Morgan Stanley Group Placement Process

I received an internship offer for 2023 Summer Investment Banking at MS. I was wondering if anyone knows the details on how group placement really is there. I know it's a matching process but how many people really get their top choice? I would love to be placed into the M&A or FSG group but I know that's what everyone wants.

Please let me know if anyone has statistics or knowledge of how group placement actually plays out. Any advice would help.

Thanks!

10 Comments
 

Just went through group placement @MS, here are some things I noticed:

  • A lot more “non-targets” placed into the “top groups” (m&a, fsg, m&c) than you might think
  • Still, having a school connection to those groups helps TREMENDOUSLY
  • Most people get their top 3 although there are some cases (rare if it makes you feel better) when people get shafted
  • To the last point, this can be prevented by communicating with the groups you’ve been talking to and ranking realistically (ex. No point in ranking M&A as your 1/2 if they haven’t expressed interest in you)
 
Most Helpful

Advice I was given as I went through placement a year ago at a BB.

1. If it is your top group, tell them. A lot easier for them to help you if they know what you want.

2. Understand what they do and “why” that group. If you want FSG, have a great answer for it. A lot of kids will want a group but don’t really know why. Need to understand what the group does and trends in the industry they cover.

3. Talk to a lot of people. It is important to have a few people really pulling for you, but it is way better to have a lot of people know your name+a person or two pulling for you rather than only having 3-5 people “really like you.”

Also don’t go around and tell FSG, M&A, and LevFin they are all #1. I promise they have friends in each group. I met some people that did that and it can screw you. Good luck!

 

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