Do i still have a chance at IB?

Im a high school senior who has a 3.3GPA (test optional sat, horrible score all 3 times taken) - getting admissions decisions from colleges now (most of which are non-target, with lower, lower tier semi-targets on there) and im wondering if its still worth trying to consider a path in investment banking. Some of the schools ive gotten into and am certain ill be getting into are pretty much not known at all in the field besides Virginia Tech and Baruch, which arent even lower semi-target schools. 

I havent even tried applying to any target or semi target schools as it'd just be a waste of an application fee. Im still so interested in this path though and throughout high school its become a hobby of mine to do quant research and im a trader as well (commodities). I really love this stuff. 

I have KIND OF related internship experience In high-school - i completed a Data Analytics Internship at Tradeweb and a business administration internship at a local hospital. Im located in new york by the way. 

Something i think could be possible but need opinions on is transferring. The transfer acceptance rates for some very target schools are way higher then freshman acceptance rates. Like UMichignan, UVA, Notre Dame, UCLA, and UNC all have transfer acceptance rates of about 30-40 percent. I think this is doable for me if i get above a 3.8 for two years at a random school then try transferring. Does this seem plausible? 

Thank you 

Edit: Thank you guys for the input, ill definitely try my best to continue to land internships over the summer and aim for a 4.0 my first year in university so that i can transfer to a target/semi-target. I also havent even applied to IU yet. ill be doing tha TODAY. Thank you guys really

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

If you're gonna transfer, do it after the first year. If you get into your new school your junior year, you will almost certainly be behind in recruiting.

Here's a viable formula for success here, and this is assuming a transfer after freshman year -

1. Get any sort of even remotely relevant job/internship for your freshman summer (and make sure your grades are good, join a relevant club or two). Update your resume after this summer

2. For sophomore summer, recruit for private wealth or commercial banking jobs. This is a surefire way to get in the mix for investment banking Summer Analyst recruiting. PWM will be easier to recruit for, just anecdotally. 

3. Most likely IB recruiting will start sophomore Spring. Do all the prep (get the guides, do some mock interviews, etc etc.), go to info sessions, network, all that good stuff

4. Alongside all the above points, make sure to enjoy your college time. No one wants to hire some hardo geek that spends college obsessing over some potential job he/she actually doesn't know anything about  

 

my friend at an EB had a 3.1 in HS, transferred to a semi target and had a 3.6 cumilative — non diverse btw.

anything is possible if you control what you can control and let luck play its hand

 

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