u/HibiscusElegy

Hey guys! I was recently admitted to Penn as a transfer student (Yayy) and I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I have a few concerns about Penn though and I would love some input before I commit. Some background, I was admitted into CAS and I hope to study Economics with a minor in Communication or International Relations. I want to go into IB or consulting and hope to work right out of college. I feel like this is a common concern but is CAS Econ overshadowed by Wharton and how does recruiting compare for CAS Economics students v. Wharton students. Less pressing but how is the social scene at Penn and how do people feel about Philly (as someone coming from the West Coast)

Appreciate all the advice and input

I was recently admitted to Dartmouth as a transfer student, and I am SO SO grateful for this acceptance. I am drawn to a lot of things about Dartmouth that my large public school couldn’t give me (ex: a small tight knit community, small class sizes, great connections with professors and a strong career pipeline) I hope to study Economics with a double in Comparative Literature or Quantitative Social Sciences, and I want to go into IB or consulting after graduation. I’ve really romanticized Dartmouth in my head but I do realistically have some concerns I would love to be answered before I commit.

1. As far as I can tell, the student body is majority white, matriculating from elite prep schools on the East Coast and obviously extremely wealthy. I know that is not ALL of the students, but that demographic dominates. As a middle-class Asian American coming from a California public high school and then college, I am not sure if I would fit in or find my people. The community at Dartmouth is what draws me in and I’m scared it might be more cliquey than what I’ve experienced.
2. The location. I’ve never been much of a nature lover and I’ve actually always been drawn to the big city. For college though, I do prefer a less busy place so I’m okay with it not being super urban, but does it ever get super boring and isolating? Such a non-issue but kinda still an issue are there Asian restaurants in Hanover?

Thank you so much and any input would be so helpful!