Gents,
I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful pre-summer weather!
I have narrowed down my transfer options to Duke Trinity College and UPenn School of Arts and Sciences.
How would you compare an Economics BA degree from UPenn SAS (ie. not Wharton) to a Economics BS degree from Duke? I would appreciate if you could share your perspective on these three specific factors:
1)Academic rigor
2)Job prospects straight out of college
3)Graduate/Law School prospects
I really appreciate everyone’s input, and I look forward to reading all of them!
Hey,
Definitely not an expert, so don’t quote me
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Honestly they’re gonna be pretty equal, both top notch difficulty
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Advantage UPenn IMO. Located in a major city
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Again, they’re pretty even
Duke and UPenn (non-Wharton) are really close in terms on rankings, so at this point I would decide based on financial situation and “fit” (weather, campus vibes, etc)
Not being in a major city does NOT hurt Duke graduates with regards to job prospects, trust me. Top notch firms and companies from all around the country recruit actively on Duke’s campus. The #1 destination for Duke seniors upon graduating is NYC with DC being #2. San Fran, Boston, Atlanta, LA, and RDU are also well represented. Duke is a national (really international) school and companies (and grad programs) are sure to tap it for top talent regardless of location.
Having said all that, I agree that the programs and prospects are largely equal. Does Penn only have a BA degree in econ? If so, I’d say Duke’s BS degree will provide you with more academic rigor and certain companies may prefer it as it shows more demonstrated quantitative skills. If there’s a BS option at Penn, I’d recommend that. But, yes, I’d agree to choose based on fit and where you think you’d be happier.
Duke and Penn were my top two choices coming out of high school – I chose Duke for BME but the factors besides academics that weighed heavily for me were school spirit and sense of community, beautiful campus and weather, and just general overall feel and pride. I really liked Penn too, but just thought Duke would provide me with a more enriching and enjoyable experience.
Can’t go wrong – good luck!
You can’t go wrong. I tend to think Penn CAS gives you slightly better recruiting options. Wharton brings a ton of elite firms to campus, and even in the college you can try to get interviews. Best of luck!
@bluedog a BS in Econ from UPenn is what Wharton students get.
RE: job prospects and those that may want to stay in the area. I offer this article as the lead story on CNN Money right now:
“Top 10 Best Cities for Jobs”
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2015/05/19/best-cities-for-jobs/index.html
- Raleigh, NC
"The Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina is home to the famed Research Triangle Park, where a host of health and technology companies have set up shop. It's also known for its schools -- Duke University, North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina.
And it’s a great place to find a job. Among the 50 largest metro areas, Raleigh ranked highest in terms of hiring opportunities – i.e., the ratio of active job openings to the number of people living there, according to a new report from Glassdoor. It ranked fairly high in reported job satisfaction as well.
“Raleigh has long held a reputation for tech companies looking to flee the expensive Northeast corridor,” said Glassdoor chief economist Dr. Andrew Chamberlain.
Companies like IBM, Cisco, Wells Fargo and SAS have chosen to have major offices there."
Thank you, everyone, for your input! I have decided on UPenn. The information you have all provided helped me to make an informed decision, and for that I am grateful!