When should Freshman(CO 2026) start applying for 2024 internships? Are they only for diversity or open to all?

I am a freshman at a non-target, but competitive academic LAC. Think Trinity, Union, Skidmore, Bates, and Denison-level academics. The career office says we have about 10 hires a year in IB for reference. I know I need to network to get interviews in general, being that I do not go to a strict target. I have a consulting/data analytics internship for a boutique consulting firm in the spring, a PWM internship in the summer, and 3.9 GPA as an ECON  major. 

A-Is doing the PWM and consulting stuff good to make me competitive?

B-When should I start applying to these 2024 internships? Keep in mind I would not qualify for any diversity.

Just trying to understand how I should go about this.

Thanks.

Comments (7)

Most Helpful
  • Intern in IB - Cov
1mo 

I'm an intern so I only know so much.

But you're in a good spot, I went to a non-target also, just keep your grades up while you are doing your spring internship.

Network your butt off, it's never too early to start developing relationships with alumni from your school or anyone you can find a unique connection with.

It would be pretty hard to land an internship at a big bank your sophomore summer without networking pretty hard (but it can be done).

Either way best thing you can do is keep climbing the ladder so you can secure an internship at a BB or too Boutique going into your senior year. Hope this helps.

  • 2
  • Intern in IB - Gen
1mo 

not sure if youre referencing junior year recruiting (which is what the WSO forums are about) or sophomore year internship. assume it's the latter, because you are obviously not eligible for the current junior summer recruiting cycle with all the brand name banks. for sophomore summer, some of the competitive internships open up in late summer / early fall. would not worry about jobs at all. best thing you can do is start getting into a consistent habit of technical preparation. you will be at a significant disadvantage from your no-name liberal art college (i recognize they're academically okay, but I've literally only heard of one of the schools you mentioned) especially as you compete against the finance adn accounting double majors who literally study IB technicals in-and-out of school. TLDR: use time/energy/focus towards learning IB and technicals rather than worrying about jobs... ramp that up next fall and if you use this time to prepare for IB then you'll be able to be leagues above of your peers to land a competitive sophomore summer internship

  • 2
1mo 
newbieinre, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Not in IB, but these schools have a lot of rich kids whose parents probably work in banking/ pe. I would say theres an alumni prescience since my friends at my target all have boarding school and private school friends that go these places. Search alumni through linked and start reaching out now just to gain a mentor. They might not be at BBs though.

  • Intern in HF - EquityHedge
1mo 

What are examples of these competitive internships for sophomores?

  • Intern in IB - Gen
1mo 

Fidelity has some elite positions. Some BBs also have some that are open to a handful of elite non-diversity kids. Also there are a handful of structured, known firms that I know recruit early and show up on Handshake for some schools

1mo 
wannabe-banker, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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