How difficult to get first round at BB/EB/MM without networking?

For context, have 4.0 at low ivy (brown, Dartmouth, Cornell) in math Econ with a future IB internship. Is networking at all of these firms really that essential for me to get a first round, or would resume alone be enough?

19 Comments
 

If I had to ballpark, feel like I've been through 10-15 processes where I've gotten actual interviews (not counting HireVues, OAs, screens), and I think for every single one I had a referral. Never recruited with an EB but I can definitely imagine it being the exact same story if not even harder.

 

Might be unpopular advice but try to limit your reach to alumni and people with things in common. I come from a school with a good amt of alumni but not an insane amount either to the point where you could find one at any bank so if there was a team I was targeting, I would opt to network w people that had same interests.

what i think really helped me as well was also just keeping it chill. there is a big hardo problem and most of the people i networked w appreciated it since i kept it short and kept convos very informal and chill. 

 
Most Helpful

Nobody can give you a precise percentage as for your odds.

Networking increases your odds demonstrably. I will add to the anecdotal evidence here and say that I had probably 4-5 total processes before landing my role, all but one of which were “warm” intros. I probably launched 10-15 applications, and got into only one process “cold.” I didn’t get past the first round despite making it much further in much more “prestigious” processes, and I suspect that’s because I lost out to people who did network.

Point is: it is important. Really important.

It’s also not that hard. My bank is literally begging analysts and associates right not to have as many coffee chats/calls as we can, and we have tons of alumni from all three of the schools you mention here.

How many reach-outs are you sending each day? And to how many banks?

 

Bankasaurus

My bank is literally begging analysts and associates right not to have as many coffee chats/calls as we can, and we have tons of alumni from all three of the schools you mention here.

Is it still like this?

 

I ran recruiting at EVR/MOE and I never once had someone get an interview without networking. It matters more if someone is willing to go to bat for you then the quantity of calls. i.e. one MD/VP who actually pushes for your is much better than having a 15 call with 6 analysts who never pass you along because they have their own cohort to help out. 

 

Need to ask yourself why they aren't responding? Most likely if you are sending them out it could be 1.) your email format is not good or too long 2.) your resume isn't super strong and they don't feel good about your chances 3.) there was a finance club on your campus that you weren't a part of that helps place most kids so they are focusing on helping students of the club 4.) bad luck. Either way keep at it but don't spam people at the bank. There was always one or two students every year who would blast the whole bullpen and then we would all laugh for 2 min before going back to work and not responding to said person because you need to be targeted in your emails to people

 

Explicabo ut vel iusto tempore unde voluptatibus dolores. Saepe et beatae esse officia dolorem magnam id. Sapiente nulla esse non odit eum et veniam. Error eligendi ducimus ut.

Et explicabo debitis voluptas alias dolor omnis. Sequi delectus ut id quae id blanditiis. Impedit nihil harum rem rerum sit qui iusto. Sequi accusamus fugiat accusamus nihil odit saepe. Quia dicta reprehenderit esse ad aut cum sed.

Non suscipit cum sed ullam expedita. Animi doloribus explicabo amet quia fuga iusto. Vel illo dolores assumenda molestiae a et. Placeat omnis ut unde debitis eaque. Et quis quasi maiores ea unde dignissimos quod. Quasi eius dignissimos repellat harum. Quos aut qui soluta deserunt accusantium.

Voluptatum iusto est sit ab sed qui aut. Reiciendis totam ullam nihil ea. Ipsum enim eum eum corporis. Eius officiis sint sunt repellat. Maxime facilis facilis modi ratione. Perspiciatis vero ut illum maxime est sapiente sint soluta.

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 (17) $409
  • Associates (58) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”