<p>I heard that Wharton is such a focus at Penn that the other schools are left in the dark. I am really interested in CAS or SEAS and I do not want to bother with Penn if the other colleges get much less funding and attention. I personally doubt that the other schools get left in the dark, but rumors usually have some validity. Would anybody be willing to clear this up for me? Thank you.</p>
<h1>1 recipient of funding is the med school (and, by extension, biomed-related research in cas / seas)</h1>
<p>just so you know</p>
<p>but, to answer the question</p>
<p>if you are interested in pursuing a business career, then it can feel like a bit of a shadow (but there’s not really a significant difference in funding / attention)</p>
<p>otherwise, if you’re interested in something else, probably won’t make a huge difference either way</p>
<p>As far as your question goes, no. Other schools are definitely not left in the dark in terms of funding or quality (Penn is strong in so many areas besides Wharton).</p>
<p>It can seem like Wharton is the favorite child if you just look at its facilities. Huntsman Hall is amazing. But that’s because it’s alumni are the wealthiest of any school at Penn and it probably receives the most alumni donations. </p>
<p>Nor does it cast a shadow in the sense that all students kneel to the almighty Wharton student; however, I do believe its prestige and the future opportunities (employment and salary) it offers create an allure for students where there might not inherently be an interest in business and they may transfer into Wharton or apply for dual degrees with Wharton after freshman year. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, either; sometimes the motivation can be shallow, but other times it can be just as serendipitous as being exposed to any other new subject that a university can offer.</p>
<p>I know as many students who wanted OUT of Wharton as want to transfer in- if not more. Wharton is wonderful and prestigious, but the fact is that with only a few exceptions, high school students have no idea what it means to major in business and really don’t know what they are getting into. My son was STRONGLY advised to apply to CAS by his (excellent) high school college counselor AND by a Penn coach even though he thought he wanted Wharton. He is grateful that he took their advice. He graduated in May with an English major and a lot of economic courses (didn’t quite make the minor) and has a good business job. He said after everyone gets over themselves the issue of Wharton superiority fades away (by mid-freshman year).</p>
<p>In my youth, it was so unusual for a high-class university to offer undergraduate business training that Wharton sort of dragged down the reputation of the rest of the university. In recent decades, however, business education has gotten more acceptance in elite circles, and Wharton is no longer seen as second-class compared to liberal arts or engineering programs. So it no longer casts a shadow on Penn.</p>
<p>Wharton doesn’t cast a shadow–it creates a whole set of new opportunities that I could take advantage of as a Penn grad. Not simply in terms of classes, but in faculty to go talk to, in student groups catering to a broader section of interests, and a new set of connections to companies and people around the world.</p>