Question for those who took loans for university

If you took a large loan to attend a target/semi target hoping to break into IB after graduating but didn't, what did you do?

Assuming IB salaries are 2x the median where you'd be working.

I'm a student and my options are 75k pounds total loans for a non-ish target and 90k pounds total loans for a semi target @ 10% for 15 years.

5,802 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

Class of '28 Jul 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Interview

“The questions were amazing and genuinely challenging, which made the session extremely valuable for me. Going into the mock interview, I felt that I had memorized and understood most of the critical technical concepts, but Julius pushed me beyond the surface-level knowledge and went much deeper into the accounting side. That was especially helpful because it showed me the difference between simply knowing the main concepts and being able to confidently explain the details, connections, and reasoning behind them under pressure. The behavioral portion was just as useful. Julius gave me very detailed feedback on how I should prepare for questions related specifically to my background, experiences, and story. Rather than only practicing the standard behavioral questions, we discussed how interviewers could dig deeper into different parts of my resume and ask follow-up questions about my academic path, previous experiences, motivations for finance, and the decisions I have made along the way. This helped me understand that I need to be prepared not only with strong initial answers, but also with clear and thoughtful explanations for almost every important part of my background. One of the biggest takeaways from the session was identifying the areas where I should spend more time developing a deeper level of understanding instead of relying on memorization. Julius was very good at asking follow-up questions that tested whether I actually understood the underlying concepts, which gave me a much clearer picture of what a real interview could feel like. We also created a longer-term preparation plan together. Our goal is to work together approximately once every two to three weeks and use each session to focus deeply on a particular topic. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, we will gradually specialize in different areas and build my knowledge step by step, while continuing to work on behavioral questions and my overall interview story. I think this structure will be extremely helpful because it gives me enough time between sessions to study independently, address the weaknesses we identify, and come back better prepared for the next topic. Overall, the session gave me a much better understanding of where I currently stand, what interviewers may expect from me, and what I need to improve before recruiting begins. I left the session with very clear action items and a much more structured approach to my preparation.”

Class of '29 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“Kevin was incredibly helpful. He took the time to do a coffee chat with me and was candid about where I could improve. His main point was that I should build more knowledge of the industry before these conversations, so I can ask sharper questions and show I've done my homework. He also gave me a clear framework for the conversation itself. Start by asking about their background and how they got into their role. Then ask for advice for my field, including what they would do in my shoes. He also explained when it is and isn't appropriate to ask for a referral, which is something I hadn't thought through before. ”

See All 10,829 WSO Academy Reviews

3 Comments

O

Prospect in

6y

Bump

Reply

Quote

Report

Other

IB

NA in IB-M&A

6y

Not to be mean or off-putting or anything, but I don't think many in IB have similar profiles to you. All the best in any case, but I wouldn't expect too much in the way of useful responses on here. My own 2 cents, these fees sound expensive, and 10% interest in the current climate seems very expensive; if you get into (and stay within) IB, it will be a small speed bump along the way, but at a semi-target or non-target I feel this is a risky bet ...

Reply

Quote

Report

Other

Equity Research Sales Job Description

O

Prospect in

6y

Voluptatem ut ab sed sint. Harum voluptatem asperiores officia maiores velit tempore. Commodi voluptates fugiat culpa aliquid placeat et molestias ullam. Repellat facilis saepe provident officia ut iusto aliquam.

Id placeat omnis qui voluptatem illo sapiente. Nihil expedita qui quos totam. Dolores fugit quis voluptates cumque natus.

Reply

Quote

Report

Other

+185	Piper Sandler in talks to acquire PWP	75	21h
+124	UBS Appears to be Exploring Sale	19	3d
+99	Paradise Is Paradise	8	1d
+81	Drunk VP. How to manage?	27	2d
+39	How do I take my foot off the gas? (AN1)	4	2d
+38	Lazard US Views 2026/2027	13	2d
+26	Why did EVR succeed vs GHL or PWP that ended up getting acquired?	9	16h
+22	Mandated 9:00am Arrival?	6	4d
+21	Prestige Upgrade: Incoming Piper Sandler Intern (PWP Merger)	4	5d
+21	How early is to early?	9	8h

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	GameTheory	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	Betsy Massar	98.9
8	dosk17	98.9
9	CompBanker	98.9
10	Kenny_Powers_CFA	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Question for those who took loans for university

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Question for those who took loans for university

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum