Advice - Nontarget with a 3.3-3.5GPA

So I go to a nontarget and have a mediocre gpa 3.3-3.5. Luckily, I landed an internship at a boutique through grinding it out cold calling/emailing alums and any sort of ib establishment in the area. This boutique is very small and all of the members have remarkable experience in the industry and im assuming contacts as well. Im not given as much responsibility as lets say a BB SA because they simply dont have the resources to trrain me, but i have been getting exposure to modeling, and their current deals etc. Question is I have an interview with a fortune 500 for finance/acctg internship this summer that feeds into their 3 year rotational program. I want IB, but am concerned whether I should pass this f500 opportunity up as it is my safety net. What should I do.....Will my gpa really hurt if my current internship gets my interviews through connections? They have tons of experience from being ex partners at MM companies to ex VPS at top tier BB's etc.

6,225 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '25 Nov 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Career Roadmap (optional)

“My mentor provided valuable guidance in helping me develop a clearer career roadmap, taking the time to understand my background, interests and long-term ambitions. His advice was tailored to my goals, helping me identify potential career paths and the practical steps needed to pursue them. He helped me break down my ambitions into manageable priorities, including the skills and experience I should focus on developing. I particularly appreciated his thoughtful approach, which encouraged me to consider both my immediate next steps and how they could support my longer-term progression. His support gave me greater clarity, confidence and a stronger sense of direction. I would highly recommend his mentoring to anyone looking for personalised guidance in planning their career.”

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

Class of '26 Nov 2026 Cohort

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Investment Banking Short Resume Review / Recap

“My resume review experience with Julian Gropp was exceptional. Even before our session, he carefully reviewed both versions of my resume and provided detailed, personalized feedback. He identified two major areas for improvement: positioning my unique healthcare background as a competitive advantage and quantifying my accomplishments with measurable results. What impressed me most was his attention to detail. He asked 13 thoughtful questions to understand my education, career transition, financial projects, internships, and technical skills before rewriting my resumes. He then created two targeted versions—one for Investment Banking and another for Corporate Finance—while ensuring every accomplishment was accurate and defensible during interviews. One piece of advice that truly stayed with me was, "Lead with finance. Healthcare is your edge, but it does not define you." This completely changed how I think about presenting my professional background. He also helped me identify my strongest experiences, improve my financial project descriptions, and recognize the importance of building a healthcare-focused financial model to demonstrate technical competency. Julian went beyond simply editing my resume. He helped me understand how recruiters evaluate candidates, how to communicate a nontraditional career transition confidently, and how to develop a stronger professional narrative. His guidance was honest, practical, encouraging, and tailored to my goals. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort he invested in helping me become a more competitive finance candidate.”

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tandaradei

IB

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Advice - Nontarget with a 3.3-3.5GPA

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Advice - Nontarget with a 3.3-3.5GPA

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