Apply for Junior or Sophomore SA position?
I just finished my first year of undergrad and I am sitting a little over 60 credits - 30 that I came in with from AP classes, and 30 from my first two semesters. This pushes my graduation date up one year to June 2020. Over the next few days I will be sending out a bunch of applications for 2019 SA internships. My question is whether I should be applying for junior or sophomore SA programs, or both, depending on the firm (apply for sophomore positions at the most prestigious firms where my chances are slim, and junior at less prestigious firms where I feel I have better odds)
The reason I am considering applying for sophomore SA programs at some firms is that I go to a non target state school, and with only one year in I have not had the opportunity to network whatsoever with the industry. Also, I am just learning how accelerated the recruiting process is for this industry, and realize I got a late jump. Despite these 3 weaknesses, I assume my resume is decent.
Resume highlights:
Double major: finance & accounting - 4.0
Two internships: insurance broker & corporate finance
Leadership/involvement in student investment fund and other organizations
Now that you have some more insight, does it make sense to target sophomore positions at prestigious firms like GS to give myself a fighting chance? Or do I apply to Junior SA positions at all firms regardless of their tier?
Sophomore SA positions are almost impossible to get unless you're diversity. Try your luck with the junior SA positions that are still open/have just opened.
Are you set on 2020 graduation? It's truthfully a little bit late to be starting as a junior, especially when you (understandably) have not taken as many finance courses or have any technicals/networking. A lot of firms have filled up or are in final stages.
Unless you are diversity, the elite sophomore spots are few and far in between. Apply to any junior spots you see, but if doing another year is a possibility you'd give yourself a much better shot at the top-tier firms by applying next year for 2020 SA.
The way I have it laid out currently is to finish my bachelors in 3, and if I was to do another year it would be to get my masters. I guess my thoughts previously were to hold off on the masters if I have good opportunities lined up without it, that way I can start building some real world experience and then go back and get a masters later in what I find would be the most suitable for my career path.
But given my late jump on 2019 SA recruiting process and lower odds of getting something for next summer, maybe I'm better off adding the year to get my masters, giving me another summer to be competitive for SA positions? In this situation would I be targeting junior SA positions even though I have technically graduated and pursuing masters?
Also, I'm thinking it would give me the chance to go to a more prestigious business school, which I feel would make me a much more competitive applicant.
A one-year masters program doesn't count as an undergrad year, so you wouldn't really be eligible for SA 2020 unless you delay your graduation. There are still opportunities out there, see if you can get something for 2019, and if not, your best bet would be skipping the masters entirely, getting some good experience and applying to top MBA's. Or do both, if you can afford it.
Yeah the master's is not that highly valued in IB. The route for 2020 SA would be a 4-year bachelor, either picking up another major/minor or just coasting at 12 hours for a bit, maybe get a fall internship. I also considered graduating in 3 years, it's just not advantageous with the timeline for IB.
Agree with Buzz, see what you can get for 2019 as a junior but if you're not happy with your options then an additional undergrad year would set you up nicely for some top tier SA positions.
Update: took this advice and got offer for a corporate banking summer analyst position for 2020, but I wont be able to accept a future full time return offer because new graduation date is december 2021. If I accept this internship it will help me for 2021 IB SA recruiting because I can list it as incoming on my resume and its part of a reputable banks capital markets group. However if I do accept it then I wont be able to recruit there for IB 2021 next spring because they think im graduating by june 2021. Is accepting the corporate banking SA position for my sophomore internship worth losing one of the top banks for my schools junior SA recruiting?
(SUPER URGENT) Am I a sophomore or junior? (Originally Posted: 08/24/2014)
Hey guys, I need some help.
I have accepted a REALLY prestigious internship for the Fall semester, so I have taken the semester off to complete the internship, since it's in a different state.
Anyway, I am supposed to be a junior this fall, but since I am taking the semester off, I will be graduating in December 2016 INSTEAD of May 2016.
So, should I list myself as a Junior on applications or as a Sophomore since I will still have two summers before I graduate (2015 and 2016)
Generally speaking, most places prefer to hire summer interns that are juniors. Therefore if you can reasonably claim to be a junior, I'd do it, even if there's a good chance that you'll have more than one year of undergrad remaining after a future internship.
Update: took this advice and got offer for a corporate banking summer analyst position for 2020, but I wont be able to accept a future full time return offer because new graduation date is december 2021 (so it would be my sophomore internship). If I accept this internship it will help me for 2021 IB SA recruiting because I can list it as incoming on my resume and its part of a reputable banks capital markets group. However if I do accept it then I wont be able to recruit there for IB 2021 next spring because they think im graduating by june 2021. Is accepting the corporate banking SA position for my sophomore internship worth losing one of the top banks for my schools junior SA recruiting?
Apple_iBank, I have enough credits to be a Junior, but I will be graduating late since I accepted this internship in lieu of going to school this semester.
PLEASE, this is SUPER URGENT. I have an application due tonight, and I need to know.
You're a junior. A lot of kids at my school entering their second year, but with enough credits say they're junior to get a shot at BB and EB summer internships. You're fine.
Ask yourself this: after you finish the internship you are applying for, will you have 1 to 2 semesters left of university?
If the answer is yes, then you are a junior.
If you have more than 2 semesters left then you are a sophomore.
You're a jnuior. Even if you are not. You are close enough and its not black and white. If someone rejects it, just have a good story of how you define junior. Otherwise by saying you are not junior your resume might just get chucked... Good Luck
BUMP! Anymore advice? Thanks.
BUMP!
Your question has been answered numerous times in this thread....if you can't figure it out and are stressing hard about this then honestly you may want to rethink working in ib
@quaneaser - that makes absolutely no sense....status is determined by the amount of hours you have not how long it's going to take you to finish...and even then how is >2 semesters = sophmore?
...Not where I went to school. Takes 120 credits for most degrees, so 0-30 freshman, 30-60 sophomore? etc. Its not even like that.
If you are interning and after that you have a semester in the fall and/or a semester in the spring left, you are then a senior during those semesters.
If you are interning and after that you still have another summer of interning available, then you are going to be a junior. etc.
At least that is how structured internships view it. If you are unable to start working FT next summer then you are not a junior. Banks will be very upset if you apply for junior spots and then tell them you can't be FT next year because theres still another summer and semester left for you to complete.
Not sure what to believe, since one says I'm a junior and another says I'm a sophomore.
Technically, by credit hours, I am a junior since I have 68 credit hours.
Any other insight would be greatly appreciated?
Where are you doing your internship or what program? I thought most prestigious programs were in the summer. Haven't heard of any in the fall
To remain anonymous, I'm not going to say.
Can anyone else provide some insight?
BUMP
BUMP
Quit bumping, it's been answered, even by yourself. Junior.
You completed two years of college. You are de facto a junior. Might work out even better for you, if you mess up this internship because you could technically do 2 junior summer internships.
Btw, I dont know of any "prestigious" full time internships that are done in the fall.
Am I a Junior or a Sophomore? (Originally Posted: 08/03/2012)
This is my second year in college but I got admitted as a sophomore so on the system it says I'm a junior. However, I plan on taking a total of 4 years here meaning ill be a supersenior my 4th year. For internship recruiting, should I say I'm a sophomore or a junior?
Junior, then you get two summers of junior internships.
whatever you feel in your heart then that's what u will be
Quis harum ut ad non ut. Perferendis necessitatibus perferendis vero assumenda voluptatem modi. Fugit harum veritatis aut quidem consequatur.
Repudiandae perferendis tenetur eaque ab. Ratione id voluptatem impedit. Consequatur repellat necessitatibus laborum eum distinctio exercitationem. Omnis vel sapiente officia enim quasi.
Fugiat sit a reiciendis autem sunt dolorum ab. Dolorem dicta est necessitatibus non explicabo. Et molestias dolorum minus et dolor optio molestiae. Autem et reprehenderit in quia pariatur.
Et debitis at voluptatem vitae nihil. Consequatur omnis enim aperiam nihil. Quaerat nihil magnam doloremque molestias doloremque at ut dolorem.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Et est omnis quaerat omnis corporis est soluta. Nostrum saepe sit impedit voluptate officiis nemo. Qui numquam ut aspernatur aut.
Sed qui omnis repudiandae praesentium. Eius natus harum repudiandae distinctio. Delectus nobis est et aliquid architecto voluptate sunt labore.
Pariatur laudantium est quibusdam sed sit velit magnam. Est velit sit nihil esse totam magni. Animi a placeat voluptas deserunt qui sed.
Qui unde et nisi error rerum. Laudantium numquam molestias ut et porro aut nulla possimus. Accusantium at voluptatem est rerum nulla eaque a.