13 Comments
 

High GPA is worth nothing if you don't have experience... There are plenty of opportunities... just make sure that you also apply for off campus jobs... It will be harder for you to get an offer through OCR unless you get lucky or you network... Just work hard...

 
wallstreetjon

So is it not worth going to a target that will put me in debt?

So if you don't go to a target school, you will shine and will find the job of your dream? If so, don't do it.

It's totally up to you to decide what's best for you.

 

transfer to the target as a junior. then delay graduation 1 semester (extra ~20k) so you're a sophomore. then get a bs internship during the year and hustle hard for pwm or anything for the summer. then find a fall internship as well and you'll be good for junior recruiting.

in addition, if you're at a middle of nowhere type school just do research assistant type jobs with finance professors etc. but definitely delay graduation.

 
Best Response
misscurious Douglas_MacArthur:

transfer to the target as a junior. then delay graduation 1 semester (extra ~20k) so you're a sophomore. then get a bs internship during the year and hustle hard for pwm or anything for the summer. then find a fall internship as well and you'll be good for junior recruiting.

in addition, if you're at a middle of nowhere type school just do research assistant type jobs with finance professors etc. but definitely delay graduation.

^ this guy's got your plan mapped out. it's probably your best bet. yeah, the debt will suck, but if you're trying to position yourself, it makes the most sense. i'd look at it this way, at a target, there might be more alumni & ocr, but the competition will be way stiffer. there will be plenty of kids who have at least a pwm gig, or some corp fin internship under their belt. delaying graduation and maintaining sophomore status, you can play catch up and really prep for your junior year internship, which could be your in to a full time position.

DO NOT listen to this. If you follow the above, you aren't guaranteed anything except another 20k in debt. You should not look at it as -20k + 110k IB salary = profit. IB is so competitive you might not even land the job even with extra time. They gave naive advice imo, but they are correct in that you will have a greater chance (but NO guarantee) getting in with delayed graduation.

Just try to pick up internships in your school area. If you make very good progress in terms of internships, networking, etc. and your are ABSOLUTELY sure you want to do IB, you can then decide if incurring 20k in debt is worth it.

20k + opportunity cost of 1 semester worth of salary is still a lot of cash, especially if you fail to break into the industry.

 
wallstreetjon

I'm thinking of not transferring altogether if I will be at a disadvantage and just try through my non-target...Transferring even for two years will make me incur around 40k in debt for two years, plus 40k in expenses.

think it through more?

figure out a safe backup career and how much the average first year makes, can that cover the 40k?. How far are you behind the markets / finance? How many credits your missing and estimate the amount of studying needed. How much you need to study outside of school? time you need work outside of school? what kind of part-time jobs can you take to make money and study at the same time (librarian and IT jobs are good for that).

This is one of those big moments you really need to sit down and think. Talk to your family. Talk to some bankers and see if you can really handle it. How strong exactly is your target's recruiting?

 

Ut cum at temporibus provident unde ad. Consequuntur quis a repellat delectus fuga. Perspiciatis modi vel necessitatibus sit ut rerum. Eveniet qui et assumenda cum. Dolorem et soluta exercitationem omnis eos. Fugit ipsam id aut omnis totam architecto. Qui natus itaque vitae cupiditate facilis ullam.

Ab natus dolorum dolor maiores. Et autem qui dolor atque temporibus molestiae. Non veritatis beatae porro mollitia sit quaerat soluta voluptatem.

Doloremque aliquid quod ab. Exercitationem totam modi nostrum quae. Ex necessitatibus ea sint ea voluptatibus laborum ea quam. Est nobis eligendi corrupti sed.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”