Hey! I've heard from multiple sources that graduating in 3 years can be bad because employers may automatically assume that you are too immature to handle jobs. In IBD, is that true? What about other finance or consulting professions?
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Do 3.5. I'm doing it and could not be happier with it.
They will question your judgment on passing up another year of girls and alcohol with minimal responsibilities.
Yeah, I was thinking about staying just one more quarter so that I have the benefit of the 3rd year internship. Then from Jan-June, I could travel Europe or hike on the AT or west coast or something like that.
We hired a kid for full time who will graduate from an ivy in 3 years. He is arguably more mature than some of the analysts and associates currently working, so I wouldn't read too much into the issue. That being said, why would you want to leave school early unless you have a boring social life? Real life sucks man, yes you will save a year's worth of tuition, but there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think it would be awesome to go back to being a senior in college, knowing I just locked down a job and I had a few months left to live the dream without worry...
Lots of people graduate in 3 years due to financial reasons. People respect that. Shows maturity even if you had the chance to stick around on your parent's dime. I don't think it will help or hurt you, but you definitely want to mention it in your story.
I'll be out in May, will have graduated in 3 years. Only had one internship though, because I did summer school after my first year. People respect the maturity and discipline it takes to get out early, trust me. Just make sure you have a personality and can still be involved on campus, etc.
I finished up my course work two quarters early, and then waited until June to graduate so I could walk with my friends. Easily one of the best decisions I've ever made. 6 months of doing nothing before you show up for training is absolutely the way to go.
if $ is no object, stay for five years. Take extra courses, do more research, more internships. Have more fun, fuck more bitches, have a blast. Do some crazy shit. Network your ass off. And then, after five glorious college years, get a great job.
Again, all this if $ is no problem...otherwise, make a discretionary decision. But stay in college - your penis, and your right palm, will probably thank you, as will your career and happiness.
I graduated in 3 years, but never mentioned it in interviews. Interviewers who had the attention to detail to notice on my resume were impressed by my maturity level / competitiveness, those who didn't simply judged me alongside my older peers. I marketed myself as a Junior during SA recruiting (didn't go through FT recruiting). Worked out for me at the end. Some other kid marketed himself as a Sophomore with the option to graduate early and didn't see any success during a difficult SA recruiting year...so he ended up staying his full 4 years to get into IBD.
I can't help you decide if you should graduate early, but hopefully this answers your question with regards to perception during the interview process.
Graduating early: Pros and Cons (Originally Posted: 05/16/2013)
I'm currently a sophomore at a good target right below the level of Wharton, HYP (think Columbia, Dartmouth, UChicago, Duke, Cornell, etc. ). I networked really hard, and now I'm interning at a MM investment bank this summer in a major southeastern city. In the event that I can get a full-time offer, I may want to graduate a year early. I've completed enough of my core/gen ed and my major and have enough AP credits to do so. What do you think are the pros and cons of graduating a year early? I've made a list myself and asked my parents about it, but I just want others' opinions as well.
Being realistic, I don't think I'll make it into BB IBD. My resume pails in comparison to those who get third-year internship offers.
I did it in 3 years and sometimes regret not having partied for another year. That being said, you are getting a jump start on your peers in your career which will compound over time. If you really love being in college just for the lifestyle then I would recommend staying. If not, might as well move on to bigger and better things.
You can make 1 full year of compensation more than your peers! Other than that your career will begin earlier and you will be an associate when your peers will still be analysts.
If anything graduate a semester early. Assuming you have an offer by then, you can spend the whole semester travelling or at school partying.
No idea why you'd skip that over senior year just to work. Work ain't goin anywhere.
they know you're a sophomore...will they even make you a full time offer? or they know you have the graduating in 3 years option?
personally, you seem like you have your shit together and will get in IBD either way. which is great. I think you should stay another year/semester and relax and have a good time. you'll have the rest of your life to work.
Well that's the thing, though. How could I let the MD I'm working under and HR know that I would graduate a year early if they're willing to give me a full-time offer without sounding premature/imposing?
What's your relationship with your MD like? Could you casually drop that you're toying with the idea? If you don't think you can wrap up the offer and decide to stay in school, you should be well set up for next summer. Assuming you have a solid GPA, you should at least be able to snag an internship at a better bank, even if it's not at a BB.
Also, would graduating early save you from piling on more debt?
Fwiw I graduated a year early from a state school and had only a year long PWM internship under my belt. Sounds like you have your shit together much more than I did on that front.
Graduating Year Early (Originally Posted: 04/21/2010)
I'm currently a junior at a decent target school. I have an S&T internship with a respectable BB this summer. I'm seriously considering graduating a year early (ie I would not return to my school for my 4th year in the fall). The reason being is that the tuition has become a huge financial burden on myself and my family. I have completed all the requirements to graduate a year early
I'd like to get an FT from the same bank and work there after graduation. I'm not sure how this would work because if I do graduate a year early then I won't be on campus in the fall for FT recruiting. Would I just talk to the recruiters about this over the summer when I intern? I would think that I won't be allowed to start full-time after I intern this summer and would have to wait till the following year.
Also, I was originally planning on double majoring but if I graduate a year early then I will drop one of my majors. Not sure if this would complicate things, but when I applied for SA position on my resume it said double major.
Any thoughts on my situation?
contact HR and tell them that you are thinking about graduating early..or maybe discuss it if you have somoene at the bank you clicked with well...maybe you'll get lucky and they'll be in need of another headcount
I would wait to talk to HR/other people you are working with until you are a few weeks into the internship. Depending on the bank, FT training takes place in July or August. If you prove yourself in those first few weeks there is a chance they might move you into the FT training program rather than finish up your internship. Worst case, you get a FT offer from them at the end of Summer, don't go back to school, and get a part-time job to hold you over until training starts again in the Summer.
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