Am I crazy to renege the Wharton offer?

So here's the story. I got accepted into Wharton with a little bit fellowship this year, but recently I discovered my career interest in media/entertainment/technology investing or banking. Columbia seems to have a stronger program in that field and I personally have a strong preference of the location. Wharton seems more prestigious overall, specifically in finance, but based on my current career interest and location preference, I feel I will have a much better time in Columbia. Shall I renege the offer and wait for one more year to apply to Columbia?

11 Comments
 

Too much to lose from not going to Wharton: i. Fellowship ii. Guaranteed admission iii. One year iv. Slightly better reputation. Just go.

 

Agree with the others here that Wharton will offer the same, if not better opportunities in the finance world. That said, you only get to do this once, so if you're going to hate Wharton, why bother? You won't be as successful at a place you do not enjoy. So unless you're positive you're going to be miserable in West Philly, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

 
Best Response

OK, this is a rhetorical question, but here goes: if you just decided on your new interest in media/entertainment/tech investing or banking, what's to prevent you from changing your mind again? It seems like a very big risk to give up Wharton because of a decision that you made only a few months ago.

And if you prefer New York, why didn't you apply to Columbia in the first place? Are you just trying to make excuses not to go to business school this year? Is there something else going on?

Betsy Massar Come see me at my Q&A thread http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/b-school-qa-w-betsy-massar-of-master-admissions Ask away!
 

Similique nisi praesentium ea eligendi. Minus et molestiae molestiae eum doloribus et minus omnis. Quo nam distinctio autem. Ut recusandae sint est. Qui est nam cupiditate cumque.

Pariatur consectetur numquam ipsam minima. Omnis accusantium amet libero iure. Laborum expedita aliquid quia cupiditate molestiae ut. Eligendi quasi laborum ullam hic nobis quae iure.

Sit maiores ullam magnam earum exercitationem. Eveniet similique omnis quas aut.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (66) $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

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...”