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(4.7) |
To be honest, most of MBA curriculum can be learned almost anywhere. What's made the difference to me at Wharton is the community. Wharton has an amazing cluster and cohort system that encourages students to get to know each other. It's Philadelphia location and the fact that most students live in Rittenhouse helps foster a sense of community. I can't walk down the street without running into someone I know, which builds the strong relationships I wanted in my MBA experience. I think that's why the alumni network is also so strong. The network is really bi-coastal and international and I've had a lot of help/networking success with alums.
Other highlights at Wharton include the amazing speakers that come to the school, the opportunitues to build up strategy/innovation experience through the field application project program and the collaborative innovation project program, and the Semester in SF program. I've loved my classes with Profs. Adam Grant, David Bell, Luke Taylor, and Bari Harlam.
The professors in general can be a hit or miss. They're generally okay and some of the long term ones seem like they couldn't give a care about teaching. We do have some superstars (see above) and they're very much worth taking a class with.
Also, I'm convinced Philadelphia is one of the most underrated cities in the US. I loved in SF and DC before school (and spent a lot of time in NYC) and absolutely love Philly. It's inexpensive to live in, the food scene is amazing, and it's architecturally beautiful. The weather is typical East Coast weather so winter isn't the best, but can't complain about much else. It's gotten a lot safer in the last few years and I feel safer here than SF.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)
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Location
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Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)
Healthcare, finance, real estate
Consulting
Finance
Marketing
Investment Banking
Tech
Entrepreneurship
Management
Curriculum, Classes, Professors
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Curriculum, Classes, Professors:
As a large business school with tenure based faculty and many possible concentrations, the quality of curriculum and professors varies significantly. This is not necessarily a detractor, but it requires one to be thoughtful about course selection.
Student body, diversity:
Students at The Wharton School have been surprisingly humble and varied. Diversity in professional experience is extremely evident, and Wharton is focusing more on students with increasingly entrepreneurial goals.
Alumni Network:
The alumni network profile is shifting (in my opinion, for the better) as Wharton moves away from being a finance-focused school to being more technology, marketing, and entrepreneurship focused.
Career opportunities provided by school:
Recruiting at Wharton, especially for consulting, finance, banking, and large enterprise, is best in class. The size of the alumni base is
Location:
Philadelphia will pleasantly surprise everyone. While still being able to take advantage of all the benefits of a big city and proximity to other urban centers, the student body is tighter socially than at peer institutions because 98% of the students do not have external social circles already established in Philly.
Brand/Ranking:
Wharton always only compares itself to Harvard and Stanford. Perennially ranked #2 to #5, the Wharton brand is as strong as any, especially internationally. Having a Wharton degree will never keep you out of an opportunity that Stanford or Harvard would also allow you to pursue.
Culture & Student Support:
The Student Life office, led by the ever-engaging Kembrel Jones, creates an environment where all students, regardless of interpersonal tendencies, have an opportunity to engage.
Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc):
Healthcare specialty is obviously best in the world. Note that Wharton is launching an Alternative Investment Initiative (https://altinvest.wharton.upenn.edu/) that will become a form major starting with the MBA Class of 2018.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)
Student body, diversity
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Culture & Student Support
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Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)
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Admissions Team
Pros:
-Access to huge alumni network that so far has been very willing to help
-Network of extremely smart and talented classmates (with some exceptions)
-Campus and presence in SF helps with tech/VC recruiting
Cons:
-Facilities provided don't stack up to other top programs (we can't even use the campus gym without paying $300+ per year)
-Location is not as exciting as other top programs
-Lack of experiential based learning opportunities
-Wharton needs to work on and invest more into its branding - its reputation has slipped a bit over the last decade to where it is no longer considered on the same tier as HBS and Stanford
Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)
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The diversity and depth of the student body thanks to a large class size, caliber of the people and the sheer value of the brand make it worth every buck in terms of social and professional networks plus recruiting. It places a very high emphasis on student life and culture, which creates a strong (and a very social) community. Philly as a college city is also a lot of fun to live in as almost all students live in the the most active part of the city (downtown/Rittenhouse Square) so it allows you to move about the city and campus very easily. Furthermore, its proximity to NYC (2 hour bus ride) also is a huge plus when it comes to recruiting and/or traveling for social reasons.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
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Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)
An MBA at Wharton is exactly that: an investment for life.
The overall cost is somehow eye-popping, and the idea of budgeting $220k+ to go back to school can be daunting. However, what comes with the MBA is definitely worth the price.
First, the experience itself. The MBA student body is huge, and it fosters diversity and collaboration. The grade non-disclosure agreement helps to keep the level of competition healthy, and the overall environment is relaxed and far from cutthroat. The most notable area for improvement at Wharton, though, is that Student Life and the student body create an experience a little too tailored for American students, and, at first, this can be a bit alienating and overwhelming for internationals. That said, my experience as an international student has exceeded my expectations.
On the academic side, Wharton has it all. A world-class faculty, and a program that is rigorous but flexible at the same time. The number of electives and the opportunity of taking classes at other UPenn grad schools allow anyone to build their ideal path. You won't find two MBAs who have taken the same classes.
Regarding career perspectives, the brand and the prestige that Wharton enjoys open doors that would hardly be accessible. The 98,000+ Alumni community is worldwide, active, and supportive much more than you'd expect. At the same time, the Career Service offers a broad range of services well beyond the "mere" contacts with top firms, and it makes life so much easier.
It is ok not to have a well-defined career path when you arrive here. There are so many opportunities, and you will have such a diverse exposure to fields and industries that you had never considered, that adjusting during the journey is totally fine. No panic just enjoy it, and everything will eventually work out great.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (4.0)
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Amazing experience at all levels - I could challenge myself everyday on expected dimensions (academics, clubs, etc.) but also discovered so much potential in myself through unexpected experience (launched a start-up, discovered amazing levers in leadship program/self reflection/meditation).
Students are incredibles and the energy of the school environement gives a feeling that the world is at hand and that everything is possible.
Clubs involvement opportunities are really varied: sports, entrepreneurship, travel, culture, and of course a bunch of industry related clubs. Do your research before you apply.
The leadership program can also be a fantastic game changer should you get involved. Save additional dollars before you go, you will want to go an a venture!
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
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I came in with very high expectations and Wharton managed to surpass them. I was incredibly impressed with the caliber of my classmates and extracurricular offerings. Given the size of the program, there really is something for everyone and the toughest part is cutting things out of your schedule since no one has the time to be involved in everything they are interested in. I came in with an interest in impact investing and was very impressed with the efforts the school was taking to expand its offerings in the realm and to become one of the top b-schools for impact investing.
I was also surprised by the diversity of interests in the student body. Typically known as a finance school, Wharton has done a great job creating strong departments in other areas of business and a very large amount of students are now going into tech and entrepreneurship. Reputations are hard to change and Wharton will probably still be know for finance, but it is definitely a great school no matter what career path you intend to take post-MBA. The strength of the alumni network is incredible and the brand will open many doors.
As a whole, the quality of professors was not as good as I expected. However, the extracurricular and networking side of the experience is unparalleled in my opinion, and more than made up for this.
Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)
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