What to do on year gap? Then Military or MSF?

Background 1. Graduating this summer from FSU with a B.S. Economics, B.S. Political Science, minor business, minor math, magna cum laude (3.99 upperclassman), honors in the major, research intensive bachelor's certificate, and as a Garnet & Gold Scholar 2. No finance experience 3. Only research and tutoring experience

I have great credentials for a PhD program, which is what I was originally aiming for. From doing my honors project, I realized I don't want to spend my life doing academic research. It was time to look for ways to make a lot of money. First I got on the medical school boat, but that quickly died (no interest in biology). Now I'm on the finance boat. I have some exposure to finance via coursework (made all A's): financial accounting, managerial accounting, business calculus, financial management of the firm, financial institutions and markets, and investments.

I need to find something to do for a year while I study for the GMAT or ASVAB, depending if I go to military or MSF program.

What to do?

Things I'm considering * Call boutiques like crazy and try to find a position, but if not able to get one: 1. Teach at my high school 2. DB Operations program in Jacksonville (I've been told to avoid this like the plague) 3. Any commercial banking related job 4. Cerner Business Analyst or Consulting Analyst in Missouri 5. Hospital Corporations for America, working with revenue cycles

4 Comments
 

What is your end goal? This occasionally comes up on WSO, but if your end goal is IB, and you're doing military just for that or business school, you will be miserable. Joining the military and enrolling in an MSF are completely different.

If your end goal is IB, which it seems like it is, you need to get some internships under your belt first. An MSF will not cure that. So, spend the next year interning and a boutique, even if it's unpaid.

 

End goal is to break into IB.

Military to serve 3 purposes: 1. Satisfy the desire to be in the military that I've always had (grandfather served in WWII, and its always made me want to serve as well) 2. Use military experience to get into MBA program 3. GI bill to help finance MBA

Vanderbilt claims they have internships for their MSF students, and some dude from Vandy pm me saying he and some other classmates broke into IB, with many not having an internship.

I'd love to get my foot in the door with a boutique, but if I just can't, I have to figure something else out.

 

What's wrong with the DB program in Jacksonville? Genuinely curious, I've never heard of it. Have you already been accepted into it? I'd say any work experience with a BB name is better than none.

 

Animi dolores aut qui doloribus amet tempora quaerat qui. Aut voluptatum quibusdam minus suscipit non. Nostrum perspiciatis magni eos doloremque.

Autem nobis dolorem repudiandae illum ea doloremque deserunt. At nesciunt natus iure doloremque dolor optio. Vel et eaque rerum. Numquam sed omnis illo voluptas dicta doloribus voluptatum expedita.

Natus ratione maiores eaque magnam dolores hic. Minima eaque vel eos doloribus.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”