Wharton or Booth: Where Would You Go?

Judith S. Hodara, a partner with Fortuna Admissions who worked in Wharton admissions for 10 years:

“The first thing I would do is celebrate – probably do a little dance at my desk with the door closed! These are two of the best business schools in the world, and to have been admitted to them both opens up a world of opportunities for my future career and life.

“At this decision-making stage the MBA rankings don’t matter – Wharton is ahead in the Financial Times and US News, while Booth leads in BusinessWeek and Forbes. So it really comes down to fit, post-MBA career goals, and those small details that make the difference – interaction with the school, discussions with students and alumni, the campus setting and culture.

“Already in the application process I would have hoped to get a real sense of the personality and characteristics of Wharton and Chicago, and how each experience could help me achieve my future goals. At the time of admission this is probably not a new discussion, but you will begin to look at it with a different eye.

“If I was looking for an entrepreneurial venture, the efforts at Wharton in recent years to really push that agenda are significant. Heading for strategy consulting, the recent recruiting numbers of McKinsey at Booth would grab my attention, but I would want to look at the sort of positions being offered and if that were to be a match for what I wanted to do.

“I do think that attending admit weekends are important and can give a lot of great insight, plus allow you to meet your potential classmates. However, also think that going when the red carpet is NOT being rolled out is an important way to see the school and to really get a sense of the culture when no one is looking. What does it feel like to you on a normal day?

“Certainly you could also go on being a Cubs or a Philly fan, and the battle of deep dish pizza versus the cheese steak!

“Having the luxury of the choice is a wonderful thing – many would give their right arm for it. So using the next next two or three months to take a deep breath, do further research, talk to well-informed individuals – recruiters, alumni at different stages of their careers, and current students across a wide range of backgrounds is a great way to further sound out how you feel in your “gut.” I sometimes tell students to spend a day thinking that they have said yes to one school over the other, and how that “sits” with them. At the end of the deliberations, the good news is that it is impossible to make a “bad decision” as both options offer a world of possibilities, and you are on your way!”