Relevant Ways to Challenge Oneself (Undergrad)

I'm a freshman in college; however, I'm in a bit of an awkward position as even with a double major (Finance and Economics) I'm able to graduate within three years. My school offers an opportunity to take masters coursework as an undergraduate, graduate undergrad, take a year of grad classes, and then finish with a masters degree. I've decided to pursue this path (Masters in Business Analytics) because I'm interested in pushing myself academically and would like to stay here and grow for four complete years.

While all these opportunities are awesome, I am interested in exploring other ways I can challenge myself. I'm planning to pursue a career in IB after college, so I'm specifically looking for endeavors that could be relevant to my career. My current list includes studying for the CFA Level 1 exam and/or conducting independent economics research. I've also considered adding more math on top of the stat used in econometrics and time-series econometrics, but I'm not interested in becoming a quant and do not want to waste my time (thoughts?). On the fun side, I've joined a fraternity, added a Spanish minor, and am planning to study abroad this summer.

It's hard to reconcile my position ahead even with the early recruiting process of IB. I've joined the finance societies, networked, studied, and networked more. Now, I'm about ready to compete for Summer Analyst positions, but I'm a year younger than what most firms are looking for. I just feel I've hit a ceiling here as an underclassman and the last thing I want to do is sit with my feet up for these next few years.

My question to those working in IB is: Outside of your major, what did you explore in college that you've found helpful in your career? The more surprising, fun, or seemingly random the better.

Thanks ahead of time for the advice!

1 Comments
 

Neque pariatur porro nesciunt occaecati autem excepturi non. Inventore aperiam autem eos fugit aperiam. Alias minus sit quam et consequatur facilis nihil. Quae quia odio aperiam nemo perferendis tenetur in voluptatibus.

Optio earum accusamus nulla aliquam quia vero. Nisi amet nisi odio eligendi eveniet. Magnam ex esse reiciendis excepturi. Id quaerat fugiat natus aut in nulla nihil. Dolor corporis dolorem tempora provident quam ducimus. Nihil accusamus tempora porro. Architecto beatae praesentium a dolor pariatur illo cupiditate.

Et veritatis voluptatem iure et dolorum corporis. Aspernatur blanditiis unde qui quam perferendis. Quibusdam deleniti voluptatem autem rerum repellendus molestias maxime.

Aliquam quasi quos ea dignissimos non omnis. Quos maxime maxime et ipsam at reprehenderit. Iusto veniam architecto rerum. Adipisci cupiditate nostrum officiis veritatis dignissimos.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”