Timing of background checks for full-time analysts

Does anyone know when background checks are conducted for incoming full-time analysts (analysts starting in Summer 2007)? The reason I ask is that one of the guys whom I'm planning to live with starting Summer 2007 recently mentioned (while drunk) that he'd "bumped up" his GPA a bit. I don't want to start living with this guy and then have him get fired and no longer be able to pay his share of the rent.

He's working for a bulge bracket firm in banking (he didn't intern there), and he's already received his signing bonus from the firm. I know he sent in materials that the firm requested presumably so it could do a background check way back in October when he got the offer. Does the receipt of signing bonus mean that the background check is complete and acceptable?

So, do banks (or heck any reputable employer) do background checks on new analysts before they actually start, or is it possible that they won't do a background check on him until he actually starts working there?

9 Comments
 

So, do you mean sign on isn't paid until after grades are checked? And to Danny Bush, I thought the main point of a "background check" was to verify your grades (I mean, credit check etc. really aren't that important for a 22 year old person).

I don't think my friend ever sent an official transcript in. I thought you sign a release that allows the bank to get your transcript directly from the school? Or do you personally have to order the thing and have it sent to the bank?

I guess it's possible that my friend was lying to me (haha) and not to the bank...I don't know why anyone would brag about bumping up a GPA if you didn't actually do it, though, even if you're drunk. So, I guess it's possible that his grades checked out already. He's definitely spent a lot of the signing bonus on a new plasma..sure hope he doesn't have to pay it back.

 

When do you give transcripts then? After your start date? Or do most banks ask for them before your start date? At Penn, most firms require that we send them an unofficial transcript (although I'm assuming they'd want an official to verify since unofficials can easily be altered).

Can anyone else confirm this?

 

Why do these topics come up so often? THAT many people inflate?

Banking > VC > Tech PE; PM me if you would like any advice I'm happy to help
 

Lol. I think it's very unlikely that anyone will find out now, the bg checks must already be complete, hopefully your friend won't run his mouth to someone else.

 

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