What to do next and how to position myself as best as I can - Non Target

Hey WSO! I want to hear your thoughts on my situation and what I can do to position myself to be the best I can. I am dead set on some form of banking (Mainly focused on IB), interested in thoughts in IB, PE, and HF. I am new to all of this, and I am sure that hundreds of kids make similar posts, but I want to know your opinions on me specifically. Given I would like to note that I am not the going out and get plastered every day type - I am basically married to the library already. Coursework is light and school is not hard.

Background: 

- Non Target (Penn State UP)

- Current freshman first semester

- Finance major

- Projected 3.8 GPA (First semester - Estimating a 3.9 at recruiting time)

- 5 finance related clubs (Applying for the 6th in the next couple weeks, VP of one of them, Associate/Analyst/Member of the rest)

- Competing in 3 uni-wide related competitions (Semifinalist for the one, rest are on going)

- Brought in a ton of dual enrollment courses, can graduate a year early with heavy course load BUT might double major with Economics which would set that back to 4 years. (Should I stick with Econ, kick it for something else, or drop it?) 

- Applied to 15 different early insight programs, waiting to hear back

- 1 connection at Stifel (VP of IB, on track to become an MD within the next 5 years, focus in industrials)

- Interviewing for the Nittany Lion Fund in the Spring

- Joining either a business or social fraternity (Thoughts on either?)

- Plan to apply to the honors college

- Have a related freshman summer internship at this chemical company (Nationwide but based in my area) within their finance department

- Absolutely DIALED when it comes to networking and cold calling/emailing

My goal is to work at Evercore, obviously I see how many kids want that and think that they can, I know it's going to be astronomically difficult, but I am ready for the challenge. The difference is that I quite literally would do anything to achieve this. Arguably this is all a new world to me and I don't know anyone to help me navigate it, please be respectful and offer real advice.

Is there anything that I should be on the lookout for, something that I am not doing? Are there any resources I should be aware of? Any other programs? What are some ways to achieve this goal or end up in PE or HF? Should I strictly focus on networking? What is really going to get me a position like this? If I haven't mentioned a question here by all means give me as much info as possible - you all went through this already, I want to get on the right track as early as I can. PLEASE GIVE ME EVERYTHING AS REAL AS POSSIBLE - NO SUGARCOATING.

1 Comments
 

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