Need advice to pick an offer

I am a junior with 3.8 GPA at a small liberal arts school that is a non-target. I was lucky to get multiple offers but I have to decide soon on what to pick. My choices are:
Allison-Williams Company boutique investment bank in Minneapolis, training on the job, no official training program.
Loop Capital investment bank Public Finance 10 weeks in Chicago (possibly New York) - less compensation than E&Y but better than AW, official training program
Ernst & Young Transfer Pricing Internship 2 months - really good compensation, official training program

I am leaning towards Loop Capital Markets in NYC because I will get training and a solid compensation. Plus being in NYC I will be able to network my ass off for potential FT interviews.

I would appreciate any advice.

27 Comments
 

the allison thing or EY. Ey because of the brand name, allison over loop because ibd vs pub fin. or depends on if you're a freshman/soph/junior. freshman, i'd probably take ey, soph/junior, i'd take allison.

 
Beny23

I would like to work in M&A or Public Finance for FT next year. Why not Loop?

Oh nvm. If you want pub fin, then loop all the way. I figured you wanted to do coverage or product (lev fin or m&a).

Only thing is that loop might be more relevant for pub fin, but it won't be as applicable for regular coverage of m&a/levfin

 

If you're dead set on public finance then take loop.. If you want to do FT investment banking do Allison. If its a 50/50 consideration I wud personally do the boutique since its much easier to go back to pub fin from ib then the other way around.

My personal choice wud be a gamble and not do E/Y even if its better compensation (think longer term) although there are many kids in my school who managed to get FT ib from big 4. But all of them did Transaction Advisory.

My 2 cents

 
Beny23

At Allison-Williams there is not much M&A, they mostly do capital raising that's why I am leaning towards Loop Capital Markets.

Well there is NO M&A in public finance, so don't let the fact that they only do capital raising be a turn off for you. Would you rather raise capital (debt and equity) for corporations, or would you rather raise capital (debt only, minor equity interests) for municipalities?

 
MFFL Beny23:

At Allison-Williams there is not much M&A, they mostly do capital raising that's why I am leaning towards Loop Capital Markets.

Well there is NO M&A in public finance, so don't let the fact that they only do capital raising be a turn off for you. Would you rather raise capital (debt and equity) for corporations, or would you rather raise capital (debt only, minor equity interests) for municipalities?

Not necessarily true. Public hospitals, utilities, etc. engage in M&A.

 

Loop is solid but it's not all it's cracked up to be in the Pfin space (from what I've heard). Also if you're eventually looking to get into corp ibd later on instead of pubfin it's going to be a tough sell.

"Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game." - Donald Trump
 

M&A is completely different from pub fin. You need to recognize the fact that pub fin will make it very, very difficult to move over to private sector IB.

As someone that has come across a few AW guys, you won't get much training or good experience from that shop. So, I'd go Loop. Just be aware that you'll be stuck in pub fin until you possibly get an MBA or something to get you out.

And to the people saying E&Y, brand name doesn't mean shit if you are working in transfer pricing trying to move to M&A.

 

Beny, are you African American? Loop Capital is predominantly managed by African Americans, just curious.

The difference between successful people and others is largely a habit - a controlled habit of doing every task better, faster and more efficiently.
 

They never asked about the race too. I've heard many interns have family connections to higher management, but I do not. Hopefully I will be able to secure a FT position there. peinvestor2012 - do you think it's a good idea to divide my summer this way?

 
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