IB target schools and their ib firm counterparts

Also ordered by school prestige for fun. yes I am a virgin

Wharton- PJT RSSG (hardos, unpleasant but sharp)

Harvard- Goldman (needs no explanation)

Princeton- Evercore (elite, smaller organization, undergrad [=analyst level] focused)

Yale- Centerview (marginally smaller brand name in finance than the above, but still great)

MIT/Stanford- Qatalyst (no explanation needed)

Columbia- Morgan Stanley (high volume and a big name, but not on the same level as GS/EVR/PJT and H/W/P)

UChicago- Lazard (historically a prestige bank, but lowkey losing its identity/status)

NYU Stern- Moelis (smaller school, least prestigious of the big dogs, but nonetheless a big dog)

Dartmouth- PJT M&A (forgotten about)

Duke- JP Morgan (better work/life balance than peers, dominates in areas other than IB/academics)

Northwestern- Jefferies (no one really thinks of them when you think of the space)

Cornell- BofA (high volume, no one really wants to go there)

Michigan- Citi (same deal as cornell)

Brown- PWP (not thought of as a big name but holds its own, more prestigious than its peer group)

Georgetown- Barclays (same deal as cornell/mich)

Indiana- UBS (rope)

10 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's a breakdown of IB target schools paired with their corresponding IB firms, ordered by school prestige:

  1. Wharton (UPenn) - PJT RSSG: Known for its sharp and intense culture.
  2. Harvard - Goldman Sachs: The gold standard in finance, no explanation needed.
  3. Princeton - Evercore: Elite, smaller, and undergrad-focused.
  4. Yale - Centerview: Slightly smaller brand name but still highly prestigious.
  5. MIT/Stanford - Qatalyst: A natural fit for tech-heavy finance.
  6. Columbia - Morgan Stanley: Big name, high volume, but a step below GS/EVR/PJT.
  7. University of Chicago - Lazard: Historically prestigious but losing some identity.
  8. NYU Stern - Moelis: Smaller school but still a major player in IB.
  9. Dartmouth - PJT M&A: Often overlooked but still significant.
  10. Duke - JP Morgan: Known for better work-life balance and dominance outside IB.
  11. Northwestern - Jefferies: Not top of mind but still relevant in the space.
  12. Cornell - Bank of America: High volume, less desirable among top candidates.
  13. University of Michigan - Citi: Similar to Cornell in perception.
  14. Brown - Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP): Holds its own, more prestigious than peers.
  15. Georgetown - Barclays: Comparable to Cornell and Michigan.
  16. Indiana University (Kelley) - UBS: A solid regional player but less prestigious.

This list reflects a mix of prestige rankings and firm-school alignments often discussed in WSO threads. Keep in mind that while these pairings are fun and insightful, individual preferences and networking can significantly influence outcomes.

Sources: Comprehensive List of Target Schools for Investment Banking, What WSO get's wrong about "target" vs. "non-target" - Employer View

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

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