How hard is it to get into corporate banking?
I am in high school right now and it is unlikely that I will be able to go to a top target school, possibly UT or UVA. With this schools in mind I don't think I have very good chances of becoming an investment banker without network a ton, a skill that I'm not too confident in. I was wondering if getting into corporate banking would be any easier. Additionally I have heard that the main down sides of getting into corporate banking is a lack of outs. Would going back to school at a target to get an MBA after a few years of work experience help allow me to move into other jobs such as investment banking or private equity?
IB offers a lot of things, but work/life balance isn't one of them. Exits are important to IB because so many people want out. You're definitely not going to get the same exits in terms of prestige or compensation from corporate banking, but consider also that many people don't feel the need to exit corporate banking in the first place. As an MD you can pull in $400k and work 40-45 hour weeks. Lots of people will take that over $1MM/year and working all the time.
You're in high school, so your focus should be on keeping your options as open as possible. That means get into the best school you can (UVa and UT will certainly give you the opportunity for IB, if you want), and work hard on your grades so when the time comes, you have the luxury of choosing the path you like best. But good on you for identifying early that there's more to finance than just investment banking. Learn as much as you can about the different fields finance has to offer so you can make an informed decision about your career.
Rising 8th year as in you'll be a freshman starting in 2019? Let's just say I hope you go to a target middle school...