Interested in IB, No chance?

Question

Hey, y'all! I hope everyone is staying safe under these circumstances. I am currently a sophomore at a target but I have a very low GPA. The highest I can raise it up is up to a 3.1 this semester. I've had a few health issues that caused me to leave school for a while. This is my first semester where my grades are nearly perfect. I am interested in getting into investment banking because of the skills it allows you to develop but also the exit opportunities it provides. I want a successful career in finance and I know if I could successfully manage to get into IB, I can do it.

Phizzurp · Accepted Answer

Despite the opinions of many on this site - you certainly have the ability to do IB. You're  a sophmore, so now is the time you need to buckle down and give forth all your effort. An internship for this upcoming summer may not be feasible, but fear not, covid may play in your favor here, as plenty of firms won't have an intern class this summer. Take this time to invest in your studies.

Few other tips:

Consider retaking courses this summer that you achieved less than a B in. Not entirely necessary, but a higher GPA is always beneficial.
Network. Don't be a pest, though.

Dr. Rahma Dikhinmahas · Answer

I think closing the deal on that near perfect semester is important because getting a 4.0 after 3 semesters in the dumps would add a lot of credibility for your story.  Whereas telling the same story with a 3.5-3.6, won't look nearly as good.  So I would prioritize that first.

If you can keep up the top grades through the rest of school I am pretty confident you'll land something good.

How exactly will it play out, I don't know exactly, because there's a lot of paths for you.  You could land a good junior year internship not in IB, followed by a FT offer in IB your senior year.

Sir Sage Kelly · Answer

Idk how strong your "target" is, but you can still definitely get interviews if its a top tier school with a 3.1. I'd make sure I'm networking like crazy, and trying to find people who will go to bat for you. I would also make sure to drill all the technical questions on the guide(s) to make sure when you do get an interview, you can crush it. You might not end up at GS or EVR, but there are a ton of solid banks you can start at -- plus you can always lateral.

ebitda-d · Answer

Depends on what type of target you're at but I know people who had a 3.1 - 3.3 at H/Y/P/W and got internships at more-established boutiques (not quite sure how to categorize them) such as MTS Health Partners or FT Partners. Maybe, albeit there's probably a really low chance, you can network and get a lower BB offer, but otherwise strong boutiques are probably your best bet. You can always lateral after a year when experience matters more than GPA

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Interested in IB, No chance?

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