GPA vs. Internship

If I performed poorly freshman year of college and finished the year with under a 3.0, should I spend the summer after sophomore year taking classes in order to inflate my GPA for an internship between junior and senior year? Or should I pursue an internship? I do not attend a hit school.

4 Comments
 

Unless GPA is above 3.5/3.6, your first preference should always be to have a higher GPA. Way too many friends got interviews at top places with great GPAs & no previous internships. Only a few got interviews with low GPAs, but these kids were solid networkers, had great personalities, and came in with stellar previous work exps.

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 

Doloribus consectetur voluptatem aut assumenda. Illo voluptas accusamus recusandae quo quo esse. Sint vel facilis enim qui eveniet voluptas qui assumenda.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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

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...”