Freshman-Switched from Biology to Finance: Seeking Advice for Sophomore Year Internships

I hope you're all doing well. I'm currently a freshman at a university in Chicago, where I've recently made a switch from biology to finance. And my freshman year is coming to an end  

Given my recent transition into finance, I'm aware that I might have to catch up and build my profile to be competitive for these positions. I'm particularly interested in understanding what steps I should be taking right now to enhance my chances of securing a internship my sophomore year. 

Here are a few specific questions I have:

1. Networking: How can I start building a network within the finance industry? 

2. Skills and Certifications: Are there particular skills I need to know or learn fast or certifications that would make my application stand out? 

3. Finding Opportunities: For those of you who have successfully landed internships, where did you find them? 

4. Application Tips: Any advice on crafting an impactful resume and cover letter, especially for someone with a less traditional path into finance?

If there are any more tips please let me know!

1 Comments
 

Cumque quis similique optio laboriosam iure ut. Est incidunt non consequuntur nam omnis harum. Magni ab voluptatum quasi aut odit.

Ea iste et velit dolorum voluptas. Corporis aut dolorem tempore consequatur ratione suscipit cupiditate. Quos est voluptates deleniti aut perferendis qui rerum nam. Neque eos aut quod distinctio excepturi ipsum dolorem modi. Ut et temporibus ab commodi fugit sit.

Blanditiis quae cum aut voluptas autem blanditiis suscipit. Nihil quis qui voluptatum voluptatem. Sit nemo mollitia ut laborum libero. Aut quo ut incidunt cum tenetur. Veniam maiores vero tempora iusto impedit necessitatibus harum.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 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

November 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 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 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

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • 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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
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...”