How to get MS,GS or JPM Chase out of undergrad and how hard would it be?
I'll be a freshman at Stanford this year and my hope is to become an analyst at one of those firms. What can I do to make my chances greater? How hard will it be? I'm worried about this because there's nothing about me that "stands out". I hear all the time on this site that to get a job there, you'll need to go to HYPW and be rich with connections or have done something extraordinary like run a business that generates a $5k profit a month. Im a normal kid, poor and (dis)connected, going to school out in Cali and I'm not the best interviewer. How hard is it to get a job at one of these banks'? Is it as hard as getting into Harvard or Julliard? Im not cocky or anything, I'm not trying to say im too good for the other banks as I'm not. I've read numerous times on this board that to get into a top hedge fund you'll need to work at one of those three banks and a top Hedge Fund is my goal.
I stopped at Stanford...i think you're good. just go with the flow.
It's good that you're planning for this now. Try to shoot for a PWM or IB internship at a BB the summer of your sophomore year. Use that to leverage into a solid SA Internship at GS/MS/JPM. This is more or less "the track." Not saying its easy, but being at Stanford helps, especially if you're applying for IB spots on the west coast. Other than that, network network network!!! Reach out to alumni in banking; this should be cake coming from Stanford. Keep yourself involved on campus, I personally recommend joining a fraternity for networking opportunities later, but if not, something like a club sports team or executive role in your on campus investments club will help. Make sure your GPA doesn't fall below a 3.7. That's all I got for you for now. Just keep at it and remember your end-goal, you'll get there.
don't do PWM like an idiot... work for a VC, startup, or nonprofit your freshman year. Or take the time to do something you actually want (travel, service, etc). You can even get a front-office job your first year if you really wanted
Thanks for the help, but wouldn't it be hard for me to networ with alumni at these firms since I'm all the way across the country? Wouldn't they think I'm trying to just use them to land a job at the firm?
Network = phone conversation. They know you want a job, but you can't say it (say you want to learn more about their industry, specifics about their firm). Grades plus networking is key
I would personally work my ass off to try to land a boutique SA offer for after freshman/soph years.
All of those firms have SF / Menlo Park offices, which will each have Stanford alumns. Even if you want to work in NYC, it will be worth your while to get to know the CA offices as well.
Freshman at Stanford. I'm Jelly! Just keep networking. I'd try to get an internship at a local place. When you're young you can work for free, since you don't have major bills to pay yet. Look into unpaid internships at local places?
whats the point of asking the chance? like bill gates said, increasing the odds doesn't guarantee success
Keep your grades up.
Chill out, you are at one of the best schools in the country, people form non targets have landed jobs at GS, it should be no problem to land a banking gig coming form Stanford. Aim for a 3.5 or above and your golden.
Hai guise! Im attending Harvard next year and NOTHING is special about me! I hear all these crazy things you have to do to get into IB. What can I do to stand out at HARVARD?? Is IB a longshot?
Did I bother you with this thread? I'm asking a question and I think it's a good one. You're trying to say just because you have a good UG on your resume, you're set at the most selective firms, I don't think it's like that. If it was, than some Wharton and Harvard students wouldn't have to work at Dillion Read & Co and they'll ALL be at Morgan Stanley and pulling in offers from BlueMountain Capital and Blackstone by the time they're 26. I don't think it works that way so I'm asking this to get an edge. Edit: And since you mentioned Harvard, I'd like to let you know that I've been accepted there too.
Dillon read? Bluemountain capital?
i don't get the guys on this site fresh out of high school who want to make a bee-line for banking.
why don't you take a few courses and see what interests you first? it's pretty naive to say you want to go into banking as a 17 yo kid. especially since you wanna go to a HF after that...man that's 10 years down the road for you.
This. I applaud your enthusiasm and drive, but trust me, you need to go live life and determine your values first. Then, find an industry / company that aligns with these values. Bam -- you'll actually be HAPPY with your job.
And trust me, Julliard is a hell of a lot harder to get in to (as a musician) than Harvard (for academics). It's not even close.
Kid, this industry might be completely different (i.e. lower comps, more regulation, less jobs, not-so-bright future) in 4 years time. Heck, the USofA can be a complete shithole by then. So what the poster above said ---- see what interests you first...
what if bill gates / zuckerberg had gunned for banking before even stepping foot? Stanford has some of the most incredible resources in such a large variety of subjects. In my opinion, the WORST thing you could do is step foot on campus with a preconceived goal of aiming for banking.
Yeah, you're right. I first wanted Stanford for engineering but now I've switched my goal to banking. I know I probably wont want to do banking 3-4 years down the road, but I just want to be knowledgable and get a head start. If I actually do want to do banking in a few years, I want to be prepared.
Do what interests you and do it well. Simple as that.
1) relax 2) enjoy college, take bong rips, get laid, etc 3) travel where ever you can 4) later on, start doing something mild related to financial services to put on a resume and work with others who went to stanford 5) get to the point where you can balance 3 of those at once
But calm down. Its friday.
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