<p>Okay so with a higher SAT score I might apply to wharton instead of CAS. Does this mean that I can't major in biology/CAS majors?</p>
<p>Confusing question. Do you know what is Wharton?
[Wharton</a> Undergraduate | Why Wharton?](<a href=“http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/undergrad/why-wharton/index.cfm]Wharton”>Your Future - Undergraduate)</p>
<p>Confusing to the poster, but not in reality. Wharton is just simply the business school at Penn. You can’t major in biology as a Wharton student just like you can’t major in Marketing or Accounting in the College (CAS)</p>
<p>Ah okay. Sucks that I have to make a pretty big decision when I’m not even in college yet. Business… or not.</p>
<p>WRONG. You can always double-major; this is one of the most attractive points of UPenn. And actually, the biology-business double major is one of the most popular too.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>WHAT??? Tell me more about this. So you can major in one thing in CAS and another from wharton…?</p>
<p>Is this back breaking work? (I expect as so lol) If so, is it manageable?</p>
<p>That’s incorrect. Most times you cannot do a double major in another school, you must do a dual degree in which you satisfy the requirements for both schools. The specific coordinated dual degree program (coordinated means it is a specific named program and can be completed in fewer credits than required for both degrees) you are talking about is Vagelos Life Sciences and Management. In it, you complete a dual degree between CAS and Wharton where you can study business and a major such as biology or biochemistry. However, this program is very hard to get into and also very hard to complete since you would probably be taking at least six courses a semester to finish.
However, I think it is very silly to all of the sudden apply to Wharton just because you think a higher SAT score will help you get in. It really makes no sense. Additionally, it’s really a myth that Wharton is much more selective than CAS. They just tend to look for a certain type of applicant for Wharton that is more specialized. However, once you get here you realize that there’s not too much difference between the average Wharton student and students in CAS and SEAS. I actually think the SEAS students on average are the smartest even though SEAS has the highest acceptance rate. CAS has a ton of incredibly brilliant students too but it is more varied than the other schools.</p>
<p>[Life</a> Sciences and Management at the University of Pennsylvania](<a href=“Home | Penn Life Sciences & Management Program”>Home | Penn Life Sciences & Management Program)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I feel like for you, it would be smarter to do CAS for pre med, major in bio or something like that. And then take a minor in some subject in wharton. Because pre meds are usually told to emphasize on their grades, you might want to focus on getting a higher GPA for premed, and then pursuing other interests in wharton. LMS might not be right for you, because you “like some parts and not others” for wharton.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-pennsylvania/1222214-help-need-plan-now.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-pennsylvania/1222214-help-need-plan-now.html</a></p>
<p>^Summarizes my current situation. Thanks for the comments everyone. I guess the LMS is not a good option. Could someone tell me about transfering?</p>
<p>“Wharton students can complete a dual degree with the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, or the School of Nursing. Unlike coordinated dual-degree programs, dual-degree programs do not offer a specialized curriculum. Instead, students must complete the traditional curriculum of two different programs to earn two different degrees. Students interested in a dual degree must consult with an academic advisor in the appropriate school to discuss requirements.”</p>
<p>It’s probably a lot harder though, BUT actually if you look at the statistics for people graduating with a dual degree from Wharton and CAS (un-coordinated), the employment salary is a LOT higher than people with just a Wharton degree, or surprisingly, even higher than those with coordinated dual degrees. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/reports/WHA_2010cp.pdf[/url]”>http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/reports/WHA_2010cp.pdf</a>
Page 3</p>
<p>You will also find that 8% of all Wharton students who completed the survey dual-degreed in Wharton and CAS.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t plan to do an uncoordinated dual degree when you haven’t been accepted to Penn yet. You just haven’t had the experience taking college classes to know what it’s like. Completing a coordinated program like LSM or M&T is manageable but very rigorous, but for an uncoordinated dual degree, you may need up to 50 credits, especially if majoring in something like biology where you are required to take four more credits than most other majors in the college. Doing a dual degree could greatly restrict your freedom regarding the courses you can take which is something you also want to think about.</p>
<p>The workload for double majors is definitely manageable. I’m doing two STEM majors and with proper time management I can easily get everything done. Why don’t you think about doing a minor in Wharton or majoring in Econ if you think you are interested in business? I’m not quite convinced that you are that interested so I would not recommend just applying to Wharton on a whim. Wharton is not for everyone. I, as well as many of my friends here, personally have no interest in Wharton it’s not unusual at all for people at Penn to not be interested in business.</p>
<p>Don’t let employment numbers sway you with regards to dual degrees… it is a classic chicken-and-egg conundrum. The reality is that people who do dual degrees are generally more high achieving and ambitious, so they are more likely to get higher paying salaries straight out of college regardless of what their course(s) of study at Penn.</p>
<p>The OP does not sound terribly certain of what direction to take, which spells liberal arts to me. If you aren’t 100% certain you want to go into business in four years, then Wharton is not the best place to apply; the College accepts (and promotes) uncertainty up until you are a sophomore, and even as seniors many College students haven’t fully made up their minds about careers and post-college life.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone. Well to clarify on how I feel about business, I will say that the idea of becoming a “consultant” interests me greatly. Talked to some people, did some research, I like the presentation part of the job, the personality, and the work area. The best part is that all I need is 4 years in wharton and poof I’ll be in the job world looking for employment. However, I’m prone to idealization and ultimately there’s nothing that can make me for sure that this is the right path for me. Premed would be the solid other path for me, since I’m a science kid and know quite a lot about healthcare (shadowing, whatnot). I’m not “in love” with the idea of becoming a doctor, but I do like it. </p>
<p>So right now I’m thinking of taking a minor in a wharton field while applying to CAS, and if I decide that wharton is for me after my first year, I’ll attempt to transfer?</p>
<p>Consulting is just as open to CAS students as it is to Wharton and Engineering students, so it is probably in your best interests to apply to the College; if you have a tremendous GPA and really want to transfer after freshman year, go for it. That said, most of my friends who came in with that idea wound up sticking with just the college since the thought of spending senior year running around like crazy trying to finish your credits just can’t compare to going to Smokes on a Wednesday night haha</p>
<p>
How is consulting also open to CAS students? Is investment banking also open to CAS students o__O </p>
<p>As for the latter part… touche lol. I’ll see how I feel. I guess CAS it is for me!</p>
<p>Of course it is… several of my friends went into I-banking out of the College; I know of Physics, Biology, Political Science, Economics, Philosophy and Math majors all going into the banking industry right out of school.</p>
<p>A major misconception by people before they apply to Penn is that the only way to really get jobs is to go to Wharton. Simply false!</p>
<p>Naturally, Wharton draws the top companies in the world to recruit on campus, and generally Wharton students are better equipped to enter into the workforce immediately upon graduation. However, companies rarely turn applicants away simply because they are graduating with a BA from the College instead of a BS from Wharton! The fact of the matter is, Wharton brings the companies in, and every undergraduate at Penn has the opportunity to apply to these companies.</p>
<p>I had five on-campus interviews last year, all because companies were drawn to Wharton, and I graduated with a Political Science degree from the College :)</p>
<p>Good to know chrisw. Thanks :)</p>
<p>Yeah, dual-degree students are typically ambitious to begin with. You’ll find that many of them have stellar GPA’s despite the harder workloads, and would have been just as successful even had they not been duals. Many even begin wondering if the dual degree is even worth it in the end since it doesn’t have a huge impact on job prospects, but it’s nice to have classes that mix things up a bit so you’re not staring at interest rates and balance sheets all day. Doing a dual can actually <em>help</em> your sanity, haha.</p>
<p>In other words, pursue a dual degree if you genuinely enjoy the subjects you’re studying.</p>
<p>CAS students are just as capable of landing jobs in finance later. Wharton gives you a more well-rounded business education, but that means you have to take Core classes that you may have zero interest in. In CAS, you can still take Wharton classes (up to some limit per year, can’t remember how many).</p>
<p>In other words, it isn’t some sort of tired maxim – do what you love. Seriously. The numbers support it. You’ll have a better time and better job opportunities.</p>
<p>CAS students can take as many Wharton classes as they want, but only four will count toward graduation. But since having enough credits for graduation is hardly ever an issue, you can effectively take as many Wharton classes as you want just as long as you don’t really care that they won’t “count”</p>