Good grief this place should come with a warning

Gonna delurk for a second here, and this is primarily for those who (1) didn't go to a target), (2)those who did not spend their summers in the banking/consulting world, or (3) don't have above at least a 3.6 gpa: IGNORE THIS SITE LIKE THE PLAGUE.

i was so discouraged from reading all these posts about how you had to be super duper qualified and had ah-mazing grades to get a job at a BBM that i almost didn't even bother applying until someone working at a BBM who i had met at one of those lunch things emailed me and encouraged me to give it a shot anyway. ended up applying to 2 of the BBMS

me: 3.4 from a target, soft science major, three college summers spent abroad doing international development type stuff, good ecs and research on campus with similar ID focus, great interviews, got an offer at both of the BBMs.

friend: 3.7 from a non-target, non-traditional summer internships dealing with environmental energy and sustainability in urban areas, research role with a clean-tech startup for 2 years, 1 offer at a BBM.

face it: these firms got hundreds of finance/econ/engineering, etc. major every year, with the requisite "great" gpa and "expected' internships. if you don't fit this, give it a shot any way. maybe i'm talking out of my ass here, but i think these firms are going for a little more diversity in terms of experience and thinking, so no use in hiring a bunch of those who stuck to the traditional route.

to those who who feel like they don't "fit" a certain mold, don't be discouraged by what you read. not everyone can get straight As, and it certainly isn't indicative of how you will perform better vs someone who did. to quote from a website: "No difference in performance between those who had a 3.5 GPA vs. 4.0 GPA (for example, my undergrad GPA was around a 3.5 GPA, and I did pretty well at McKinsey)."

certainly, you have to had done some meaningful and extensive work in a certain area that you were passionate about, and have good ecs, and not like have a 2.5 or something. if you have, give it a shot, prepare for the case interviews, and if it works, take the experience for a couple of years, and afterwards, the world is yours.

adios.

17 Comments
 

Whatever. I've met a lot of haters and put downers in my time - they exist everywhere. You just gotta be like "Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man" and move on. If somebody gives you a boost or does you a favor, great. If they tell you you never got a chance, fuckem.

 
Best Response

I come from a non-target, but with the right GPA/SAT/etc scores, as well as decent internships (but not the greatest). I recently got an offer from Oliver WYman FS, which is second only to McKinsey. So I fully agree jj1188, you can make anything happen - you don't HAVE to go to Wharton/Harvard etc.

BUT. These forums are excellent because they are realistic. People here are elitist and say you need a 3.7 from a target because - let's face it, that's what the M/B/Bs of the world want.

If you have a 3.3 from a non target with nondescript internships, unless you give a mean blow job you're just not gonna get the M/B/B type job...and that is fact.

 

people on this site are realistic - it's a service. It also reminds people who are still young NOT TO GET BAD GRADES... which is really the smart thing to do - especially since getting above a 3.5 in any non-engineering major isn't exactly rocket science... I personally was able to get very respectable grades at ivy league school without working "hard" pretty much at all... go to class people! Just go to god damn class and read the textbook when assigned and do your homework! You can still drink and party ALL THE TIME - just don't be an IDIOT and miss class the next morning because you're hungover and SOFT. Bankers are not soft.

 

This is a nice post and its interesting. I agree that GPA should not be the priority in a student’s thinking but it seems that GPA rules everything.GPA isn’t that important today. If you plan to go into grad school you need research experience to market yourself or you’re basically screwed.

Good Grief Bear is targeted towards providing the needy a helping hand to overcome the grief and the grievances that they encounter in the harsh reality of life. URL: www.goodgriefbear.com
 

I dont know dude, every other day it seems like a non target kid is breaking in. This site is deff for someone with a thick skin and a hunger.

 

Ok, assuming that many of the people here will break into MBB and other top firms, even though you have made it in, you will face a similar attitude from many people. Getting in does not mean the game is over. Though take it with a grain of salt, as I'm just a senior, but if my assumption is correct, then I think this will be true.

 

You can absolutely make it from a non-target school. Just realize that that's seen as a chip on your shoulder and you'll always be expected to over-perform relative to that chip.

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afalcon10why dont you try to transfer to a target after 1 or 2 years? plenty do it.

Or you could just network like a stud, party twice as much and save the $30K a year in additional tuition and get the same offer anyway... There are no hard and fast rules except that you gotta be dirrty good at what you do to get an offer.

 

muuuuuch easier to get in from a target. they will come to your dorm room to convince you to come to their firm. very little resistance and nearly no concept of "breaking in"

 

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