Accept CS early offer or roll the dice?
Some background: female, HYP, sophomore internship in PWM at top 3 BB. Long-term plan right now is to exit to PE. Received an exploding offer from Credit Suisse for 2021 SA and through networking hoping I could place into Sponsors group there which I heard is great for PE exits. Do I bite the bullet now and accept the offer (& relax for the next few months) or roll the dice for either an internal transfer to IB at my BB this summer and/or recruit for top BBs + Lazard, Centerview etc. Based on feedback I’ve received I’m pretty confident I could score an offer from at least one of the above, but this would require turning down the CS offer and a whole lot more interviews/recruiting (have had a stressful spring so part of me kind of wants to be done). So my question is- is the risk/reward worth it? Are the PE exit opps at top groups for GS/MS really that much better than CS Sponsors (which I’ve heard is a phenomenal group)? What would you do in my place? I am torn because I really enjoyed what I learned about CS and their culture, but also think I have a strong chance of internal transfer at my current BB after this summer.
I'd take the CS offer. Although keep in mind that the majority of incoming interns put Sponsors as their top choice, so it is extremely hard to get from a pure numbers standpoint. CS Sponsors is one of the top groups on the street, so PE exits are not an issue.
If you really want to be at a GS/MS for the prestige factor, try to lateral for FT recruiting. If you have a strong network at those firms, it will be easier to move especially with HYP & BB SA on your resume. The move would make sense since CS has been underperforming as of late, and the future is a bit more blurry for the bank.
If you like the culture at CS, it's a no brainer for me. I think culture is important beyond lifestyle reasons, as being in the best environment for your personal development is more important than a sweatshop that could care less about you.