So I failed a course

So I was sick during a midterm, and my teacher didn't excuse me and I ended up getting an F for the course, despite my many pleas. I ended up with a ~3.2 cumulative GPA. I go to a target, but my question is: should I just aim for MM/boutiques? Only BBs recruit in my campus, so I don't really know how to network with MM/boutiques besides cold-calling. I was considering a middle office job, but everybody seems to be against that because of the nonexistent exit opps. What should I do? (Note: I'm not a big prestige whore. I'm fine with a job that has great pay, and decent exit opportunities)

Here's a bit about me:
Junior 3.2 Economics major, Math minor
Highly sought after target (top 10 school)
Had an Accounting Internship after sophomore year (not really related to ibanking)
URM- I don't really want to apply to SEO, cause my professors might look down on me for taking shortcuts.

 

You failed a course and it dropped you to 3.2? What did you have before? Being that it is September, you're either at the very beginning of a semester or on a very different schedule. If the semester just finished and you're concerned about that grade, look in the school's handbook. Most have a way to argue/change the grade.

 
futurexreject:
URM- I don't really want to apply to SEO, cause my professors might look down on me for taking shortcuts.

I think what you think matters a lot more than what your professors think...

if you like it then you shoulda put a banana on it
 
Best Response

I failed a class my junior fall, right before SA recruiting started. My GPA was also a 3.2 at the time (and I was an econ major). I got an MM SA gig. Let me tell you, it doesn't matter as much as you think it does. Network your ass off. Cold calls. Cold emails. (Read the threads in my sig). Apply for anything and everything. Expect rejections. Shrug it off. Continue to improve. Don't make the same mistakes. It sucks, but what can you do.

Oh, and don't continually justify your F by saying, "I was sick during a midterm." Everyone gets sick; either you weren't responsible enough to alert your prof ahead of time... or you were a wuss and/or okay with skipping the exam at the time. (Unless you were so sick you literally could not sit up straight, in which case your prof is just a douche for not allowing you to take a make-up exam). Not to mention, failing one midterm usually doesn't give you an F for the course unless you were horrible on assignments/papers/projects as well. I doubt your midterm was 80% of your grade or something.

Regardless, don't dwell on it - focus on improving the GPA this term and networking. The fact that you're at a target is good news, just leverage it properly. Apply via OCR anyways, you have NOTHING to lose and potentially something to gain (also, even if you don't get anything, interview practice is always great to have).

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 
chicandtoughness:
I failed a class my junior fall, right before SA recruiting started. My GPA was also a 3.2 at the time (and I was an econ major). I got an MM SA gig. Let me tell you, it doesn't matter as much as you think it does. Network your ass off. Cold calls. Cold emails. (Read the threads in my sig). Apply for anything and everything. Expect rejections. Shrug it off. Continue to improve. Don't make the same mistakes. It sucks, but what can you do.

Oh, and don't continually justify your F by saying, "I was sick during a midterm." Everyone gets sick; either you weren't responsible enough to alert your prof ahead of time... or you were a wuss and/or okay with skipping the exam at the time. (Unless you were so sick you literally could not sit up straight, in which case your prof is just a douche for not allowing you to take a make-up exam). Not to mention, failing one midterm usually doesn't give you an F for the course unless you were horrible on assignments/papers/projects as well. I doubt your midterm was 80% of your grade or something.

Regardless, don't dwell on it - focus on improving the GPA this term and networking. The fact that you're at a target is good news, just leverage it properly. Apply via OCR anyways, you have NOTHING to lose and potentially something to gain (also, even if you don't get anything, interview practice is always great to have).

Wow, thanks. Your reply means a lot!

 
chicandtoughness:
I failed a class my junior fall, right before SA recruiting started. My GPA was also a 3.2 at the time (and I was an econ major). I got an MM SA gig. Let me tell you, it doesn't matter as much as you think it does. Network your ass off. Cold calls. Cold emails. (Read the threads in my sig). Apply for anything and everything. Expect rejections. Shrug it off. Continue to improve. Don't make the same mistakes. It sucks, but what can you do.

Oh, and don't continually justify your F by saying, "I was sick during a midterm." Everyone gets sick; either you weren't responsible enough to alert your prof ahead of time... or you were a wuss and/or okay with skipping the exam at the time. (Unless you were so sick you literally could not sit up straight, in which case your prof is just a douche for not allowing you to take a make-up exam). Not to mention, failing one midterm usually doesn't give you an F for the course unless you were horrible on assignments/papers/projects as well. I doubt your midterm was 80% of your grade or something.

Regardless, don't dwell on it - focus on improving the GPA this term and networking. The fact that you're at a target is good news, just leverage it properly. Apply via OCR anyways, you have NOTHING to lose and potentially something to gain (also, even if you don't get anything, interview practice is always great to have).

Wow, thanks. Your reply means a lot!

 

I'd have to agree with the above comments. You can't blame anything on being sick, unless it's explosive diarrhea or pregnancy. Was this course in your major? If it was some bs class, just tell them you were studying for an econ midterm and deamed that one more important. Still, check and see if you can argue the grade if it's that important to you.

 

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