MBA Life - Wharton Welcome Weekend 2004

Did you know...
Every year Wharton students and partners consume over 3000 pizzas, 2160 liters of soda, and 4500 gallons of beer at our weekly Pub & Salon nights.

> Overview > Housing Options > Resources and Tips

This section provides you with an overview of some of the housing options in Philadelphia.

The 2004 Housing Guide (updated 4/27/2004) provides neighborhood descriptions, housing option pros and cons, listings of useful resources, and a detailed review of the apartments most popular among Wharton students. We recommend reading this guide before Welcome Weekend.

Most Wharton MBA students live in Center City, the downtown neighborhood that surrounds Rittenhouse Square. Most students who live in Center City live west of Broad Street (14^th – 25^th), though a small minority does live east of Broad. Other neighborhood options include University City/West Philadelphia (near campus), the Art Museum area (north of Center City), Antique Row/Old City (east of Center City), and the surrounding suburbs.

Student decision regarding which area to live in is largely based on commuting times. Students in the city will primarily walk or use public transportation. Students in University City are more likely to walk. Students living in the suburbs will either drive or take the train to campus.

Typical Ways of Commuting to Campus
	Walk	Bus/ Train	Taxi	Bike	Car*
All Students	29%	43%	10%	13%	1%

Commuting Time (in min)
	Walk	Bus	Subway	Bike	Car*
Center City - West of Broad Street	10-35	5-25	5-25	10-20	3-15
Center City - East of Broad Street	35 - ?	20-30	15-30	15-25	10-20
University City - On campus	1-10	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
University City - Off campus	3-15	N/A	N/A	2-5	N/A
Art Museum Area	30-35	15-30	15-20	12-20	10-15
Suburbs	N/A	N/A	30-60	N/A	15-60

*Many Students pool together and take taxis to campus. Parking is at a premium near the campus so finding a legal parking space may take 5 – 15 minutes unless you have a reserved space in a garage (Campus parking information).

Student Testimonial

"Welcome Weekend set the stage (literally!) for my entire Wharton experience! The "Slice of Life" presentation introduced me to what would ultimately define my two years at Wharton -- The Wharton Follies! I had no idea that I would be able to have such a creative outlet at business school, let alone one that would allow me to sing, act, dance in one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.  At that moment, I knew I couldn't go anywhere else and that I had to be a part of the Follies team! Two years later, as part of the Cast and the Core Director teams, I am helping to create a production that will memorialize the Wharton experience for a new generation of classmates."

— Jennifer Cohen, WG'04,
     Cohort K
    From Philadelphia, PA