How do you know that you're in a "target school"?

if you havent seen BB banks at your school this fall, you're not at a target.(ie, your not at an ivy, MIT, DUKE, etc) Dont be discouraged, you just have to work a little harder. You really have to go out and utilize your alum network because no one will be coming to you.

as the old adage goes, "if you have to ask..."

But seriously, a target means that a company is spending lots of money to specifically recruit from your school. They probably have a long standing relationship with the career services department and will hold 1st and sometimes 2nd round interviews on your campus.

The list of targets varies by company (sometimes you can figure this out from their website under "event calendar" or something), but always includes the Ivies and most schools at the top of the US News rankings.

Funny you use that quote jackofalltrades, J.P. Morgan said that quote.

Targets-All Ivys, Stanford, Duke, MIT, Chicago, CalTech, also maybe not targets but lots of recruiters-Michigan, WashU, Indiana

U Mich is target every bulge is here this fall recruiting. And, even some good MM/ boutiques Lazard, HLHZ, Rothchild

northwestern, uva, nyu stern,

From the confident swagger of the econ majors.

From the electric feeling of power in the air.

From the look on people's faces when you tell them where you go to school.

From the hatred harbored by the townies and locals toward the students at your school.

Believe me - you'll know.

[by the way, to the guy who wrote "DUKE" in all caps: you're a tool]

Lol despite how toolish that may have sounded to some I definitely can see truth in mark klein's statements.

It definitely describes a lot of the top schools.

Despite the sheer amount people from "target" schools working at BBs I-Banks, they are suprisingly overrated. Don't get me wrong the top kids at the top schools are a head and shoulders above everyone else. Those kids work at the top groups at GS, MS, Blackstone, KKR, and TPG. However,(as an example) the kid from Harvard who works in Consumer Products at UBS is not on the same level. Lots of senior bankers who are alums of Harvard and Yale recruit there largely because they went there, despite the fact that they can't recruit top caliber kids. In fact, at two banks I have worked at "non-target" kids have had a higher SA offer rate (obviously though in fewer cases)than their "target" counterparts. In fact, I think the "second rate" target schools of UVA and UMich provide the best all around analysts I have seen. Point of it all if you are a Harvard or Yale graduate and you work at DB, BS, or UBS...whats your excuse?

Mark Klein: You are a tool...

If you don't know whether your school is a target then you probably don't go to one.

But this year, I don't think it mattered. I actually think being at a target may have hurt me as so many kids already had and accepted offers from their SA. As a college athlete I worked at a boutique in New Haven so I could lift with teamates. Several banks told me they could not take any more Yale kids since they already had a ton of summers from Yale and then cut back their FT recruiting this year.

I have several friends at UT Austin who got jobs with banks who did not even interview here this year.

i second the "if you have to ask" point.

but it is best to think about the situation in different terms. as mentioned, there are really only 10 surefire targets. and i would argue 5 (harvard, wharton, princeton, michigan, virginia,), but that is neither here nor there. think about which banks invest in your campus - presentations, sponsor clubs/events, resume drops, etc. while there are only a handful of places that every bank goes to, there are a lot of places where a critical mass (3-4) BB will go.

you have a solid chance of interviewing in IB - BB, MM, etc - if you go to a school that has 3-4 BB invested, so think about it in those terms not target or not target.

I know it is a pointless argument, but I don't think Michigan or Virginia would ever be considered in the true top 5 over Yale and Columbia.

They're not. At least Virginia that is.

bankers are obsessed with rankings (I try not to be)...but Virginia doesn't sound right.

my god, Duke is overrated.

Thanks for the replies!

How do banks think of Liberal Arts colleges?

If all the BBs go to ur school and hold info sessions/receptions ur at a target.

How does Lehigh University fair in this respect? It's not an Ivy, or a Duke or MIT, but if I recall correctly Goldman, JPM, Morgan Stanley, Citi, BofA, and other smaller banks were all at our career fair this past semester.

Duke, UVA, W&L? All three seem to do very well, although except for UVA none are targets. Also what about Georgetown? Great school, but seems to have more of a reputation for churning out law school/med school/state department types.

You're kidding me. Duke is a target. Call HR if you must or look at any resume book.

In absolute numbers:

Duke a few ivies Duke = a few ivies Duke > a few Ivies

Duke's ranked like between 5-10 in every ranking...why would you place them near W&L (what does that even stand for)?