Getting into Goldman Sachs

THE goldman sachs??!!?!?!?!??!?!!?!?

enjoy life a little more and remember that goldman isn't the only investment bank out there.

Yes, the Goldman Sachs.

I know that there are other great banks out there and I'll be very glad to get the other banks but I always aim for the very top so even if I don't make it, I improve my chances at the BBs that aren't as prestigious as Goldman Sachs.

GS, slightly more than most banks, are biased against gunners who do nothing but try to break into IBD. But all banks don't really enjoy seeing kids with nothing on their resumes but finance, finance, banking, finance. Esp from a non-target (ruh roh).

Source: By the time you are applying to SA spots, it could be me flipping through the resume books. I will be a second year analyst at GS IBD.

I'm looking into doing joining some consulting clubs as well as a professional business fraternity among other things.

As someone who has made it into GS, what extra-curriculars would you recommend that I try and pursue other than finance/investment related ones?

Also, how would working at ABN Amro/RBS or a government run Indian financial bank during freshman summer look?

ITs good to have a goal, but there are a lot of good IBs out there. Apply everywhere

Dude, you're a freshman and you have three of the best years of your life ahead of you. Like others have said, try to enjoy college - work hard, get your shit done but have some fun. I've reviewed dozens of resumes for both IB and PE positions and, with few exceptions, the well-rounded candidates are much more attractive recruits than the die hard finance kids. I'm fast approaching my 5 year college reunion and certainly don't wish I'd spent more time in college "positioning" myself for IB recruiting.

"How long is a piece of string?"

No one can tell how good your chances. Just enjoy college and see where you end up. Balance your CV and your life out so you don't come across as a drone.

First thing, I would not just pick GS because of its perception. Now, to some degree, that is important as one considers exit options, etc. However, better to join BofA, MS, Barclays, JPM, etc if you have a better fit then to join GS and not fit...

Furthermore, I think its counter intuitive. If you want to get into GS, I wouldn't be a tool about it and bend one's life to get into GS. I would be a bad ass for the sake of being a bad ass and then if you get into GS, great. So, other than those clubs at UM specific to banking, I would do clubs and be a leader in those things that you like.

My junior internship was at GS in I-banking. I decided to go full-time elsewhere in M&A. Probably the road less traveled as most people stumble over GS, but my road nontheless.

I found getting into GS was easier if you were a leader. I went to a similar school as UM. When I was applying I was in our banking club, was President of my fraternity, President of another organization on campus, I had networked, and had a 3.7+ g.p.a. I feel like I had my offer b/c of the leadership stuff.

That being said, the other guy in my class who went to GS was a hard core banker. Like, did banking models in his spare time in college. He was by far the smartest kid I knew in my class for banking b/c he worked at it like crazy...probably why he is at TPG right now.

So, to summarize, don't pick GS just because. When you go to interview it will come off as though you are not genuine and they might think you are a tool...at the end of the day people choose people they like. However, to have the best chance at that firm (and any other firm) either be one of the top 1-2% of leaders at your University or be one of the top 1-2% of intelligence (finance and banking) at your University. From there, all the normal networking and interview prep rules would apply.

side note, UM grads will be reviewing your resume, likely interviewing on campus, etc. I would network with them. Ask them what they look for. You really want to help yourself go out to NYC your sophomore summer and ask one or two from each bank out for a cup of coffee and keep them in your loop...this helps big time.

Goldman Sachs is the best. No question about it. It is similar to the pedigree of Harvard, sure there might be some years where UPenn or Stanford seem more desirable but everyone knows Harvard is better. (based on my biased prestige whore mentality)

Start networking. Your other stats are great, so the only aspect you seem to need is your network.

Good Luck.

I hope for the sake of my sanity that the majority of kids like this never make it into the industry.

Goldman won't be a going concern by the time you graduate, sorry bud.

you are a fucking little tool

I once had that same mentality going into college, but when I research GS more I found that it was not a right fit for me. I thought why would I work for a company that I would naturally not fit in. I actually found that BOFA, MS, JPM all of whom are great banks would be more suited for me.

Also, don't forget about the boutiques. I recently read on here that BB banks don't offer you the same exposure as boutiques.

Think of it this way. If you helped a client on a deal do you want them to remember your name. If yes than apply to some boutiques, and if no apply to the BB.

Although, that may not be true for every BB, but for the majority I hear it tends to be that way.

You have a lot of years ahead go have fun and enjoy your time in college. You don't want to look back at your college years and regret not doing some of the things that normal college kids do.

Can you please elaborate how you want to get a 3-4 week internship at ABN Amro? To my knowledge, it doesn't exists (minimum of 3 months I believe).

you are the kind of guy no one would want to work with. this will keep you out of IBD.

Not the answers you wanted right? Haha my fellow freshman, I actually thought the way you did (and to some extent still do a little now) but this is not what wall street is about, sure it's a shark fest when you are ON wall street but in college just chill because you never know what may happen (and recruiters want to hire someone chill). Just let things fall into place congratz on the offer that is fucking sick BTW. Just lurk more on this website and learn about the psyche of the people who visit here otherwise you will get shit stormed (I was a couple times and I deserved it). GL man

Oh BTW FUCK U (I actually rejected my Umich acceptance)

go bucks

I had an interview with GS today--you should probably starting preparing right now, it was difficult. That being said, the people are very impressive and personable. Make an effort to reach out to alumni who work there and tell them about your interest. I had a 3.1 in a finance/accounting major and still got an interview.

A lot of what is said in this thread is true if a little over the top. What it boils down to is that people can spot a resume padder from a mile away. There are tons of kids my school that do business frats, student investment clubs, attend modeling courses on a couple weekends, and just generally try to pad/tailor their resume with everything they can. Almost all of them end up failing when it comes to banking recruiting because frankly they are just extremely annoying people to spend time around because they are the kind of kids who text you an hour after an exam to ask what you got in the hopes they beat you by a point. The guys who are consistently successful in breaking in are the ones who have the top grades and the top internships, but outside of that are generally personable people with social lives and interests outside of finance.

Nothing wrong with making banking your goal but don't turn yourself into a drone thinking that will help. If you are really interested in investing join the student investment club, but don't join all of them just to pad your resume. These things provide the most benefit to people with non-finance backgrounds trying to show an interest. If you are majoring in finance already and doing internships you'd be better off doing something you actually enjoy and can show a passion for.

One of the best things I think you can do for freshman summer is study abroad and have fun. If you can work an internship while abroad then great, but if not you will have plenty of time to do that sophomore and junior year. Honestly going through SA recruiting this year I probably spent more time talking about my experiences abroad then either of my internships combined. I'm in a student club as well (non-finance) and it was never even brought up once.

You want real experience that will help you or just shit to do to put down on your resume?

God you sound like a dweeb. It's people like you that make me hate GS.

Prestige? GS doesn't touch me for prestige.

If I get you into GS, will you get me in?

op what soap do you use?

heard gs does a smell test to make sure you are wearing dove and not Irish springs (they sell it at non target schools (princeton)).

First and foremost, thou shalt not be a tool.

OP - don't worry about all the negativity. Setting your IB bar at GS is just like telling your high school counselor "I want to go to Harvard or Stanford." (I don't see any problem in that) I'd say you just have to work on being a little bit more political.

However, you have the right mentality (kind of). Don't reverse engineer your resume so that you can "fit" with GS, bc, as someone said, GS interviews are hard and are designed to get expose "why do you do the things you do." Not to say that every bank doesn't try to do this, GS just does it a little better (same goes with their advisory).

Be yourself and pursue things that are impressive. At the end of the day, you want to be the kid that a) has a good GPA b) did a summer in finance / doing real work, and c) has amazing leadership experiences. If that is what you are genuinely interested in, then pursue it and GS will realize the candidate you are. Just know that if you are sitting in the library cranking on HW 24/7 then consider yourself dinged. You absolutely need to be a leader on and off campus for you to have a shot. Good luck man.

Source: Applied to GS every year as an undergrad and didn't get my shot until junior year bc thats when I pulled my shit together and had leadership experiences I could talk about (not just list on my resume). Got the nod from GS and haven't looked back.

Thanks for all the comments. I appreciate the flaming too as it is a reality check.

I guess I should have been more clear as to why I posted GS. My father always told me that if you want to get a 4.0, aim for a 4.3 (even if it isn't possible) because then you are more likely to get a 4.0. I'm following the same mentality here. I'm aiming for Goldman Sachs so that even if I don't make it there, I'll get some other great internship at a top BB or boutique.

As for the summer internships this summer at ABN Amro/Barclays, there is no proper summer internship program that I'll be doing. I'm using connections, hence why I'm getting the internship in the first place and why it will be 3-4 weeks.

GS or bust, that's the spirit.

your mentality mirrors a quote by confucious: "If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's ok. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot.”

if you genuinely want to do IB, and you are not obnoxious about it, then there's nothing wrong with aiming for goldman. good luck man.

The title of this totally reminds me of eager high school kids on college confidential... "Getting into HARVARD?"

Which would look better?

1. BBA + Financial Math Minor; GPA around 4.0 (it is out of 4.4 since that is what you are awarded for A+)

2. BBA + Financial Math Major; GPA around 3.8 for BBA and around 3.6-3.7 in Financial Math