Is BB NYC FT Recruiting Group Specific?

For the most part, no. However, as you said, if you network and get along with a specific group extremely well, you will probably be highly considered for the group.

For the BBs, you will typically get a general offer to join as an SA. Once they fill out the entire SA class, they will pick a week where these groups will essentially sell to you why their group and vice versa. You also take this time to network with groups and try to find your fit. Depending on how the bank treats the process, you will find your group at the end of all of this. I would say the standard way is you rank your top groups and the groups rank their top candidates. HR then starts matching you guys together and that is the end of the process.

So as I mentioned earlier, if you really know a group you want to join, then network with them before and then rank them as your top group when it comes time and hopefully they remember your networking efforts and rank you as their top candidate. It's not hard for them to remember you though, just keep in touch with them every few months and that'll do the trick.

Sure this is an imperfect process because in theory not everybody is going to get their top choice, some will be shoehorned into a group. If this happens to you, I would just focus on being a rockstar over the summer and then re-affirm your interest in your target group after you get your FT offer. There is a lot more you can control when you have a FT offer in your hand.