Daniel Flames Sampietro
King’s College London ’28
Business
Exchange at Penn: Wharton
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Ask Me About…
My experience at Wharton was unique because I treated the exchange not as a study-abroad semester, but as a full academic and professional immersion into the Penn ecosystem. I arrived as a visiting student from King’s College London and quickly integrated into Wharton’s core academic culture, taking demanding strategy and leadership courses alongside full-time Wharton undergraduates.
What really sets my experience apart is that I balanced three intense priorities simultaneously: excelling academically in a highly competitive environment, actively recruiting and networking across finance and investing roles, and building a long-term professional and personal network in the U.S. – all while adapting to a new academic culture for the first time.
Students should ask me about navigating Wharton’s fast-paced classroom dynamic, contributing confidently in case-based discussions as an exchange student, and building meaningful relationships with professors and peers who are already deeply embedded in the U.S. system. I’m also happy to talk about managing workload expectations and the mental shift required to move from a European academic framework to Wharton’s participation-heavy, discussion-driven style.
Most importantly, they should ask me how to fully lean in, because the biggest value of Wharton as an exchange student comes when you stop seeing yourself as “just visiting” and start acting like you belong.
My Experience Abroad
As a Business Management student, my semester at Wharton directly accelerated both my academic development and long-term professional goals. The coursework was deeply aligned with my interests in strategy, leadership, and decision-making in high-stakes environments. Classes were highly applied, discussion-driven, and closely connected to real-world business and investment contexts, which complemented and extended what I had studied in London.
Academically, Wharton pushed me to think more rigorously and communicate more concisely. The emphasis on structured thinking, participation, and defending viewpoints in front of top-performing peers strengthened my confidence and clarity as a thinker. Professionally, being at Penn gave me exposure to a global network of students, alumni, and professionals that simply wouldn’t have been accessible from my home institution alone.
The exchange also sharpened my career direction. Through coursework, conversations with classmates, and exposure to the U.S. recruiting mindset, I gained a clearer understanding of where I want to operate professionally and the standards required to compete at the highest level. Wharton didn’t just add to my CV, it reshaped how I approach learning, ambition, and long-term goal-setting.
Other Highlights
- One of the biggest highlights was fully participating in Wharton classes and feeling like a real part of the academic community rather than just a visiting student.
- Another highlight was the people. I met students from all over the world who were driven, curious, and generous with their time, and many of those relationships will last well beyond the semester.
- A major personal highlight was the growth that came from pushing myself outside my comfort zone, especially speaking up in class and trusting my own perspective.
- Living on Penn’s campus and experiencing student life in Philadelphia was also a highlight, as it made the exchange feel complete both academically and socially.
- Finally, I left with a new perspective on ambition and opportunity, and a much stronger sense of confidence in my ability to adapt and succeed in unfamiliar environments.
