Wharton is the oldest business program in the US and was founded by Joseph Wharton is 1881. The school is part of the University of Pennsylvania and consists of an MBA program and an undergraduate program, as well as an executive program and Wharton West in San Francisco. There are approximately 1600 full time MBA students, and the same number of undergraduate students.

Wharton is well known for having an excellent Finance program, and the Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Strategy and Operations majors are also popular with students. The school follows a hybrid teaching model- some classes are case based, others are lecture based, and many are a combination of both methods. The Wharton academic program focuses on skills and technical abilities. Even a marketing or strategy class will require “running the numbers” and most students have strong quantitative background and skills.

Wharton is social, social and more social. While all MBA programs include a strong networking element, Wharton’s large student body and Philadelphia location ensure endless socializing among the class. Many students came from New York City and return to New York City. The city is a quick train ride away (about 60 to 90 minutes away) and students travel there frequently for recruiting and social purposes.