Current Student in an Odd Situation (Urgent-ish)

Hi, I'm a sophomore at a total non-target school who's interested in primarily IB but I'm also considering PE, AM, RE, and consulting. I'm currently applying to transfer to targets and semi-targets. I'm a decently competitive candidate but I'm worried that I won't get into the schools I'd like to attend.
In the event that I don't get into my schools of choice, should I just go to the best school I can and just grind and pray that I get lucky? I know an MBA at a top school is an option but I'd rather start in IB right after undergrad than wait 3-5 years. Would you recommend a 1 year MSF at a top school instead?

This is where the odd part comes in. I'll be graduating from college at 20 years old. I'm 2 years ahead of my peers who are currently seniors in High School. I suppose this means I can afford to be more patient with my education than most, but it also goes against why I'm even 2 years ahead in the first place. While I do well in school, I find it incredibly boring and would like to do something in the real world as early as possible and so I fast-tracked my education accordingly.
Thank you in advance for your responses.

 
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What's the question/odd situation? You're looking to transfer schools but aren't sure where you will get in yet and are also considering an MSF?

Where did you apply to for your transfers?

Generally, I think going to a good semi-target/target will definetly help your chances of getting into banking, but it sounds like you're on that path already. Once you get into some schools, it'll be easier to give advice on that.

Regarding an MSF. I'm no expert on those, @TNA" would be the best one to ask on that, but I think in general, those don't really place into IBD that well. It's not like you can go to a non-target, do a MSF and then recruit into banking. A few kids make it, but many don't and it's probably not worth the time/cost. You'd be better off transfering, which you're doing.

One thing to think about, what's with the huge rush to get everything done so quickly? Any chance you could transfer, but as a Sophomore and then have more time to do internships and set yourself up for banking? I understand being tired of school, but at the end of the day, getting into banking at 20 vs 21/22 makes very little difference. In fact, sometimes the extra year or two really helps with maturity, which, not to be an ass, but based on your post, it sounds like you could use an extra year to continue to grow. School isn't all about just taking classes either, what about going to a school taht would let you intern part-time somewhere? Join some clubs, study things you like outside of class. You're going to have your entire life to work.

Anyways my TLDR, see where you get in and pick one of the schools. "Best" is tough to determine unless you get us a list. MSF probably doesn't make sense, you'd be better off spending another year in undergrad if you can. Lastly, don't worry and don't try so hard. If you're already thinking about this stuff, then that's a good thing, just keep applying yourself and you'll be fine.

 

Thanks for your input. Would you say that it’s worth transferring again after this first transfer to try to get into a target in the event that I’m unable to do so this time? The schools I’m applying to or have already applied to are: U Minn UNC UVA Boston U Boston C Northeastern Ohio State BYU SMU RPI Villanova BTW I’m also considering IT which is why I’m applying to some tech-orientated schools.

 

You potentially could, even though I don't much about the feasibility of multiple transfers and how that would work with grades, what year you come in at, etc. But that's on you to research.

I'll comment on your schools further below, but I guess my overarching thought is, it seems like you're hellbent on getting into a target and getting into banking, without realizing that your school won't be a determining factor in what job you get. It's not like everyone that goes to Harvard just gets a job. Plus, do you deserve to be at an Ivy, are you accomplished enough to go to a Cornell and be the top student there? Did you just get a late start and have been a 4.0 GPA student your first two years of college or are you just trying to achieve something because it looks like what the other top performers are doing and you aspire to follow that path?

I don't know your situation, but for some reason your performance in HS and in the first 18 years of your life led you to a non-target. Then you spent two years in school to transfer, but are now targeting mostly mid-tier transfer targets. Yes you can continue to transfer and try to optimize to try and have the best shot at banking as possible, but at some point it becomes less about the school and more about your ability.

From the schools you listed above, here are the ones I think will get you to where you want to be in terms of finance/banking recruiting in no particular order.

UVA UNC Boston C Villanova SMU BYU(but don't go if you're not Mormon)

The other are fine, but will not be as strong in terms of finance recruiting. UVA/UNC are basically target schools, so either of those would be best.

 

Thanks for the reply. I chose to attend my current school because I thought I would pursue information systems as a career and my current school would be solid for that. I later decided that finance would be a better option for me and I realized my current school couldn’t suit that. Also, I tend to be a 4.0 student. I understand that some schools are more or less rigorous than others but I don’t think getting a 4.0 or near that as too much of a problem assuming I put in the necessary work. I feel like optimizing my situation will be the most important in getting me to banking considering that making grades shouldn’t be a problem. If I couldn’t make near 4.0 grades then most of the schools I listed wouldn’t even consider admitting me.

 

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