Network in or Apply to MSF

Hello All,

Wanna give a quick background to provide some context before asking my question.

I recently graduated from a non-target with a double major in Accounting and Finance. I was in a competitive IB/S&T program during sophomore year on the S&T side, but realized towards the end of the post-Sophomore summer that S&T was not the route for me. At that point, I figured my odds of landing an IB SA were essentially zero due to the recruitment timeline. Took a Big 4 advisory internship under the impression that I would be doing financial advisory work, but ended up doing internal audit. Decided not to take a return offer after being told that I would not be able to move to a different group for FT (I was NOT a fan of audit).

Senior year, I spent the Fall not knowing what to do because I did not like the OCR options, and I was unable to land an interview in Big 4 TAS. January 2020 I applied to a very reputable MSF program at the recommendation of my career coach. The application process was going well until Covid hit. To my understanding from speaking with admissions, I would have been accepted had Covid not happened.

This brings me to now. In January, I will be starting in a F500 rotational program. This program is great, but it will not be as rigorous or technically-oriented as what I’m hoping for (e.g. I want to build financial models, but was told none of the rotations will require this type of knowledge).

There are a few IB groups in the city that I will be working in. I am seeking advice as to whether it would be more beneficial for me to try to network into one of these groups, or to apply to MSF programs and try to break into IB through one of those.

Thank you in advance to anyone willing to give advice. I really appreciate it.