New to these forums. Interested in pursuing a carrer in I-Banking. Where to begin?

Hello All,

As the title states, I am new to these forums, and wanted to write an introductory post! Some background: I graduated from UCSB in June '14 and majored in Economics. I was interested in pursuing a career in I-Banking back then, but did not land an internship over summer. Some time went by and I began working as a junior analyst/coordinator in entertainment/production (still employed). I was recently accepted into USC's M.A. Economics program, and I am most probably going to start in Fall of '15.

My biggest question/fear is the following: Is it too late to get into I-Banking? As in, am I too old (not in undergrad anymore). I do not know too much about the hiring process, but I am familiar with how important the initial internship is. One of the main reasons I want to go to USC for grad school is to have access to their job portal. I am sure firms will be posting about analyst internships and etc.

Will banks consider a candidate pursuing their masters degree in Economics? I am going to start cold-calling some boutique firms to try and get my hands on an internship, or even information about what I can do.

What necessary next step would one take if they were in a position like mine, trying to get into this industry?

Apologies for the long first post, but I am glad I found these forums!

Best, 996

3 Comments
 

Dicta quibusdam ducimus molestiae aperiam sunt. Ex amet et voluptatem numquam voluptas ut magnam. Fugit ut modi cupiditate qui ad aliquid veritatis.

Exercitationem nobis qui beatae velit aut corporis et. Unde mollitia pariatur est vitae enim aspernatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • 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 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
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...”