spring weeks
So basically im entering my last year of italian hs. Im gonna attend bocconi next year. People mentioned these spring weeks to me. What are they? How do they work? And will people look at my final high school result or will they just look at university gpa?
Spring Weeks are short internship programs, typically lasting 1-2 weeks, offered by investment banks and other financial institutions. They are designed for first-year university students (or equivalent) to provide an introduction to the finance industry, the company, and potential career paths. These programs often include networking opportunities, skills workshops, and sometimes even fast-track opportunities for summer internships.
Here’s how they work:
Eligibility: Spring Weeks are generally targeted at first-year university students in a three-year degree or second-year students in a four-year degree. Since you're entering Bocconi next year, you would be eligible to apply during your first year at university.
Application Process: Applications typically open in the fall (around September/October) and require a CV, cover letter, and sometimes online tests or video interviews. It's competitive, so having a strong application is key.
Selection Criteria: Banks will primarily focus on your university GPA, extracurricular activities, and any relevant experiences. However, since you’ll be applying in your first year, they may also consider your high school results, especially if you don’t yet have a university GPA.
Purpose: These programs are a great way to get your foot in the door, gain exposure to the industry, and build connections. Performing well in a Spring Week can lead to a summer internship offer, which is often a stepping stone to a full-time role.
To prepare, focus on building a strong CV, maintaining good grades at Bocconi, and getting involved in extracurricular activities like finance societies or case competitions.
Sources: Ask Natalie from Accepted about Business School Admissions, European Master in Finance programmes (pre-experience), Physics undergrad admitted to top b-school, My future after Bocconi?
https://www.wbs.ac.uk/blogs/student/undergraduate/spring-week-internshi…
Lol, good luck and welcome to hell. Spring Weeks are highly competitive programs that will determine whether many people will ever get into IB. I don't know Italian Universities, but I will assume you are at a target/semi-target.
Get good at psychometrics, perfect your CV, start learning technicals and subscribe to FT if you can (if not then finimize/market maker podcast).
Start building the CV of a perfect, well-rounded person
Bocconi student here
Just search up Spring Weeks on YouTube and you should get a decent idea about it.
It’s basically a way to (potentially) fast track a summer internship, which is the classic pathway for a full-time role.
They’re not nearly as important as summers but definitely can help.
Simple advice would be to get a good grade on your final exams for HS, see if you can get any work experience (particularly in finance) and like the commenter above said, try building a well-rounded profile. Do a little digging online and you should find plenty of info.
Ideally you’d have good grades, work experience in finance, clear motivation and a story for why you want to go into finance and a well-rounded profile in terms of leadership experience and extracurriculars. You then put all that on a well-formatted CV (see WSO CV), get decent at some online tests ( see Job Test Prep - you can split the cost with other people) and have a cover letter template. This should set you up well for springs. The most important thing, however, is just applying as early as possible - within the first 24-72 hours of opening (see Trackr)
Side note:
Don’t ruin your last year of high school trying to optimise for something as trivial as spring weeks. Bocconi is intense and a fuckload of work, it’s not often you have the free time you would have had in HS, so enjoy it. Even if not during the year, enjoy your summer after - it’s one of the best times of your life. I’m not saying don’t prepare for it, but don’t let it be the sole focus of this year because it’s easy for that to happen and get obsessed with it. Your priority for the rest of the school year should be getting good grades and enjoying your last year of HS.
wow thanks really insightful, yeah im trying to balance everything and take hs with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, even if i get like a 90/100 final score, i hope 5 internships are going to make up for that (plus all the extracurriculars i have). And if not, it’s ok im trying my best still.
ayyy don't worry about spring weeks son. Have a go and try get some, but if you can't you are still at Bocconi and lots of people will get summers straight up in London without springs (if you speak italian)
SWs are only really essential for UK undergrads
Soluta omnis minus ipsum sequi. Consequuntur aut sit suscipit. Iure similique nostrum voluptatem voluptas dolorem. Corrupti assumenda quisquam illum id voluptatibus quia.
Voluptatem distinctio enim sed. Quas eos et eos cum facilis. Et impedit ut omnis exercitationem.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...