should I have taken UCLA over vanderbilt for ib?

Got accepted into both but deposited at vanderbilt. Just did some looking around on wso regarding UCLA and apparently its a solid target whereas vandy not as much. Should I forfeit deposit and go UCLA?

13 Comments
 

I don't think deciding based on target or not is a good basis.... UCLA clearly has the advantage of LA and ranks after Stanford, Berkeley, and near par with USC. But it'll have more people as a public. On the other side, Vanderbilt is a private, smaller school but not sitting by a big metro in near distance

If you take a SA job for your summer of Jr. year, I think you'd have some good chances at both.

It'd be also helpful to think about your decision again without thinking about the gone deposit money.

 

I think your insult pretty provoking, but I'm not biting. Sorry.

It's not a no-name school vs. target school story. I already said that UCLA will be stronger with its location. But I think the OP just needs more time and thinking before making the decision, so that he doesn't regret again..

 
"shuang19"

I think your insult pretty provoking, but I'm not biting. Sorry.

It's not a no-name school vs. target school story.
I already said that UCLA will be stronger with its location. But I think the OP just needs more time and thinking before making the decision, so that he doesn't regret again..

Which one is a no name? Vanderbilt? Vanderbilt is definitely not a no name on the east coast, and I'm pretty sure they do okay on the west for their location.

 

180 experience

South vs West Private vs Public SEC vs Pac 10 City vs kind-of-a-city

i know people from both at my EB In NYC so its pretty irrelevant. UCLA alumni will be harder to find in NY where as Vandy will be harder to find in LA.

If you are from LA or Cali Id say Vandy so you get to see another part of the country and you wont sacrifice your ability to return post-grad as you are from the area.

 

I have no opinion about the investment banking prospects from either, but if a school where 50% of the women are in a sorority and you're located in the middle of nowhere isn't the answer, I don't understand the question.

 
"ArcherVice"

I have no opinion about the investment banking prospects from either, but if a school where 50% of the women are in a sorority and you're located in the middle of nowhere isn't the answer, I don't understand the question.

That is such an investment banker stat... just cuz they are in a sorority doesnt mean they are hot.. The goal if you are looking at schools on the basis of how hot the girls are is to look at the standard deviation. Its cool if there are playboy models and Perfect 10s. But if there are 5 of them and the rest of the school looks like the Rocky Horror Picture Show... doesnt matter how many are in sororities.
 

Also, for everyone reading this who is considering schools:

Just DO NOT pick a school over another because you think it will be easier for you to get laid at one. If your game sucked in high school it isn't going to magically get better just because you're in college. Hell you didn't even have to compete against college football players who are on TV and rich fratboys in high school. If you do have some game then even the most dorky, male-dominated schools are generally near at least one other college that has girls nearby. The only ones I can think of where your school choice will impact your odds are places like the service academies that have both an extremely poor number of women on campus, are located in the middle of nowhere, and restrict your movement off campus.

Make it a non-factor and focus 100% on the long term opportunities.

 

I think it'd suck if the college life was dull or full of academic work. (I had one and it was OK)

But I entirely agree that campus life is the most useless factor for jobs or graduate schools. Nobody asks anything about your campus life unless you have leadership involvements or volunteering acts

 

Corrupti modi et nisi sunt ut minima. Consequatur est necessitatibus accusamus nam. Amet pariatur rerum debitis porro. Debitis rem eum neque ea. Nobis eos ex dignissimos eligendi commodi.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”