May 01, 2011

Disaster semester

Thanks!

5,802 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '28 Jul 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

See All 10,829 WSO Academy Reviews

8 Comments

Gekko21

15y

You should be fine. If you get the offer after the SA and accept, there is nothing to worry about as they won't care about grades and only want to see the diploma. If might hurt you a little if you want to switch banks/look for another FT offer, but the work experience should make up for the below 3.5 GPA.

Quote

Report

Other

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."

starwin

15y

Best Response

I'm in the same position, but I am doubled major. My Economics GPA is 3.8 and Accounting GPA is 2.5. These Accounting classes are brutal. I just post my Economics GPA instead on my cumulative GPA on my resume. I plan on staying at the the same BB for awhile, so I really don't care if my GPA hits around a 3.0

Quote

Report

Other

JBGH

15y

Drive your car into a ditch - a deep ditch (bail first). Give yourself a nice punch in the eye / few scrapes on the arm. You blew your grades b/c you got in a horrible wreck right before finals.... b/c you were in a horrible car wreck....

Only kidding...

Quote

Report

Other

JeffSkilling

15y

I'm in similar position I have just shy of 3.7 and did less than stellar this semester, but not horrible. The only thing GPA matters for at this point is potentially switching banks SA to FT, or MBA down the road. Even then I don't think it's a game changer.

Quote

Report

Other

What Are The 5 Types of Financial Institutions

Severus

15y

Thanks for the replies everyone. So the general consensus is that I should be ok? I just feel like absolute shit after this semester and the only thing really keeping me going is my SA gig

Quote

Report

Other

IB Principal

starwin

15y

You are in the door, this is the only thing that matters. Make sure to network and get the offer.

Quote

Report

Other

Anonymous Monkey

15y

Work like mad to get it above 3.5 for buyside recruiting and bschool admissions. Regarding your SA offer, nothing to worry about. It's in the bag.

Quote

Report

Other

IB Analyst Job Description

Severus

15y

Dolore nihil adipisci enim consequatur. Quis sed praesentium dolorum dolor qui ut magnam neque. Voluptatibus quo aut qui quam voluptas quo. Maiores aut voluptatum fuga deserunt quod impedit eos. Et perferendis asperiores dolorem culpa quidem est nostrum. Necessitatibus debitis vel aliquam quasi.

Et minima repellendus in minima quam. Inventore omnis eum amet fugiat omnis voluptates quo. Sit laudantium assumenda laboriosam.

Eaque deserunt rerum tempore aut consequatur. Dolorum iure voluptatem sint at eius blanditiis magni recusandae. Atque assumenda consectetur deserunt dolores error nihil voluptas.

Repellendus ullam sapiente quae ut placeat aut doloremque odio. Placeat quasi ipsa et ullam non. Libero et vel velit consequuntur nostrum. Mollitia molestias iusto velit tenetur dignissimos voluptatem.

Quote

Report

Other

NPV Valuation Template Excel

+185	Piper Sandler in talks to acquire PWP	75	21h
+124	UBS Appears to be Exploring Sale	19	3d
+99	Paradise Is Paradise	8	1d
+81	Drunk VP. How to manage?	27	2d
+39	How do I take my foot off the gas? (AN1)	4	2d
+38	Lazard US Views 2026/2027	13	2d
+26	Why did EVR succeed vs GHL or PWP that ended up getting acquired?	9	16h
+22	Mandated 9:00am Arrival?	6	4d
+21	Prestige Upgrade: Incoming Piper Sandler Intern (PWP Merger)	4	5d
+21	How early is to early?	9	8h

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	GameTheory	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	Betsy Massar	98.9
8	dosk17	98.9
9	CompBanker	98.9
10	Kenny_Powers_CFA	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Disaster semester

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Disaster semester

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum