<p>I really want to go to UPenn Wharton, and I am applying their ED this fall. I'm worried that if I'm able to get in that I'll be overwhelmed by the course load. I've heard that to be competitive for grad schools/top jobs after Wharton, a 3.7+ gpa is ideal. I've also heard that getting a 3.7+ is very difficult. I'm a student that maintains straight A's while doing several APs and ECs. I'm a pretty fast learner, but I know that Wharton's classes are way way harder than what I've done in high school. So, I guess my question is what kinds of classes do you have to take at Wharton? What are the hardest classes? Is it manageable?</p>
<p>It’s manageable- we all do it.</p>
<p>3.5+ is ideal for “top jobs,” but honestly that’s not all that matters. There are people here who are brilliant, but there are people who are rather average. I have friends who are struggling to get 3.0s and friends who still have a 4.0 after freshman year.</p>
<p>1st semester, you are required to take Math 104 (unless you have credit for Calc BC), Econ 010 (basic macro/micro unless you have AP credit), and Mgmt 100 (oh, the joys of Mgmt100).</p>
<p>2nd semester you have to take Bpub 250 (intermediate microecon).</p>
<p>Opim 101 is frequently taken 2nd semester, Stats 101/102 is frequently taken during freshman year, along with writing seminar. Then you can fill in the other slots with gen ed requirements.</p>
<p>Curves are typically around 30% A range, 50% B range, 20% C range and below I think- correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>Then after freshman year, you launch into the core. Acct, Fnce, etc. Yes, you’ll probably need to deal with a GPA less than a 4.0, but hey- it’s a great time and everyone here survives.</p>
<p>thanks xstingx! I actually sat in on an Opim class, so I was just wondering what other kinds of classes Wharton students had to take.</p>
<p>There are academic worksheets online that you can find.</p>
<p>[Curricular</a> Requirements](<a href=“http://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/advising/curriculum/requirements.cfm]Curricular”>http://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/advising/curriculum/requirements.cfm)
That shows you what is required.</p>
<p>The handbook for this year may also help you.
<a href=“http://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/policies_forms/acad_forms/handbook_2010.pdf[/url]”>http://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/policies_forms/acad_forms/handbook_2010.pdf</a></p>
<p>Wharton’s curriculum isn’t too bad compared to if you just went crazy in the science or engineering departments. </p>
<p>As for the ease of maintaining a good GPA, it is entirely possible in any major at Penn, but it depends most importantly on you, your studying habits, your previous HS preparation, etc…</p>
<p>You don’t NEED a 3.7+ GPA to get a good job (not sure about grad school), just as you don’t NEED a 3.7+ GPA to get into Penn in the first place. Of course, getting better grades will reap rewards, but in terms of deciding where to go to college, worry (if you must worry) about the school itself, the atmosphere, whether or not you are interested in the coursework, and less about whether or not you will succeed. As they say, if you can get in, you can do the academic work.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses! I just have another quick question. I got back my ap results and I got all 5s, with the exception of two 4’s in micro/macroeconomics. Would this hurt my chances for Wharton? Or would I just have to retake the courses in my first year?</p>
<p>You would just need to take ECON 010 like the majority of the Wharton kids. They recommend people who got 5s on Micro and Macro to take it anyway.</p>
<p>And AP scores hold no bearing on anything with the decision process.</p>
<p>Ok thank you to xstingx and all the other people who answered questions, you’ve cleared up a lot of my doubts.</p>
<p>No problem! Good luck with the application process! :]</p>
<p>sorry xstingx, but one thing i may have to disagree with you on is if you get 5’s on Micro and Macro you should NOT take econ010. there is absolutely no use to put another requirement into a freshman’s fall schedule if he or she can take something else that is interesting. besides, it also doesn’t really help or give you a leg up on other courses wharton students have to take. i didn’t take econ010 (rather saw all of my friends complain about it) and felt absolutely fine in bpub250 (the only class you can really make an argument towards that econ010 can actually relate to).</p>
<p>I know, if I took the tests and gotten 5s on it I would have skipped it too haha. I was just saying how advisors I’ve talked to normally recommended against it.</p>