Urgent Career Advice

Background (people might have seen this before or read it before by now): 3.7 GPA, non-finance, non-target, athlete (D1 tennis) who got to the recruiting season late.

Dilemma: 1. Offered a job for Trading Desk (think Edward Jones, Wells Fargo etc). Below average pay (compared to industry average), great benefits and such. Decent enough short term starting job. Not really what I wish to be doing but it is a job and a start for someone with no financial job experience.
2. In the process of applying to Washington University's (Olin) Masters in Finance program (corporate finance track not quant). I beat the avg GPA. Enrolled in Veritas Prep course for GMAT and will take it in 1.5 months. IF I get in, more opportunities should open up, great network, great school, I'll get the technical skills I need etc etc.

The issue here is that the firm wants an answer by Tuesday. I only apply to Olin on Feb 15. If I spurn the offer and don't get into WashU, I'll be left with nothing. If I take the offer, I'm not sure it'll work towards my end goal of being on the buy side and maybe, even going to a Harvard, Wharton and such for my MBA.

Thoughts? Just looking for what people would do in my situation and/or any advice. Let me know if you need something explained more.

11 Comments
 

When does the job start?

"I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
 

Accept and renege if you have to in order to do something better. I loved Lehman, but if someone would have paid me an extra $10MM per year and comped me for my restricted stock, I could have bled something other than green. This is the business world son.

 

No. Nobody gives a shit about Edward Jones or Wells Fargo. And, nobody will even know, unless you tell them or if you have a securities license there. Many people quit jobs for better opportunities. It's like natural selection for your career. A full grown male lion killing a baby gazelle is not good or evil, it's just survival.

 

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