The Running of the Bulls: Inside the Cutthroat Race from Wharton to Wall Street

by Nicole Ridgway

Book Overview

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is the #1-ranked undergraduate business program in the country, the place where Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, Revlon CEO Ron Perelman, real-estate... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159240216X
• ISBN13: 9781592402168
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: Gotham Books
• Length: 299 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

From a Penn Alum '04

As a Penn Alum, Class of '04, I must say that Ridgway has captured many of the elements that are endearing not only to Whartonites, but to all Penn students--from familiar Penn lingo to various campus sites and their nicknames lovingly tagged on by and known only (up until now) to us Quakers. This book serves many purposes. It is not only a nostalgic keepsake for the Penn Class of '04, but a guide for the current Quakers-in-Making--of course, tailored more for the Wharton students who want to follow in such footsteps. In addition, Ridgway paints a very realistic portrait of the number one business school in the world. She describes the profiles of the 7 students so accurately and pinpoints not only the milestones of their grueling journeys, but also the subtle nuances in their paths, all of which set Wharton students apart from anyone else. Indeed, there is a certain rift that exists between Wharton and the 3 other schools at Penn. There is no denial in that, which Ridgway correctly points out. That being stated, there remains a universal aspect to this book: Ridgway has successfully shifted through the thick ivy vines to reveal to her readers what the stereotypical Ivy League mindset is all about. She breaks down the mystery by describing what it takes to become the "cream of the cream of the crop" from the infant stages of student life.

A must-have, light-hearted, and down-to-earth book on a not so down-to-earth institution...

I have recommended this book to everyone I know who is either entertaining or enrolled in a business school. I liked Nicole Ridgway's candor and her effortless writing. This book is a great inside guide to the Wharton School. It was never a secret to me that Wharton is the oldest and most prestigious business school that absolutely packed with extremely successful people. That said I was still surprised to learn the extent of the Wharton Alumni network power and the "halo effect" of Wharton that lasts for life and travel around the world. If you graduate from one of the lesser schools, you will always be judged by your most recent job and will not be able to move to another country and have people go WOW and waltz into a Goldman Sachs, Private Equity firm, Bain or whatever. However a Wharton graduate who has bumbed around for a few years will still be given the benefit of the doubt 10 years down the track and will have friends and alumni to help him/her out. There is a definite mystique to anyone who has a degree from Wharton. Unless you read this book, the mystique of the place can't be escaped.

Excellent Read

I enjoyed Running of the Bulls a lot. It's less about Wharton than it is about the drive that some individuals have that sets them apart from others. These kids are immensely driven to succeed financially and professionally, however, what they sacrafice in order to acheive their goals may, ultimately, deflate their success. While they may make it to the Wall Street Board Room, they're likely to fail in other parts of their lives. It will be interesting to read a second version of this book some 10 years from now to see how their determination effected their professional and personal lives.

The Wharton Elite

The trials and tribulations of several elite Wharton students are superbly described by Ms Ridgway in her captivating new book. Without question Wharton is one of the best business schools on the planet and for good reason. The Wharton curriculum is unbearable, by most human standards, but it's the countless finance, accounting and economic courses that keep you warm during the cold Philadelphia winters. The Running Of The Bulls is an insiders guide to the life of "super humans", better known as Whartonites, who never get the chance to experience college life as 20 year olds. Ms. Ridgway unveils how a 3.6 GPA is normal and one can't help but become baffled that these kids are willing to sacrifice sleepless nights (even weekends) studying to achieve a 3.8 GPA. Summer vacation for the Wharton elite is working 120 plus hours 7 days a week with little pay and certainly NO play time! The grueling Wharton curriculum is welcomed by several students for which Ms. Ridgway describes their optimism, aspirations and realizations during their life as a privileged intellectual. The end result is having your cake and eating it too. A wonderful story book!

Beats The Apprentice

Ever wonder what it's like for college students to try to enter the job market these days? What about the high achievers who are aiming for Wall Street? "Running with the Bulls" gives you key insights into handling interviews--- much more than one could ever get from watching The Apprentice. Here is a look into how several Wharton graduating students threaded the maze. Written with an engaging style, this is a must read for anyone considering a finance career and specifically someone considering a Wall Street career. While I am sure Wharton alum will enjoy it immensely, it targets college students and their parents who are in the process of making decisions about their studies, their futures and their quality of life. A solid thumbs up!