Apr 08, 2011

when to take courses

I am trying to decide how to plan my courses over my 4 years and was looking for some input. I need to take an extra course for 2 semesters and don't know when to take them. I'll break it down by semester.

1 - adjusting to college 2 - maybe pledging, interviews

3 - starting the "core" which I have heard can take adjusting time, networking 4 - hopefully interviews/OCR/networking

5 - networking hard 6 - OCR/interviews/networking hard

7 - OCR if no offer? 8 - well my last semester but I guess it doesn't matter as much...

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

6,193 WSO Academy Investment Banking Session Reviews: 4.82/5

ECPI University

Class of '20 Oct 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking LinkedIn Review

“My October 29 session with Arnau was one of the most practical mentoring conversations I've had at Wall Street Oasis. He helped me turn my mixed background in corporate finance, treasury, reporting, and hotel project management into a clear plan for investment banking. His strategy advice was direct: go after IB first, with PE second, and apply broadly. He explained the reasoning, which made the plan easy to follow. His resume feedback was detailed and immediately useful. He showed me how to describe my Lucky Strike work in transaction-focused language, highlight how selective my VCU investment portfolio was, spell out acronyms, and keep the formatting consistent. I've already made most of these changes. He also encouraged me to build a target-firm tracker, start warm outreach, update my LinkedIn, and prepare honest, confident answers about my role being eliminated in a restructuring. Arnau was knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely invested in my success. I left with a concrete action plan and more confidence, and I'd strongly recommend him to any WSO student.”

SDA Bocconi School of Management

Class of '25 Oct 2026 Cohort

4.78/5

Investment Banking 7 Stories Review

“My mentoring session with Andre was extremely valuable and gave me the clarity and direction I needed at an important stage of my application journey. He was kind, approachable, and generous with his time, creating an atmosphere in which I felt comfortable sharing my experiences, asking questions, and discussing my doubts openly. One of the most helpful aspects of our conversation was his guidance on how to organize and communicate my personal story. Andre helped me understand how to connect different experiences into a coherent narrative, identify the elements that matter most, and explain their significance more clearly. His perspective was fundamental in helping me see how to present my background with greater confidence, purpose, and authenticity. I particularly appreciated his advice on what to avoid. He helped me recognize that including every detail does not necessarily make a story stronger, and that being selective can make a message much more effective. Our discussion gave me a clearer understanding of how to avoid unnecessary repetition, keep my narrative focused, and ensure that each part contributes something meaningful to the overall application. Andre also provided valuable guidance on how to organize the application process itself. He helped me think more clearly about priorities, how to approach the different components, and how to make the work feel more manageable. Having a clearer structure has made a difference to my mindset: instead of seeing the applications as one overwhelming task, I now feel better equipped to approach them through specific, achievable steps. Another important takeaway was his advice on how to use the coming days effectively. Our conversation helped me understand where to focus my energy, which tasks deserve immediate attention, and how to establish a realistic plan. I left the session with a stronger sense of direction and a better understanding of how to balance thoughtful preparation with consistent progress. What made the experience positive was the combination of practical guidance and encouragement. Andre offered suggestions in a considerate and constructive way, helping me reflect on my choices while also making me feel supported. His kindness made it easier to engage honestly with the process and to see areas for improvement as opportunities to strengthen my applications. Overall, this session was fundamental in helping me understand both what I want to communicate and how to move forward. I now have a clearer approach to telling my story, organizing my applications, avoiding common mistakes, and planning the next few days with intention. I am very grateful for Andre’s support and for the care he brought to our conversation. His advice gave me useful tools, renewed confidence, and a more focused approach to the work ahead. I would highly recommend a session with him to anyone seeking thoughtful guidance, practical direction, and a supportive space to develop their application narrative. The session helped me turn uncertainty into a clearer plan, and I feel much more prepared to make the most of the time ahead and present my experiences in a meaningful and convincing way.”

See All 11,442 WSO Academy Reviews

6 Comments

GotBushels

15y

get utterly fucking smashed/destroyed/obliterated/fucklikearabbit in that first semester

the rest looks good

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Investment Banking Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Investment Banking Pro

Ske7ch

15y

Stick your P in as many Vs as you can.

Quote

Report

Other

- Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered. - The harder you work, the luckier you become. - I believe in the "Golden Rule": the man with the gold rules.

Millhouse

15y

umm I was actually asking which 2 semesters I should take an additional course... Anyone have advice?

Quote

Report

Other

riskneversleeps

15y

3 and 5.

No one likes extra work Spring semester.

Quote

Report

Other

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - PrincipalCertified Private Equity Pro

Millhouse

15y

bump

Quote

Report

Other

NF0913

15y

Id reiciendis explicabo deserunt suscipit debitis. Vel ipsam asperiores rerum consequatur et perferendis. Dolore est qui aut architecto id nihil architecto.

Quote

Report

Other

+134	Do people still want to go PE?	39	15h
+110	UBS’s M&A BANKERS ARE DOING TERRIBLY. $200M EXTRA IS BEING CUT	26	1h
+108	UBS Tech layoff	49	3h
+53	How do YOU manage networking requests?	14	1h
+41	Are target prospects getting dumber?	17	2h
+37	What Differentiates the Best Analysts as AI Improves?	9	3d
+36	Quitting After First 4 months	12	2h
+34	MBB Pay Raises	26	2h
+32	Cornell Club T10 Rankings (UPDATED 10/2026)	19	16h
+19	Career Crossroads	2	20h

1	redever	99.2
2	Secyh62	99.0
3	kanon	99.0
4	BankonBanking	99.0
5	GameTheory	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	dosk17	98.9
8	CompBanker	98.9
9	Betsy Massar	98.9
10	Jamoldo	98.8

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

when to take courses

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Score Breakdown

Feedback

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

Elite Career Bootcamp. Top Job Offer Guaranteed.

when to take courses

See All Comments - 100% Free

Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum