vice versa at Penn?
    • Does one's major in SEAS affect the possibility of admission to transfer into M&T, Uncoordinated dual, or internal transfer?

This post has become very long with many different components, so I apologize and thank anyone for taking the time to read through and/or answer! (as you can see I’m a very uncertain / indecisive kid…)

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  1. Why do you think you want to be in Wharton?
  2. What career sounds interesting to you?
  3. CIS is the most popular major. It is difficult, but marketable.
  4. Could consider an entreprenuership minor in SEAS. You can also take classes in Wharton. I am not sure what added benefit you get from the dual degree.
  5. If you really want a dual degree, then get the application on the website. You need a high gpa, strong ECs and an essay with a good explanation of what you what to achieve. Work experience and research experience help too.
  6. Your major in SEAS may impact your explanation of why you want a dual degree.
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  1. I have no intentions of working very long as an engineer, but I do love science, math and engineering. I reconciled this by thinking it would be best to go into the corporate side of a company in a STEM field, and with the best undergraduate business program next door, it seems extremely logical to take everything from it that I can. Also, I've always had a passion for business, I'm heavily involved in FBLA, held a business related internship, and use a few thousand of my savings to invest in stocks, and have done well with it. I had a very hard time deciding whether to do second choice in SEAS or Wharton, but decided SEAS would give me essential technical knowledge, and I could always take a bunch of classes at Wharton, if not add a dual degree.
  2. As far as a career, I don't know much past what I have already stated. I passed up an opportunity to go to Caltech for Penn SEAS because of the interdisciplinary nature of the school and the environment (I don't want to become a research scientist or pure engineer), but with that decision I'd like make the most out of what Penn has to offer, specifically with the Wharton School.
  3. I've heard that, and as I progress throughout the year in AP CS, I'm enjoying it more and more. However, I know there is a big glut of Comp Sci majors these days, and I would never want to end up as a programmer at a big tech corporation, and may miss the natural sciences a lot. If you had to rank the SEAS majors from hardest to easiest, how would you?
  4. The added benefit from the dual degree is options, and a second major from Wharton is more work, but I will learn many more business skills that will serve me should I choose to go into fields other than engineering.
  5. I've seen the application and know this, but thanks for letting me know! Do you have any insight on the GPA's one needs to have a good shot at adding a dual degree vs. doing an internal transfer? I don't plan on the latter happening, but I understand it may as I have a lottttttt of different interests and may find myself losing some as I go forward, I know this happened to my father who started in Engineering and ended up going into business (not at Penn though).
  6. I can see how that would play a big role, but I more meant in terms of acceptance. Like, would the admissions people say "this SEAS major is too hard to do a dual degree with", because some majors are harder than others. Or I didn't know if there were certain combos they were more affable towards.
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@Penn2020Rising, you should PM @Keaseby Nights. He’s a recent M&T grad who found his passion in computer science, and who has been very helpful on the CC board. If you were a strong enough applicant to be accepted EA to Caltech - which seems to be what you are implying - and you have a combined business/engineering interest then I would think dual degree should be within the realm of possibility, whether through transfer into M&T or an uncoordinated program.

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Thanks for the reply @renaissancedad ! Your words of optimism are encouraging.

I don’t have enough posts to PM people yet, but I will keep it in mind for sure – I’ve seen the guy you mention pretty active here.

As for Caltech, that is true, but I also had a solid advantage, or “in” because of a sport I was recruited for (not good enough for D1 but Caltech is D3). Caltech has a very very small and fairly weak athletics program, so sports recruiting by no means guarantees admission (they don’t even “sign” people like normal athletic recruiting), but the coach of a given sport puts together a profile and vouches for certain applicants. According to him, recruited athletes at Caltech have a 30-40% acceptance rate. My stats and EC’s were definitely up to Caltech’s standards, but I won’t deny that I had a bit of a boost.

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^ What is your sport?

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I’d rather not share for confidentiality purposes, unless it makes a big difference?

All I meant by that was I had the option to go to Caltech due to a little help from my sport / the coach, but I’m not as hardcore of a STEM brainiac / nerd that goes there. I don’t think I would fit in there, plus I didn’t like the idea of going to a school smaller than my high school. There are many reasons I chose not to go to Caltech – I think my favorite part of it was the weather and Pasadena lol.

But with that decision, I want to do everything I can to take advantage of the interdisciplinary options Penn has to offer, and since I’m equally interested in business as I am in STEM, this would logically be a dual degree through the Wharton School.

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@Penn2020rising “I know there is a big glut of Comp Sci majors these days, and I would never want to end up as a programmer at a big tech corporation, and may miss the natural sciences a lot. If you had to rank the SEAS majors from hardest to easiest, how would you?”

There are a lot of CS majors out there, but there is a shortage of programmers with high-end skills. I know that CS is one of the most difficult but highest paid. I don’t know how to rank the other majors. I just know that CS majors switch out of CS to other engineering majors, more than switch in, which means it is difficult, even for engineering. The CIS students tend to be unusually strong students.

“Does anyone here have any insight on what GPA a CBE major would have to get to transfer into M&T, and how feasible it is?”

I have heard 3.8, historically. Feasible, but probably harder than you think.

“Uncoordinated Dual Degree…Does anyone have insight on what GPA a CBE major would have to go this route?”

I have heard 3.6, historically. Above average, but definitely feasible for a good student.

You may be better off with a SEAS major and just taking the Wharton courses that interest you. You can learn what interests you, and not have to take all of the courses you don’t care about. You don’t need a dual degree to compete for business jobs. You will have a year to decide what approach you want to take.

"Like, would the admissions people say “this SEAS major is too hard to do a dual degree with”

No, I have never heard of that.

@“Keasbey Nights” may be able to give better answers.