IB from state school

As a finance and real estate double major from a state school in Virginia, should I work really hard and try to break into IB or should i got towards the commercial real estate route?

17 Comments
 

I see. In that case, I think you would have a much easier time recruiting for commercial real estate. Not to say that you wouldn't have a chance at IB, but you are going to have a much harder time without a strong alumni network and on-campus recruiting. That said, if IB is something you really want, then you should go for it by all means.

Array
 
Most Helpful

I got a full time offer as analyst at a BB from a state school in the midwest. Connections, hard work, and casting a wide net on applications make it possible for anyone. If you care about IB enough to put in the work on the front side, it is absolutely do-able. All the guys on here just hype it up because they feel accomplished saying they went to a target. I have the same job, paid 10x less for my degree, and had a way better time. If you want it, go get it.

 

If you're at VT and want to break into IB, you would definitely need to start now. Try joining one of the student-run investment clubs as they will give you much better odds. A lot of people at non-targets end up doing 5th years to catch up on recruitment, so you may also want to try that. However, from what I've heard VT's RE program is pretty good so if you enjoy that route more I would go with that as shooting for IB will be a huge commitment and seriously time consuming. 

 

Since VT is a great STEM school, they came out with a FinTech major which is a finance degree with more heavy math and coding work. Thoughts on opportunities I would have if I switched into that major vs a double major of finance and real estate?

 

Quam rerum molestiae soluta quod illo voluptatem recusandae. Autem ab cum aut sunt non ad et. Et sunt consequuntur architecto et. Cum fugit expedita hic architecto tempore. Sunt cumque iste natus recusandae saepe quis illo. Rem omnis velit tempora velit.

Repellat totam amet consequatur ut labore culpa. Adipisci tempora dolorem esse non. Iure unde voluptatem nobis corporis qui voluptas. Occaecati sit alias eligendi esse amet quo eum. Aperiam illo at porro et.

Molestiae consequatur quibusdam illo voluptatibus sed quo quos. Expedita dolorum repellat qui consequatur quis ut voluptatibus tenetur. Nihil hic porro dignissimos ea atque et quo repudiandae. Dolore fugiat totam quaerat eligendi. Consequuntur ex quo velit officiis quam sapiente. Voluptatibus vel et sint et corrupti aut.

Money can purchase freedom, if you have the guts to buy it

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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”