<p>Hi everyone, I realize this post puts the proverbial cart before the horse but I was hoping to get a bit of input on the subject. We live in SoCal and daughter was recently accepted to USC's Marshall School of Business with a scholarship. At this stage of her life she expects to remain in Southern California after she graduates college and pursue a career here. She is a true Southern California girl, smart without being obnoxious, cute, captain of her cheer team at a large public school, and can sell ice cubes to eskimos. </p>
<p>She attended the LEAD business program at Duke this summer and fell in love with the business world, one she had not been exposed to previously. My question, if anyone has any meaningful thoughts on, is if she does intend to live and work in Southern California after college, with as strong as the alumni support group for USC is out here, would she benefit from a Wharton undergraduate business degree or would she be better off with the USC connection?</p>
<p>Again, I realize this question is merely a hypothetical at this point but in less than two months she may be facing a dilemna. Thanks in advance for your responses. :)</p>
<p>Undergrad - probably not. Wharton is the heavyweight champ but if her ambition is local, she will be fine there. If it were an MBA and her ambitions were greater, than it may be a different answer. However, you have Stanford for a heavy hitting MBA and Wharton has a satellite in Cali too.</p>
<p>If your D wants more options in the types of industries, geographical location and experience different cultures while she is young, then she should consider Wharton. Wharton has the national and worldwide reputation that Marshall does not have. Plus many southern California and international companies that have LA offices recruit from Wharton. She also will have the ability to have a entry level job anywhere in the country and then relocate back to LA after a few years.</p>
<p>Many Wharton graduates do not need an MBA to advance their careers, thus saving $$ in future tuition and opportunity costs.</p>
<p>Hmmm…SoCal gal and used to that atmosphere + weather…and planning to work in SoCal after college? Philadelphia is drastically different than SoCal, beyond the huge weather difference.</p>
<p>Academically Wharton would be the better choice overall, but if she really plans to stay in SoCal then USC’s alum connections would be quite the help.</p>
<p>How about taking a cross country trip very soon to see what Phili looks like in early February? Your SoCal D may make up her mind pretty quickly if she’s never seen really cold weather and gray skies!</p>
<p>@ ivyparent43, Very valid point. We are planning to wait until April 1st (her spring break) to travel out there. Of course, the weather will be far milder but don’t want to spend the time/money on the chance she gets admitted. </p>
<p>@ cbreeze, Everything you state makes perfect sense but having lived in SoCal my whole life it’s very hard to quantify how much that SC connection impacts future jobs. My husband and I know many alums who swear by the “Trojan Family”. I’m not for a second suggesting that Wharton on your resume won’t open many many doors but . . . </p>
<p>As for grad school, it’s awfully hard to plan that far in the future for a soon to be 18 y/o. If it was strictly up to her, without any extrinsic advice, I’m pretty sure she’d be staying here as she knows so many people currently at SC and knows all of one person at Penn. Interesting decision for her, assuming again she has that option.</p>
<p>I know that very well, having had USC connections myself. However, USC biz school graduates are plentiful and Wharton grads are extremely hard to come by in S. Cal. The most desirable companies (PIMCO,Warner Bros etc) in LA area recruit from top schools nationally. Hiring is a team effort now and each candidate has to be interviewed and approved by 5 or more people and in reality, not everyone on the hiring team is a USC grad. The “Trojan family” nowadays just shows enthusiasm for the football team as you can see all the Trojan flags being displayed on game days.</p>