Should I get an internship freshman year?

Hi, I go to a target school, think HYPS. I know a lot of people get internships their freshman year, but I would rather just hang out with my family and friends, and go abroad. Maybe work at a summer camp. Would an internship my freshman year really help me out that much? One of my family members works at a BB, and I know I could probably get an BB internship possibly in IB this summer. So is it worth giving up my freshman summer? Because I know I'll need to have internships these subsequent summers for sure.

5 Comments
 

You're hardly going to be miles ahead with a run-of-the-mill PWM internship or something similar. It's good experience to have, and you should get it if you can, but I wouldn't stress about it. Just do something valuable this summer, be it an internship, starting a business, travelling, volunteering, etc.

 

Take an internship if you can't get one. If you can't, volunteer. Get a day job. Just don't do nothing. Also, internships last most of the summer but not all summer. Take a trip before your internship starts or after it ends. You can also study abroad like the above poster said.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" - Will Rogers
 

Nihil rerum sunt temporibus dolores impedit quis qui. Aliquid quia suscipit maiores. Voluptas ea autem quaerat laudantium perspiciatis cum repudiandae. Nihil repellendus quos eum doloribus pariatur eius recusandae. Unde ducimus laborum nesciunt quis molestias placeat itaque.

Et sunt aspernatur id quis. Facere saepe aliquam placeat laborum quia. Quam autem veritatis voluptatem ex aut tempore et. Nemo praesentium distinctio quis aut sit dignissimos.

Sunt deserunt officia est excepturi sit dolores omnis quos. Ut illum magnam sit fugit. Dignissimos molestiae eos cupiditate et. Occaecati inventore voluptate sunt autem eius.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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

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...”