Hey,
For undergrad, I’m torn between Wharton (with NROTC) and US Naval Academy. At the US Naval Academy, I want to double major in Quantitative Economics and Operations Research. I want to get a job at a “big 3” consulting firm or an Investment Banking firm after undergrad, before I do my MBA, but I also really want to have some military service, as I want to serve my country. Which school would be better for my job prospect after my military service (I want to be a Marine Officer)?
I think you have two options if you get into both schools (which is extremely difficult by the way):
- Attend Wharton undergrad and enlist in the Marine Corps after graduation -You don't have to go to the Naval Academy to join the Marines -Naval Academy doesn't even compare to Wharton's presence on Wall Street
- Attend Naval Academy, serve, and get your MBA from a top business school. -If you get an MBA from a top program, your undergrad won't matter anyways -Naval Academy is an amazing school and also has free tuition -Having gone to the Naval Academy may even help a little bit on Wall Street. Definitely badass.
Both will lead to great job prospects. But They are both extremely difficult to get into. Wharton’s acceptance rate is probably around 5% and Naval Academy’s is 9%. There is also an interview and a rigorous application process for the Naval Academy. You should worry about which one to go to only after you have been accepted, unless you are contemplating applying ED to Wharton.
What are your stats and extracurriculars?
Yea, I am thinking about early decision for Wharton.
And also, what do you mean by “Naval Academy doesn’t even compare to Wharton’s presence on Wall Street?” Is a wharton degree more prestigious to get a job from the top 3 consulting firms, or is the USNA also as prestigious?
Wharton is the best undergraduate business program, so it is highly recruited by BB, big 3 consulting and other top firms, the Big 4, etc. You will have access to on campus recruiting, alumni network, and Wharton’s prestige will open a lot of doors. Naval Academy isn’t a target school because students leave for the navy after graduating. So it doesn’t really have a presence on Wall Street.
Apply ED to Wharton with NROTC. The deadline for ED notification is like a two months before the Naval Academy application deadline is due or something. There is a lot of pre-application stuff you need to do for the Naval Academy though.
@Dontskipthemoose But since I’m majoring in Quantitative Economics and Operations Research, after the Marines, if I want to get a job before grad school at the top 3 firms, will a degree from the USNA be as prestigious as a Wharton degree?
@JerseyStudent1 for business, a Wharton degree is way more prestigious. For IB and Consulting, where you go to school and whether that school is a target, semi-target, or non-target is very important. Even if you get a degree from an overall prestigious university like Vanderbilt, it is still not easy to break into Wall Street if it isn’t a target school. Wharton is the top of the top in terms of Wall Street placement. Is a USNA degree prestigious? Yes. Is it as prestigious as a Wharton degree? No. I mean you can definitely make it to the top 3 from anywhere including the Naval Academy, but it doesn’t compare to Wharton.
I don’t know too much about the Naval Academy since it is a military academy. It isn’t a target school for Wall Street for sure though since students aren’t looking to go to Wall Street right after graduating. So there is a lack of networking available at the Naval Academy, and networking is extremely important if you aren’t at a target school. Look on linkedIn to see where Naval academy grads have ended up working after finishing their terms. You might also want to research grad school placement from the Naval Academy. But serving in the military looks impressive on your resume and may help your job prospects a little.
@Dontskipthemoose Ok, but what about if I wait to get a job until after grad school? What are my prospects of getting into the Harvard MBA program from the USNA if I have good grades?
If you get an MBA from a top program like Harvard, then you will have great job prospects. But you might want some experience before getting an MBA. An important aspect of MBA applications after GPA and GMAT is experience. No one can tell you if you will get into Harvard from the Naval Academy. Qualified applicants get rejected all the time. Look up the Naval Academy’s grad school placement. I imagine that it is good since the Naval Academy is prestigious and a fantastic school.
Honestly I feel like you are stressing over nothing. If you like Wharton more than the Naval Academy, apply ED. If you don’t, apply RD and make your decision after you get all your results. For what it’s worth, I think you are leaning towards the Naval Academy, so just apply RD to Wharton. I am not trying to be negative, but choosing between Penn and USNA is pointless at this point since you haven’t been accepted. All you need to know now is would you go to Penn over USNA?
Veterans on Wall Street is a great organization that helps soon to be separating officers network and find jobs on the street. A number of the IBs also have programs for transitioning officers. But it is definitely harder to find your first gig coming out of the fleet than through the normal B-school recruiting process. Why not go straight to B-school once your initial service commitment is finished? Plebe year is tough and you really have to want to be there.
Do you want to serve as an Officer in the Navy or Marines Corps, or are you trying to check a box before you move on to what you perceive is a bigger and better things ? USNA is first and foremost a Military Academy, with a mission of developing leaders for the Naval Service. If your first priority is Wall Street, USNA is probably not the place for you. That being said, you are not committing to a lifetime in the Navy. I don’t think anyone truly knows what they want to do for life at 17-18, and if you are interested in serving in the Naval Service and are open mined about your career opportunities, attending USNA is a good option. Attending USNA will open doors everywhere, and attending USNA then a first rate MBA program will allow you to write your own tickets. Good luck.
Lifestyle should honestly be your primary consideration before anything else in the future. Wharton and USNA will be VASTLY different lifestyles. USNA is very regimented and “unique” compared to any other college, except other military academies. While at both institutions academics is the primary focus, as NavyBGO says, USNA primarily exists to prepare you for being an officer in the fleet. I am a USNA sophomore who decided to go to here over an ivy, and for me the lifestyle was the primary reason. Personally I knew the more structured lifestyle would benefit me both in and out of the classroom. I really suggest taking a visit to both, and for USNA you can try to get a Candidate Visit Weekend where you can actually shadow a midshipman for day of classes.
There is another factor. If selected, you can sign a Marine contract with ROTC. For USNA, you will not know until service selection your senior year (Firstie).
The Naval Academy has a vast network of alumni so don’t worry about that. How badly do you want to serve before you try for Wall Street? Also, USNA is a 5 year Active Duty committment. ROTC may be 4, I’m not sure.