<p>I was accepted to both colleges for the Class of 2013! If I were to attend Princeton, I would study Economics and get a certificate in Finance (since I aspire to Wall Street after college). I want the right balance of social life, and know that I can't go wrong with either! Which would you choose and why? Thanks!!!</p>
<p>From a fellow Ivy Leaguer who doesn’t attend either school, I’d have to say go with Princeton econ. This is a tough call but I just don’t think you turn down an economics degree from HYP, even for Wharton. Go with Princeton</p>
<p>I disagree. For Wall Street, Wharton is the best. Besides, Princeton strikes me as more elitist.</p>
<p>Princeton. It’s a better quality of life there.</p>
<p>Well, let me start off by saying that I am a Wharton student, so that brings with it certain biases. </p>
<p>However, if you are interested in Wall Street after graduation, I’d say Wharton. It is still the first place recruiters come before then heading to HYP. Wharton is on equal footing with HYP for students with business aspirations, finance or some other area. It’s a fantastic place.</p>
<p>Socially, Penn is pretty good. I enjoy my time here, but I am very much a city person. What types of things are you looking for in your social life?</p>
<p>strictly for Wall St., Wharton.</p>
<p>Look at curricula. what do you want to learn? Do they have different requirements, eg language, distribution, thesis, etc? Do you care?</p>
<p>Might you get interested in something else besides business altogether?</p>
<p>FWIW, even if business is your destination, you may have another opportunity to learn much of what you would learn at Wharton; ie MBA program. You are less likely to take another opportunity to get a liberal arts education. If you value that.</p>
<p>Hands down, Wharton.</p>
<p>many Wall St’ers, especially traders, don’t leave to get thei MBA anymore. If you can bag a Wharton straight off, you’re always Wharton and don’t need the MBA imprimateur if you don’t want it.</p>
<p>It’s interesting… my friends say Princeton, CC says (for the most part) Wharton. I’m quite interested in social life, work load, and the college experience. If I were to get a degree from Princeton in Econ with a Finance certificate, would I have to go back for an MBA anyway?</p>
<p>The tenor of your posts are screaming Wharton to me.</p>
<p>Suggest you go there.</p>
<p>Hahaha… actually-- I’m already leaning towards one side, but I don’t want that to influence any potential impartial discussion!</p>
<p>Congrats! As a Wharton alum I’d say go to Princeton. Wall Street hires just as many Princeton grads and if I knew then what I know now I’d have gone for the more well rounded education!</p>
<p>And no, an MBA will probably not be necessary from either for any job on WS.</p>
<p>Interesting…</p>
<p>While Princeton would be as valuable in interviewing for Wall St, the same cannot be said if you want to pursue an area in business other than Wall St… in that case, the specific business tools and approach to solving business problems you’ll pick up at an actual business school with the quality of faculty at Wharton will probably be more practical.</p>
<p>Go to Wharton. If you don’t like it, transfer to CAS. Win-win!</p>
<p>Is there even a significant difference between Princeton Econ grads and Wharton grads for post-grad careers in business?</p>
<p>“business” is a ludicrously broad topic. Are we talking kings of finance? managing partners at mckinsey? Fortune 500 CEOs? Silicon Valley entrepreneurs or VC gods?</p>
<p>I imagine the answer would vary depending on which field you went into (and of course there would also be an anecdotal example to counteract whatever the general trend)</p>
<p>Random thought: Penn’s network is bigger, but Princeton’s is probably more powerful.</p>
<p>Congratulations! You have a high-class decision to make, as one of my friends would say. As an MBA and having worked on Wall Street, I am biased against undergrad business education, for two reasons: 1) you are learning CEO-level stuff that you will not have an opportunity to use for decades (unless you are an entrepreneur), and 2) if you decide to pursue your MBA (likely in this biz), you will be paying for and re-learning many of the same subjects.</p>
<p>Granted, Wharton is probably the best of undergrad b-schools. But, I vote Princeton econ. Princeton grads have always been well received on the Street, and you can go back to Wharton for your MBA.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Mikey – I have an MBA as well, and my undergrad was Linguistics, so I fit into your suggested profile… however – my brother in law did Wharton undergrad in the mid 80s. He has never seen the need to go back for his MBA, and it would have cost him a lot of money to take two years out of a nice career. He and three others head up the latin american division of a global insurance brokerage. </p>
<p>Nobody has ever asked or cared if his Wharton training was undergrad or grad.</p>
<p>It’s not as if Wharton undergrads don’t also take lots of classes in sociology, psychology, linguistics, physics, english, etc.</p>