Summer before college

I just graduated high school and will be going to a top target school (in the us). This is the summer before college and I’m wanna know what I should do if I wanna break into ib.

Specifically the best firms (gs, jp, centerview…)

Heard the clubs r harder to get into than the school. Need to network with club members before college to get support/referrals in the club. Need technicals and behavioral like lbo model dcf and accounting down (bare min). This is from a hypsm kid ik who will be working m and a at gs.

Is it true it’s very hard to break in despite being from a super target school if u don’t get into the clubs?

I currently have done nothing (no technicals and no behavioral nothing). Is there anything I should do?? I j feel like there’s no structure and specific target I should work to.

Also, assuming price isn’t an issue should I buy a finance recruiting coach like wallstreet mastermind?

Thanks yall! 🙏

25 Comments
 

Name the school. But also realize lil bro its gonna be slight. If you go to a top target and stuff you will more than likely land something nice. But Id network with club memebers now and try to be their friends and seem thoughtful and learn about finance right now before I hit campus. 

 

I thought wharton but stern imo is not what I think it is but still good overall. Just chill and relax

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 
Most Helpful

if you go to a top target it's really not difficult to break in and you will almost definitely get into the industry. However, these clubs will definitely help. If your school has greek life, I'd join that as well, my fraternity had a ton of IB guys, and if you were in the frat you could get into pretty much any club with minimal effort as well as having technical and behavioral question banks and a spreadsheet of all alumni in the industry for referrals.

 

drink a beer bro, getting into those clubs will be much easier if they like you as a person. You're already at a target school so getting interviews and networking will be easy

 

Anonymous Monkey:

drink a beer bro, getting into those clubs will be much easier if they like you as a person. You're already at a target school so getting interviews and networking will be easy


But the clubs have single digit acceptance rate. I heard from a friend at a target that u need to be able to pass a ib interview for the clubs. Get referrals network before school starts. Lbo models, valuation, and dcf. As for drinking it seems my limit is 11 beers over a couple of hours before getting drunk. I have yet to throw up or fall asleep.

 

I would hope that your not throwing up or falling asleep after 11 beers. You don’t necessarily need to drink but what people are antidotally saying is that you should get some cool experiences you can talk about. The ROI on doing a roadtrip through the national parks and fishing and getting a few beers along the way or going to Japan or something to that effect will be 10x that of learning the mechanics of an LBO, and will be 10000x as much fun. You will learn it all and are clearly smart seeing as you go into no one top school. You should start thinking — not worrying — about this in the fall.

 

sounds like you need to relax and drink more to me. Don't be so stiff, develop social skills and it'll carry you a long way (along with learning finance/technicals)

I find it hard to believe that you must do an LBO model to get into a banking club as an incoming freshman. But, I didn't go to a target school so correct me if I'm wrong 

 

Getting into a top bank is not like getting into a top school. You can do everything right in theory, and still not land an offer at your so-called “top firms.” Granted, I suppose the same can be said of top schools, but recruiting is even less meritocratic and more random.

All that’s to say, just chill tf out. Even if you press every button right there’s still a high chance it blows up in your face, so don’t worry about it yet

 
  1. Don’t buy wsmm 😭
  2. I doubt you’ll listen to us anyways so just network w the exec / mems to figure out what you should prep for
  3. Please try and touch grass. Yes you’ll see other high schoolers on ig working at startups trust me and taking this time to relax is necessary since I’ll go off on a limb and believe that you’ll be grinding until IB offer so the next 2 years.
 

Paying is not a good option for “mentorship” in any case. There’s a ton of free alternatives on youtube and online or you can split a wsp login or you can cheat w osg lol.

BIWS400 is online and you can chatgpt the answers to the common ib technicals and you’ll be fine for club interviews.


CHAT TO LEARN NOT TO RECITE

 

Assumenda ad qui qui. Voluptatem tempora dignissimos earum nisi inventore doloremque. Fugiat rem hic tempore nisi iure earum earum nihil. Ipsam ipsa ut vero sed est autem doloremque.

Dolorem qui nisi nisi sint. Ea debitis aliquam perferendis quam et quisquam. Quasi omnis cumque labore.

 

Facere impedit architecto numquam voluptas. Vel consequuntur minima aut sit. Dolores voluptatum repellat aut enim labore reprehenderit. Qui necessitatibus neque velit quia et autem. Et officia reiciendis labore pariatur cumque distinctio. Laborum delectus aut sit est voluptas.

Culpa ea error quam rerum. Sequi dolor voluptatem quibusdam voluptates at illum. Est labore qui aliquam fuga mollitia nulla exercitationem. Distinctio sed exercitationem et qui. Excepturi minima dolor magni et eos porro autem.

Voluptas assumenda facere nisi voluptatem nesciunt id numquam non. Occaecati distinctio ut fugiat quia sed et nihil. Hic qui sequi eius quia mollitia. Aspernatur laboriosam enim eum possimus et suscipit. Dolorem vero aliquid voluptas perferendis placeat. Occaecati rerum et rerum earum perferendis sint. Suscipit et non qui nam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 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

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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...”