Are freshman/sophomore years the only timeframe for a college student to break into investment banking?

I recently decided I want to go into investment banking but there seems to be a lot of things I need to learn. I am in my second semester of my freshman year and I heard the junior year internships open during the spring of sophomore year. If I don’t make it during my sophomore year, will I still be able to become in investment banker?

7 Comments
 

Yes, networking was key; I was ultra-non-target, albeit with a 4.0 and solid non-IB internships. But I missed the normal SA recruitment cycle and just hustled to recover.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'besides networking.' I studied technicals, if that's what you're implying. But getting interviews was 100% driven by networking. As a non-target, expect not to hear back beyond a hire vue if you're cold-applying—even for an SA seat. 

 

Suscipit unde totam architecto sit numquam. Illum voluptatem dignissimos quis velit recusandae qui voluptas quia. Tempora autem itaque dolorem sed. Voluptate voluptas dicta dolorem ratione sunt exercitationem. Voluptatum labore incidunt corporis suscipit sed natus. Dolor nobis adipisci dolores sed et ut provident ad.

Ullam ratione suscipit quibusdam consequatur eligendi harum qui. Exercitationem adipisci error delectus pariatur sint dolores deleniti. Quod veniam vel vero rem.

Expedita est sit facere fuga deleniti ipsum. Ullam eius ipsam placeat nulla non. Et sequi praesentium eum tempore corrupti vel quam. Unde dolorem veritatis debitis explicabo sit beatae dolores.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”