ham

My dream is to do the M & T program. I am going to apply early for it, but if I am not accepted to it, I do not know if I should go for Wharton or Engineering.

i think I would prefer Wharton, but since it's harder to get into I'm wondering if I should opt for engineering and possibly try to transfer (or find that I really like it and stay there). Would transferring into Wharton be a feasible possibility?

Also I really really do want to combine business and engineering. Can I still get a dual major or at least major/minor from wharton and engineering even if I don't get accepted to M&T? I would probably want the major to be at Wharton, but again I might consider transferring from engineering.

....Or could I go for the college of Arts and Sciences, take easy classes to rack up a high GPA and then go to wharton after freshman year? My ultimate goal is still to have a degree in econ/finance at wharton while also having engineering experience and hopefully an engineering degree.

So what should I do? What gives me the best chances at eventually getting a degree from Wharton and hopefully engineering?

ham

by the way I'm a junior right now at a very competitive private boarding HS. I'm on financial aid and I'm white. Courses

This year:
Honors precalculus
Chemistry accelerated
French IV
English
Honors US History

Taking AP exams: english Lit, english lang, and US history

Projected senior year:
AP Calc BC
AP Biology
Physics I Accelerated
English
French 5

Plan to take AP exams: Calc BC, Bio, Physics B, French

this is a pretty tough group of classes for my school. My "GPA" is about 90.8% overall. Junior year is about a 90% average. This is unweighted and puts me in, approximately, the top 20%. Keep in mind this is an extremely competitive school and a lot of kids go to ivies.

SAT Scores- first try: 620 CR + 740 M + 790 W = 2150. I'm going to study up this summer and take them in October and I'm confident that with some work I can get 700 CR and hopefully hit 2250. I got 760 on Math I and I'm taking Math II and chem this June

ECs are:
nationally ranked in snowboarding; starting, teaching, won grant to fund camp that I started where I taught science to elementary school kids; starting a lawn mowing business; community service board at school, 1 of 6 picked out of 90 to represent school at student leadership/service conference in asia.

Work 40 hours a week summertime. Family doesn't have much $$... so I've funded a lot of this stuff myself (ex. raised sponsorship $ to go to snowboarding nationals, and paid for some of it out of my own pocket, received almost full payment to go to asia). Also investment club and I'm looking to start FBLA at my school.

So what do you think my chances are at M&T? How about at engineering or at Wharton individually?
Side note: what about other ivies/MIT?

I really really appreciate your taking the time to read all of this and offer your input.

Mom43

My s wanted M&T, chose Engineering as the back up and got in, two of his friends also wanted M&T, chose Wharton as the back up and did not get into Penn at all. My s is a computer science major/minor in business, he has taken so many Wharton classes and loves the mix of classes. Also the dual major is has so many requirements there is no room for electives and many take 5 years to graduate. My s is so happy with the way everything has worked out.
If you really want to go to Penn, and would be satisfied with the business minor, then choose Engineering. Your EC's look great, good luck in your decision.

ham

Mom43- You seem to be exactly the person I have been hoping to talk to! I think I am going to do Engineering as my back up (a perk is that it is easier to get into than Wharton, right?), but I was scared that I wouldn't be able to take classes at Wharton. Is your son getting credit for a Minor at the Wharton School, or at Penn (officially)? Also, I am really not 100% sure if I want to pursue business or science... so, assuming I got in to engineering but not M&T, is Penn liberal enough to grant a major change and allow me to go to wharton later if I choose? (i.e. If I had been doing major engineering/minor finance, could I switch those around?) And does penn offer a minor in engineering?

Thank you!! Sorry I asked so many questions... I am very glad that your son is happy at Penn.

ham

bumping.....

funnyguy

there is no official business minor, only interdisciplinary minors b/w Wharton and the other schools, which one is your son in?

Mom43

ham- My son is in Penn Engineering- SEAS- he is a computer science major and his minor is Engineering Entrepreneurship- see the website
Engineering Entrepreneurship
So officially his minor is within Engineering, but the classes he is taking to fulfill his minor along with other business classes (as electives) are Wharton classes, but there is no Wharton minor.
He has taken : MGMT 101, ECON 001(Micro), ECON 002 (Macro), Finance 101, ESE 400, he has other product development and marketing classes, Patent Law etc, to take , you will see them when you look up the minor.
Best of Luck to you- my son is really happy with this Major/Minor combination!

Mom43

Also when you are on the website for this minor, go to Program overview- you will see this is for High-tech product development, positioning, marketing, etc. This might be what you are looking for to combine Engineering with Business!