The Wharton School - Exceeding Expectations in Unexpected Ways

Experience during the program

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)

Strengths of the program:

Student body, diversity
Career opportunities provided by school
Culture & Student Support
Facilities
Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)

Best fit at this program:

Finance
Investment Banking
Tech
Entrepreneurship

Can be improved:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Brand/Ranking
Admissions Team