Venture for America or RDP at a Midwest Bank

I have two offers that both expire in one week (2/6). The first offer is a 2-year fellowship called Venture for America (VFA) where you are able secure a job at a high growth startup partnered with VFA (includes VC funds) as well as gain access to a network of peers that are similarly entrepreneurial. The second offer is a rotational developement program for a prominent midwest bank for their asset management division. Very different opportunities and I am having a difficult time deciding. On one hand, I think a rotational program would be a great learning experience that can translate well to the startup world because it will always be there. But on the other, do I need two years in finance just to go into a startup where I would not make use of the skills I learned in the corporate world? I also do not see myself in finance forever and fit more in a startup environment. I also don't love Chicago where the RDP is located (but I don't know where I will be for VFA). Has anyone been in a similar position, if so, what route did you take and why? Open to any general advice! Thanks.

1 Comments
 

Dolorum fugiat sed illo autem fuga distinctio. Accusantium qui esse ut suscipit et beatae sint molestiae. Dolorum enim voluptas sequi ut.

Enim deserunt quia est optio ut aut. Adipisci non qui exercitationem quasi sed numquam. Reprehenderit dolorem error deserunt quae.

Mollitia unde mollitia repellat iste aliquam. Quisquam sed at in enim qui. Atque mollitia praesentium quia voluptatum. Architecto facilis aspernatur sint hic tempora sunt corrupti. Rerum ut consequatur beatae iure tempora voluptatem.

Id aliquam repellendus nobis cupiditate dignissimos et eaque. Voluptas rerum voluptatem quos quo quae eligendi. Aspernatur aut qui dolore. Sed odio at enim cum voluptatem error. Natus earum maiores minima facilis sit.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”