Penn vs Brown

[Anonymous]

DC in at Penn(Wharton) and Brown. Interested in economics and finance. Unlikely to go for a PhD in these areas. Wharton seems better placed to provide a foundation for a career in econ/finance, but DC is not an aggressive business/entrepreneur type and so we are concerned about fit at Wharton. Any folks with Wharton undergrad experience here?

[Anonymous]

What would your kid study at Brown? I know they have some kind of finance program…but not sure if it is a major or you can just take a couple courses.

Finance and economics, while people think are similar, really are not. Wharton will be much deeper than Brown for Finance. They are both strong for economics.

My own 20+ years ago experience at Wharton isn’t relative to today. I loved my time there and didn’t find it as crazy as the descriptions today. Back then, if you wanted to join the investment club (that managed real money), you just joined. Honestly, not sure why clubs are so much more competitive to join because it is not as though Wharton has significantly increased in size. I guess these clubs are now job gate keepers?

You can’t go wrong for either…Wharton sends more kids to banking, but Brown is well represented as well. Same for consulting and all the other careers.

[Anonymous]

For Brown, maybe Econ concentration with certificate in entrepreneurship if that's of interest. Know a kid who is doing very well with a startup coming out if that program.
If more business than econ, I guess Penn.

But, kid may also want to consider campus environment. Brown is collaborative and creative. Our impression of Penn was more of people focused on themselves, but that is admittedly just an impression from a visit. Kid did not apply. Very happy at Brown.

[Anonymous]

Same, have a kid at Brown who did very well with Econ and entrepreneurial path and is now in private equity a year after graduation earning 200K+. Loved the campus culture and had a great time.

[Anonymous]

I an a huge Brown booster. My favorite college on the planet.

If you want a business career and you get into Wharton, you go to Wharton.

[Anonymous]

IN at Wharton means everything
otherwise I would have said Brown for an overall more pleasant experience.

[Anonymous]

Just understand that the kids that want to work in P/E, IBanking, Consulting and Hedge Funds have similar aggressive personalities regardless if they attend Brown or Penn/Wharton.

There are not thousands of these jobs, so kids have to hustle and be aggressive to land them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just understand that the kids that want to work in P/E, IBanking, Consulting and Hedge Funds have similar aggressive personalities regardless if they attend Brown or Penn/Wharton.

There are not thousands of these jobs, so kids have to hustle and be aggressive to land them.

Very true. Which means that if you are in at Wharton, you go to Wharton. You can volunteer in the evenings to save your soul.

[Anonymous]

Lets be clear, the term "Wharton" refers to the Graduate School for Business, even thought the Undergrad is called Wharton as well it is not the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC in at Penn(Wharton) and Brown. Interested in economics and finance. Unlikely to go for a PhD in these areas. Wharton seems better placed to provide a foundation for a career in econ/finance, but DC is not an aggressive business/entrepreneur type and so we are concerned about fit at Wharton. Any folks with Wharton undergrad experience here?

The aggressive cutthroat Penn stereotype is overblown. There is a pocket, and that pocket is largely Wharton, but there are plenty of students in Wharton who do not fit the stereotype. A chunk of the stereotype is overeager freshman. They chill a bit later. It is the best undergrad program of its kind in the nation. The heavy stem /math focus of Penn in general helps Wharton kids with startups in tech or AI or whatever the next big thing is. Interdisciplinary focus is encouraged, and the med school on campus as well as nanotech center are helpful to Wharton students for the innovative opportunities.
Brown is fine, but for Penn Wharton (and alsoPenn Engineering) the edge clearly favors choosing Penn.

[Anonymous]

Wharton >>>>> Brown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wharton >>>>> Brown

100% This is everything. If you're concerned about friends/culture, there are lots of different kinds of kids about schools. The networking at Wharton - in particular with professors and alum - will be priceless. You may or may not get the same experience at Brown. I wouldn't even spend too much time on it. Wharton. Penn. Tell your child if they're unhappy they can transfer, it will be easy to transfer and there will be many eager to walk on glass within Penn and outside of Penn to take their spot.

[Anonymous]

Poster above: That was a typo. I meant *at both schools. Not above schools!

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t sound like a career in finance is a great fit.