<p>My UPenn app is done but I'm still confused about whether to apply to Wharton or CAS</p>
<p>I've liked business and I just feel like the degree from Wharton would open a lot of doors which would be nice since I'm thinking about Law School. I have the math background and the business background in my ECs, but the only thing holding me back from committing is that I've heard mostly that Wharton is hardcore business and most of those that are accepted are set on Wall Street and I-banking and that liberal arts education atmosphere just dissipates. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I think that the programs at CAS are really interesting, like biological basis of behavior. Another reason that I like CAS is that I haven't exactly decided whether I want to pursue Law or Medicine (Though I'm leaning Law at this time, sorry if I sound confused) and that the education might be more liberal arts based which would be really nice. </p>
<p>Which would be the smarter choice? At the end of the day, I want an undergrad degree that is profitable on its own, which would give me some wiggle room when I go to grad school. If I go to Wharton, I'll probably pursue a dual degree with CAS, but I don't know if it's possible the other way around.</p>
<p>Can someone offer advice to a stressed out high school senior?! Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I feel like I was once in your shoes, interested in pursuing business at the undergraduate level and then moving onto law school (that plan changed after I got to Wharton). </p>
<p>Speaking on the “hardcore business” issue, I guess one could say that is true. After all, Wharton is THE business school for undergrads, and yes, many of your classmates were you to become a Whartonite would head off to Wall Street. But, there are plenty of other avenues to take from a place like Wharton if you want to seek them out. I think whether you apply Wharton or CAS will depend in part on the reasoning behind why you want to pursue law or medicine potentially in the future.</p>
<p>In my case, I was concerned about social impact and originally saw law as the path to do that. Once I got to Wharton, I realized I had no intention in being a practicing attorney (so the law school investment no longer seemed worth it) and that I could make an impact through the market or by leveraging my private sector skills in the NGO or government space. So, I encourage you to think of where your interest is coming from.</p>
<p>I also did a dual-degree with the College in Urban Studies. In fact, dual-degree is precisely why Penn was my #1 choice. I would apply to Wharton and consider dual-degreeing, but as I said before, think about what you ultimately want to accomplish and why.</p>
<p>And lastly, please remember there is no bad choice between CAS and Wharton. There is only the best choice for you.</p>
<p>We went thru this with my D. She selected Wharton because she decided there was enough opportunity to explore the liberal arts within the program.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you can’t go wrong studying economics and _________. You fill in the blank. Religion, history, political science, pre-med, area studies, math, statistics, etc are all complementary with each other. Economics plays well with other studies and you could do a research project combining economics with almost any other discipline. Finally, you won’t feel to far behind your whartonite peers if economics is in your background when competing for jobs. Without a doubt, economics won’t replace a Wharton background but it gives you a foundation.</p>
<p>Another option - study what you want and get an MBA later.</p>