Why have Grad restrictions?

Some roles explicitly mention they are only looking for a certain graduation population for roles. I am curious why this matters if other candidates may have a few more years of tangible experience. A bit deflating for those that graduated in a poorer market and essentially got skipped over for new graduate opportunities. 

2 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, graduation restrictions often exist because firms design certain roles, especially entry-level ones, with specific candidate profiles in mind. These roles are tailored for recent graduates who are typically at the same stage in their career journey, making it easier for firms to train and integrate them into their systems. Additionally, these restrictions help streamline the recruiting process, ensuring that candidates are evaluated on a relatively level playing field.

For candidates with more experience, firms may expect them to apply for lateral or experienced hire roles, which often come with different expectations and responsibilities. Unfortunately, this can be deflating for those who graduated during a tough market and missed out on these opportunities. However, networking, certifications (like CFA or CPA), and leveraging alumni or professional connections can help bridge the gap and open doors to roles that might not explicitly align with graduation year restrictions.

Sources: Grad School and Age, December Grad Entry-Level Job Search?, My Issues with Diversity Recruiting in Finance, My Issues with Diversity Recruiting in Finance, Recruitment Set Back To "Normal"

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Quis in mollitia excepturi et aut et. Et quibusdam exercitationem dolores explicabo amet architecto rerum suscipit. Veniam ipsa qui possimus facere aut ab amet. Accusantium et autem nihil tempore a inventore. Aut qui est quidem.

Neque itaque at quisquam qui dolores et. Illo vitae voluptatem eum voluptatem voluptas. Maxime perspiciatis illum est cumque ut sequi voluptas. Fuga unde aut qui rem dolore nemo vitae. Aliquam ut voluptate voluptas omnis qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (68) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”