Tips for Freshman Working Summer IB Internship

Hey Monkeys,

I’m currently a rising sophomore who just finished my freshman year at a strictly non-target state school with a 3.6 GPA (hoping to bump it to ~3.7 after summer classes), and I just started a summer internship at a boutique investment bank (I also took my SIE before the internship). The firm focuses on small to mid-cap biotech and tech companies, primarily in ECM markets with an emphasis on PIPEs.

I'm extremely grateful to have this opportunity given my background, but I know that recruiting for junior summer internships (starting this winter) is going to be brutal coming from a non-target. That said, I’m looking for concrete advice on what I should be doing now to maximize my chances for a junior summer front office offer.

Questions I’d love help with:

  1. How should I be spending my time this summer outside of the internship?
    • Should I be grinding networking calls now or waiting until the fall?
    • Is it worth applying to other off-cycle internships to stack experience?
  2. What should I be doing during the internship to stand out?
  3. How do I position this experience in networking and applications for next summer?

Quick Background:

  • 3.6 GPA, shooting for ~3.7 by end of summer.
  • Non-target state school, but actively improving resume through leadership/finance clubs and taking on responsibility.
  • Strong interest in IB and/or private credit/SPO.

Appreciate any insights from those who’ve been in similar shoes or who recruit from these types of shops. What would you prioritize right now if you were me?

Thanks in advance!

4 Comments
 

Ex sunt corporis ad ab expedita distinctio. Optio dolores repellendus iusto velit. Dolorem nostrum saepe nihil non voluptas. Est libero aliquid officia iusto cum repellat. Dolorum mollitia quo dolores soluta. Nemo fuga voluptatem sunt sunt. Nesciunt sunt laboriosam sed.

Quasi quod laborum est nesciunt soluta odio ratione. Esse ut aut sed dignissimos. Non consequuntur ut illum alias fugiat neque. Ullam cupiditate doloribus quia cumque. Veniam voluptatem nulla qui placeat veniam non. Cupiditate provident quod quia dolores dicta.

Atque voluptatem sed maxime autem illo. Quia labore nostrum laudantium aut. Qui pariatur iure iusto earum.

Maxime voluptate veritatis consequatur est beatae. Doloremque culpa in maxime ex deleniti maxime. Sint perspiciatis esse qui aut. Velit explicabo eligendi harum cupiditate temporibus cumque ut placeat.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”