<p>My Dad went to oxford and he deterred me from applying. England just isn’t as good as America he says, and its a lot more dreary.</p>
<p>In making this choice, I think you really need to consider what you want out of your college experience. Penn and Oxford have very different dynamics for social life. Look into which one seems more appealing to you. Honestly, you’ll receive a good education at either institution, so I would make my choice on where you’re going to be happiest. </p>
<p>Also, do you know where you’d like to work in the future? If you plan on a career in business, a network is really important, and the large majority of your Wharton and Oxford networks would stay in the US and Europe, respectively.</p>
<p>FYI this thread is 3 years old :)</p>
<p>Ah, I did not realize that, not sure why Quark revived then? Hope the OP chose well!</p>
<p>Based on the limited sample size of his posts I think he chose Wharton.</p>
<p>While Oxford does undeniably have the name - there is such little breadth that I don’t think it can compare to the US model. I also really don’t think Penn being confused as a state school by the uneducated is a valid criticism, I think we all know that. Penn’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, wasn’t egotistical enough for the school to be named after him, nor can we ignore the fact that Penn predates the existence of any other state school. UK academics have an undoubted advantage as they stick to one field and none other, focusing all their resources on a single subject. Oxford also is only in session for 8 weeks. It’s also got a set standard of how classes work, you can’t espouse the benefits of the tutorial system, when in the US, you have the option to enroll in that. </p>
<p>Penn, has much longer sessions in class. And really, in terms of your intellectual enrichment, it’s what you make it of. It’s normal for Wharton students to have their favorite classes in the College - Penn’s CAS is really unique and really strong. There’s a huge emphasis on interdisciplinary study - as this is how the real world works - not in superficial, academic isolation as Oxford somewhat limits itself too. The academic options are unparalleled, and that crosses over to HYP. You won’t find as many options there as you do here. If you want to take classes in Market and Social Systems Engineering (Penn is the first, and one of the few schools to have it) - you can. Likewise, if you’re fascinated with Behavioral Economics or Medieval Literature - you’ll be taught by the pioneers or leaders of these fields. </p>
<p>I’m going to argue that with Penn’s vastly superior resources (have you seen Penn’s budget? it’s over 6 billion, try Oxford’s 1.5), you will have a better education for both your career as well as your personal enrichment. The Bodleian and Ashmolean are great, but Penn has similar complements as well as access to the libraries of all other schools in the Ivy League. You’re much more likely to do research at Penn than at Oxford, undergraduate research is much better funded generally at Penn and is generally more prolific. </p>
<p>Of course, then you have Wharton itself. It is one of Penn’s legendary graduate schools (in addition to Penn Law and especially Penn Med), and has made a name for itself as the world’s first and best business school. It really defines business education, whilst offerings at Oxford and Cambridge are newer, and much less illustrious. The Oxbridge name will take you so far, but for a career in finance, consulting, marketing or any other form of business - Wharton takes precedence. Even CAS will probably be stronger, Penn’s college graduates are much more well rounded, better skilled, more equipped and more adaptable. Oxford’s undergrads may or may not have the edge in their chosen field, but will be subpar on other platforms. </p>
<p>The cultural differences, however, may be different. It really depends if you value the illustrious history and tradition of Oxford as opposed to the more unpretentious and industrious Penn model (and even then, Penn has it’s fair share of history). You may like the freedom of the UK model in requiring you to not take classes you don’t want to, and sticking to your major. You may indeed prefer the drinking age of 18, the pub-scene and generally quieter, more chill and more intellectual atmosphere of Oxford, over the more diverse, frat-to-club scene at Penn. If you care less about extra-curriculars and an organized social life, maybe Penn isn’t for you. If you want a quiet, incredibly scenic, idyllic environment as opposed to the busy, fast-paced, urban-campus mix that Penn has, Oxford may have it for you. </p>
<p>I think it does come down to personal fit, but I think it comes down to whether you want to rely on Oxford’s vast history and tradition to supply you with its name, and specific, relatively shorter training in a given discipline or whether you want to take advantage of the larger opportunities, resources and breadth as well Penn’s Ivy-league pedigree, Wharton name and campus vibrancy.</p>