<p>Is it possible to get accepted into Wharton with no ECs like FBLA or other business-related things? Or does that just make it more difficult?</p>
<p>“Is it possible to get accepted into Wharton with no ECs like FBLA or other business-related things? Or does that just make it more difficult?” </p>
<p>Completely possible. While many of my friends had business-y extracurrics, I had zero. I was head photographer of my (weekly, award winning) school newspaper, and I competed in cycling, but besides cultural clubs, those were the only things I was involved in. Very not Wharton, at all, right? (And I had no hooks…white, upper-mid class girl from a boarding school). I will admit to being an atypical Wharton student in some ways, but the admin office doesn’t want all students to be carbon copies of each other.</p>
<p>Ok thanks. If I plan on applying to Wharton, should I retake a 720 Math 2 Subject Test? Or will a good score on AP Calc AB as a junior make up for that?</p>
<p>Incoming CAS Econ student here…</p>
<p>How accepting are Whartonites to CAS students interested in finance/consulting/business? I’ll be an econ major so its not like its unrelated. I plan on getting involved in investing and finance extracurriculars, take Wharton classes, and actually go down a similar career path. There are many CAS econ majors interested in finance (I assumed at least) so I can’t imagine this being a problem.</p>
<p>If any current Penn students can elaborate, that’d be wonderful.</p>
<p>Former Penn student – but I’d say Wharton undergrads are accepting of CAS econ students but being a CAS econ student, you will have a different experience. You can certainly join the finance/investment clubs etc. as those are open to all students. However, Wharton undergrads are together a lot. They take a lot of courses together esp. in the first 2 years (esp. MGMT 100, Finance 100/101, Stat 101/102, and Acct) and constantly have group projects. That forms a certain bond among classmates that you may not be able to achieve if you’re just taking 1 or 2 Wharton classes here and there and you may notice it as you’re looking for group members for projects or people to study with and get the sense that everyone knows each other. Overall it should be fine, esp. if you’re a bit outgoing. In terms of career path, I wouldn’t worry about it yet but you will certainly be able to do OCR for many of the same types of jobs as those in Wharton.</p>
<p>Spring fling! Party hard gents.</p>
<p>have fun kafka. im in my last class of the day waiting to fling hard!</p>
<p>I thought I would bump this since decisions are just round the corner.</p>
<p>Originally Posted by travelbug
More to the point, though, is my issue- again- with your insinuation that matriculation to Wharton is the equivalent of signing on to a life of finance. Whartonites in fact do have just as much “opportunity for exploration” as HYPS students</p>
<p>While Whartonites may have the opportunity for exploration, the fact of the matter is that they don’t actually take advantage of these opportunities (assuming they exist to the extent that you say they do). As I stated earlier, very few Whartonites pursue advanced education in finance or business-related disciplines such as economics or statistics, let alone other non-related fields of study.</p>
<p>Quote:
Originally Posted by travelbug
I’ll reiterate the fact that Whartonites not only have multiple business concentrations to choose from, but also have access to a well-respected school of arts and sciences.</p>
<h2>I’ll reiterate that at the end of the day, it’s still the same undergraduate business degree (i.e. what Wharton calls a B.S. in economics that really isn’t economics).</h2>
<p><soapbox> </soapbox></p>
<p>I know this is from several pages back, but what I want to know is, why does it seem to be general consensus (at least among the LA camp) that holding an advanced degree, or several degrees, in something (i.e. spending more time studying it before applying it) inherently shows a greater level of passion or commitment to the subject matter. Am I wrong to believe that applying your chosen pursuit-- weather it be business, art history, engineering, biology, literature, or history-- can’t be just as intellectually stimulating/enjoyable/interesting as studying for a PHD in the discipline, with the added advantage of getting paid to do it rather then incurring hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra debt. </p>
<p>I mean for some being a life time student is ideal, but I do not think that desiring to get an Undergrad degree from Wharton and then pursuing my passion for business, economics, and entrepreneurship in the real world automatically qualifies me as a salary-monger or makes me any less passionate about my pursuit. It is simple frugality really. As established by the OP a Wharton Degree is almost the equal of an MBA from anywhere except Harvard or Wharton itself, and probably the equivalent of even higher degrees at most public universities. </p>
<p>As such it is not only a choice of field and intellectual study, but also of lifestyle. For the price of 4 years and $200k I can get the type of education a YPS (or other Non-Harvard student) would get in 6+ and $300-400k, or a student at any non top 25 uni would be lucky to get in 8 years at a similar $200-300k price tag.</p>
<p>You must remember that even among smart and intellectual people not everyone wants to stay in school indefinitely, and some would prefer working in the field to more years of study even if the economic concerns above were not the issue. I find the prospect of running a business, marketing an idea, trading stock, etc. to be actually more interesting then studying the theory. In other words the education is a means to an end and MORE is not inherently BETTER. </p>
<p>^^
Holy Wall-of-text Batman. Also please do not waste your time picking apart my argument piece by piece, because it is not intended to apply to everything or everyone but simply explain why myself (and probably some others like me) appreciate Wharton and other similar specialty programs for more then just salary-mongering.</p>
<p>^ Uh-oh…? I mostly agree with your post, lukebbuff, but I <em>think</em> you disagreed with mine? I never meant to offend, just to make a point. Of course, I could also be misinterpreting your copy-and-paste job. Either way, best wishes to you.</p>
<p>**Myth 15: LSE has better placement than Wharton **</p>
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</p>
<p>First off, thanks to everyone who posted such long and detailed responses; it really helped me affirm my love of Wharton. The only problem (or I don’t know if this is a problem yet) is that I really, really want to go to Wharton but I’m afraid that my GPA and subject test scores will hold me back a LOT. I’ve done really badly in math during high school (I’ve also taken the most challenging classes, if that’s important) and math is my worst subject; Even though I understand the material, I’m just an awful math test taker (not to make excuses, but yeah…) I also have a pretty low GPA. I have a pretty good ACT score and lots of ECs, but I’m really worried that my GPA and my math scores will be really offputting for the Penn/Wharton adcoms. I’m starting to ramble, but basically:
- I want to apply ED to Wharton, but I really want to go to Penn in general. Should I apply ED to Wharton, even though I know my GPA and math scores are a GIANT hindrance, when there’s a better chance I might get into CAS?
- Obviously, math matters a lot, but how much does it? Someone else posted this link and basically, one of the adcoms says that all that matters is a math grade. [What</a> Wharton Wants](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>
<p>Any help or advice you could give me would be amazing. I’m starting to apply to colleges and Penn is definitely my top choice and Wharton would be amazing, but I just don’t know if I have a good enough chance, etc.</p>
<p>Myth 16: International students’ chances of getting in will be hurt if asking for fin aid? And well, since Wharton is such a prestigious school with an excellent platform for business, will the school prefer giving the seats to Americans rather than int’l students?</p>
<p>Im an international student currently studying on a scholarship in Spore, and fell in love with Wharton a few years ago when reading about it:) My ex classmate in Vietnam got into CAS and a Vietnamese guy got into Wharton this year, from NZ int’l sch. I see no few chances of getting in, and yes, what I am most worried about is hurting my chance of getting in when I apply fin aid this year, coz the guy paid full! (I really love entrepreneurship, in fact I first did my ‘business’ when I was in primary sch XD)</p>
<p>Hopefully I am entrepreneurially motivated and capable enough for Wharton this year!</p>
<p>That Cenk Uygur guy is on CNN. God I can’t stand him! He stumbles all over his words, and is very inarticulate. Not Wharton’s best showing.</p>
<p>One month left till school starts. Just out of curiosity, did this thread help anyone decide in favor or against Wharton during this cycle ? Did any of you turn down HYPSM, why ?</p>
<p>I have an (extremely late) response to two points brought up by a poster taking the negative position on this debate.</p>
<p>1. A 17-year-old cannot possibly know what he wants to do for a career, so he is foolish to pigeonhole himself into business by going to Wharton.</p>
<p>It has already been covered that going to Wharton does not preclude one from pursuing another field that ends up being more satisfying to them. What I would like to bring up is that is a 17-year-old cannot know what he wants to do for a living, then how can a 21-year-old? It’s just four extra years, and it’s not like those years were spent working; they were spent in school. Granted, many students will find a field that they love and will major in that field.</p>
<p>However, with that being said, many people change their major, many people go back to school, and many people will switch into a job in a very different field. Adults with families experience this sort of change of heart with surprising frequency.</p>
<p>How is this relevant to the argument at hand? First, while the average 17-year-old does not know what they want to do in the future, Wharton does not comprise average 17-year-olds. Wharton, and any top college / department for that matter, comprises exceptional students and exceptional people. A significant number of these exceptional adolescents can already identify their set career field. If that is business, Wharton would seem to be a great undergraduate school for them. If they have some sort of entrepreneurial idea that may provide better returns than going to Wharton, they may drop out, take a year off, or defer their enrollment. I know of one Wharton acceptee from this year who is doing just that in order to pursue a business venture. Long story short, students are going to Wharton because it is what they know they want to do, for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Second, I fail to see why it is so horrible for a high school senior to believe that he wants to study business and then change his mind. As pointed out previously, students in Wharton can switch degrees or pick up a second degree. This will make them suitable and marketable for a job or course of study pertinent to their new major. Wharton is not trade school. A student who goes to vocational school to learn plumbing is not criticized for pigeonholing himself. A student who enrolls in the United States Naval Academy is not criticized because he must enroll in the military after completing his excellent education. The possibility of a change of heart surely exists for the future plumber and the future Navy enlistee; how is it fair to criticize the Whartonite for that, when the Whartonite actually has more options in which to indulge if he does change his mind?</p>
<p>2. Wharton students enter the business world because of the money, not because business is their passion.</p>
<p>This argument is laughably naive. Wharton students enter the business world because they enjoy business and because it entails a high salary, commission, and bonus. This is not to be condemned, but rather condoned. To be specific, I strongly disapprove of anybody who enters business for the money. These are the people who are responsible for the impending economic collapse; these are the people who came up with subprime mortgages and high-frequency trading. On the other hand, I strongly approve of somebody joining an investment bank, a consulting firm, a venture capital group, etc. if they enjoy doing it and they enjoy the pay that comes with it. Nobody said that one’s job has to be one’s top passion or one’s calling in life. Let me illustrate an example from my life.</p>
<p>My passion is learning about everything that I can. In a perfect world where I had access to unlimited resources, I would be a lifelong student at a top research university. However, since this is not the case, I must make choices. Now, in addition to learning about everything that I can, I also love communicating this information to others. I tutored throughout high school, and it brought me much intrinsic pleasure. However, being a teacher is not very lucrative, and this is certainly a strike against entering into pedagogy. Finally, I am an extrovert. I love interacting with people (explaining why I love teaching). I also have strong quantitative skills; indeed, I also gain intrinsic pleasure from solving a challenging and compelling mathematical problem.</p>
<p>I am faced with three career choices. One, I can pick a field of study that I love and attempt to make a living in it. For instance, I love art history; I can try to be a museum curator or a tour guide. Two, I can gain a teaching license and teach high school math and science. Three, I can study business in college while keeping up my casual studying of all other subjects on my own time.</p>
<p>The obvious choice is number three. Why is this?</p>
<p>As previously mentioned, business will make significantly more money than choices one and two. I am not sacrificing my ability to study other topics that I want to; I can still do this throughout my life. Furthermore, by entering business, I am doing the exact opposite of pigeonholing myself. I am allowing myself access into so many different fields. Whether I enter into consulting, private equity, venture capital, or trading stocks, I am allowing myself the opportunity to do research in and interact with many different industries. Just from my internship at a hedge fund this summer, I’ve learned much about biotechnology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, electrical engineering, agriculture, resource mining, computer science and engineering, food and beverage production, medicine, and more. I’ve talked to experts in these fields and studied top companies and products in these fields.</p>
<p>Essentially - business is the right choice for me. I can engage into all of these disparate fields that I love learning about so much. I interact with important people every day, whether they are experts in their field or potential customers. And yes, I make enough money to live extremely comfortably.</p>
<p>Given my quantitative nature, I could become a physicist. Given my qualitative nature, I could become a historiographer. But given my extroversion, it makes the most sense for me to enter business, where I can learn about a lot of fields, use my own time to do my own learning into even more fields, and reap the benefits of a high salary. And whenever I do retire, I am 100% set on gaining a teaching license and teaching high school classes. Doesn’t it make more sense to teach once I no longer have monetary concerns than to teach first and do business second? Of course it does.</p>
<p>Furthermore, just to beat a dead horse, why isn’t anybody ripping on engineers? Their salaries are extremely high, and studying engineering pigeonholes you more than studying business, as I have already demonstrated. Yes, they make tangible products that (are supposed to) better society, but it is businessmen who make this possible. Businessmen therefore serve just as useful of a purpose as engineers in that regard. (Note that I take exception to people like subprime mortgage brokers and high-frequency traders, as stated above.)</p>
<p>And since I’m in M&T, I’ll be learning how to do both.</p>
<p>Haven’t come on here in ages and ages, but it’s spring break in two days so i thought I’d take a few minutes out to answer any questions you guys might have about Wharton. Shoot away!</p>
<p>Thank you for the super informative posts thus far! </p>
<p>I am currently a high school junior who definitely hopes to pursue business in college. Having spent all my high school extracurrics in a variety of business fields, I’ve realized that finance is not for me. Instead, I would ideally like to pursue a career in human resources.</p>
<p>Would Wharton not be a good fit for me? I’ve heard that Wharton is heavily focused on finance. Any insight appreciated; thank you :)!</p>
<p>^ The Wharton faculty and resources have breadth, depth, and eminence that go well beyond just finance. For example, check out the various MBA specialty rankings of US News and World Report (including management):</p>
<p>[Top</a> MBA Programs | Best Business Schools Resources | US News<a href=“top%20of%20center%20column”>/url</a></p>
<p>The sexy Wall Street jobs and careers may get most of the attention here on CC, but if you explore the entire Wharton Undergrad web site, including the page about available concentrations, you’ll see that there is A LOT more to Wharton than just finance:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/undergrad/academic-excellence/concentrations.cfm]Wharton”>Concentrations - Undergraduate]Wharton</a> Undergraduate | Concentrations](<a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools]Top”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools)</p>
<p>[The</a> Wharton Undergraduate Program | The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania](<a href=“http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/undergrad/]The”>Wharton Undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania)</p>
<p>Congrats to the Wharton Class of 2016 ! Come one, come all.</p>