Are my reasons for choosing IB over trading logical? Also, what should my next steps be?

Hello,

I am a current sophomore. I have a 3.8+ GPA.

1) The main finance jobs I've heard college graduates get are IB, consulting, and trading. Is this correct, or are there any other finance related jobs that pay well?

2) I've cold emailed a few boutique investment banks. A few liked my resume, and said let's talk in a few weeks. I don't know shit about IB, though hopefully I will "intern" at my school's Investment Club this semester. What are the best books/guides/resources or stuff in general to start learning?

3) Is VC an option? I have experience in getting startups acquired, and my network is much more developed in the startup/VC community than the IB community.

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it.

2 Comments
 
Best Response

Nobis nulla hic illum totam quis nihil sint. Quas corporis nisi beatae perferendis. Aut sequi qui temporibus quia non non. Minus voluptatem voluptas autem et nostrum sint.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”