Hi everyone,
I was recently offered admission to UPenn Wharton and the Stamps Program at Georgia Tech. With the aid UPenn provides, we would be paying ~$30,000 each year, while at Georgia Tech everything would be covered (including tuition, housing, books, laptop, etc.). Thankfully, my family has saved up enough money to send me to UPenn, but I am having a tough time evaluating if it is worth it.
Down the line I know I want to lead a startup or business of some sort. I feel that one route is to study CS at Georgia Tech (which is a field I am into), follow it up with an MBA at a top business school, and work my way to the top of a big tech company or start my own. On the other hand, Wharton is Wharton. I could do my undergrad in business management at Wharton, take some CS classes, and have an easier time rising up the corporate ladder due to the prestige of the Wharton degree.
Thoughts?
I would choose Wharton myself.
GTech Stamps is an amazing deal, but you would be getting Wharton at in-state public prices (also an amazing deal).
Wharton will give you a better bang for your buck imo. You won’t need a top school MBA to start your career at a high level. That top school MBA will cost a lot more than what you’re getting Wharton for.
I would choose Wharton any day without hesitation. The opportunities it offers is unparalleled to any other business school in the country, if not the whole world.
Congratulations!! That’s a double wow.
I would carefully consider both!
Wharton is amazing. And GT Stamps is equally impressive.
The Wharton experience is not only your outstanding fellow students but the professors you will encounter and business savvy. The leading minds regarding social media, branding and finance. It’s crazy good.
GT, I think will offer you more opportunity to cross over and interact with the leading researchers & classmates involved in cutitng edge cs applications, engineering, ai and robotics. These are the start up engines and business imperatives for the next century. You will make connections to the classmates driving these ideas and change. You can also take on a few of these classes yourself. Pretty exciting as well. Great sports and warmer weather too.
So depending on your specific dreams and personal preferences either could be perfect for you.
In general.
Same cost. Wharton.
If it were full pay Wharton vs GT Stamps. And you were “fit” agnostic. I would choose GT.
If it was your exact situation. The cost of an in state flagship u for Penn or GT Stamps. It would be Wharton. Connections. Internships and professors.
Bias alert. I never spent one night or took a class at the GT campus. I have immense respect for the top tech schools and my experience with grads and how they are viewed. I know Wharton on personal basis. But not as an undergrad. It’s a different experience and I wouldn’t know one bit about undergrad clubs, fun, parties or life on campus at all. They generally looked pretty darn happy to be there that’s for sure.
Thank you all for your input!!
If you’re dead set on business it’s hard to beat Wharton with its alumni network and amazing recruiting for students. However, the money offers a lot of financial flexibility for the future… honestly even though it’s hard to beat Wharton for opportunities, George Tech might be the better option here. But, know that for undergrad recruiting you won’t get access to everything at Georgia Tech that you can at Wharton. However, if you are considering engineering/math/computer science at all, then all the more reason to go for Georgia Tech. Good luck!
Wharton undergrad alum says go with Wharton.