2021 FT Recruitment - MSF

Hey all,

Feel free to redirect me to an existing thread if applicable - the WSO search function isn't really the best..

Anyway, as someone who is on the fence about MSF, I'm wondering:

• Is there a structured MSF IB recruitment process or are all the opportunities gonna be the same as those available to undergrad seniors? It seems like the only real opps involve competing for 1 or 2 (usually 0) open FT spots at the end of August each year during a window of 1-3 weeks
• Since most MSF progams start around July/August, would you even have a "new" GPA by the time an offer must be secured around August/September? Or a better question may be what are the grading intervals at a MSF program?
• I don't see how there could enough time to get involved, secure leadership positions, or add anything to your resume that wasn't there before - beyond "incoming MSF candidate" and a GMAT score
• How is there time to do a June to August internship for schools like UT or Vandy that start in July?
• Given the current economic climate that has caused many banks to go on a hiring freeze, is a MSF worth it right now?
• A trend I've been seeing is that banks are hiring fewer and fewer outside of their own intern class. For instance, 2 of my peers who interned at GS/MS/BAML/JPM this summer didn't get FT offers (one worked at GS SLC so not really that person's fault, the other just didn't get the conversion). Both are currently having extremely hard times finding FT jobs at even lower MMs or Boutiques. Even the lower boutiques would rather stick with converting their 4 interns into 4 FT analysts than to hire one more externally. Thoughts on this?

Thanks,