I’m Done With life
I’m currently a high school senior, who has essentially already quit on life. My dream was to break onto Wall Street, but of the two schools, only one is a semi target with their workshop and that school is 45K a year, making me not being able to afford it by any means. I’ve gotten rejected or waitlisted from my other schools, because of my atrocious high school gpa and a ACT score of 33. I’ve been incredibly depressed and am so close to quitting on life because every day I feel my dreams slowly being shattered. I regret hanging out with the people I did because even though I thought they were my friends, most of them wouldn’t even bat an eye if something happened to me. I’ve always felt the background person. I keep telling myself that I will push on and try harder in my first year of college to transfer somewhere else, but even this dream keeps fading away because even I had gotten a near perfect GPA, it would be hard to break into a target or solid semi-target. I don’t mean to sound neurotic or someone to tell me that I’m emotionally draining or I need help. I’m just looking for advice on if life is even worth it at this point and trying to pursue private equity dreams or it’s just a worthless endeavor. P.S If you’ve made it this far my high school senior ass truly appreciates you reading this.
your dream should not be break in in the sake of breaking in. You should be passionate to even learn it yourself. Semi target or target doesn’t matter as much as you though it would be. Hard working and passion is what interviewer can smell. my advice is talk to elder people including your parents, describe the situation and your thoughts. ask for help and advice as they have way more experiences. and buy, not sliver spoon in the mouth and bullshits.
ignore the last phrase. typing on the phone
I had a 3.6 GPA and a 24 on the act and I’m going to a BB from a “bad” non target.
literally exact same as me... please give me advice:}
Good lord, kid. Your entire life goal is to be a banking analyst and, without even failing, you have not only given up but are questioning if life is worth living?
If you're being dramatic, you need to grow up. If you're being serious, you need to call a therapist immediately.
Don't scold or dismiss depressed people. Tough love can be alright but assuming the guy is suicidal, the last thing he needs is to hear is a variant of ''get over yourself''.
He'll take it as evidence that nobody cares if he dies and you can guess what comes next.
I saw a therapist for a year as a result of tough love. Granted I won’t make a case saying my personal experience is indicative of everyone in the world’s experiences. So you are correct but CRE is also correct at the same time.
please don’t give up. the reason they are dreams is because they are tough to achieve. keep going don’t be discouraged. you may have some more to work against now but that doesn’t mean you can’t! please seek help if needed.
Don't let emotions cloud your thoughts. Try to be objective. Accept life isn't fair and perhaps your road will be more difficult than others. The question becomes, how much do you want it?
Assuming you've set your heart on PE... ask yourself this: what is the alternative? You're going to be working for the rest of your life. Picture yourself working a shitty 9-5 job that you hate in 10 years time, but you can't quit because you have to support a family etc. Do you really want to think, damn I wish I hadn't given up?
Whenever you're feeling discouraged, remind yourself the alternative is 100x worse. You can make it happen, keep grinding and it will come. Good luck.
You can have a great career if you do not go a target school or a semi target school. I know a kid who had terrific grades in high school (number 8 in his large school) and a very high SAT score but did not get into any of his preferred colleges. He decided to go to Rutgers and is having a great experience.
whaaaa ![https://i.gifer.com/GNj3.gif][https://i.gifer.com/GNj3.gif]
learn to code - you can do it online, for free...and then get many high paying jobs in tech python + javascript + SQL then machine learning (ai) which can also learn online, for free.mostly on youtube (sounds crazy, right?)
this stack will enable you to get $100k job, and higher as you gain more experience. you could easily have saved over 1 million dollars within 10-15 years if you go this route, and have immense job security.
life doesn't sound so bad now....so get ur head out of ur ass and get to work
This is actually largely correct. The job security part isn’t. I suppose it’s roughly the same as banking, or maybe somewhere close to banking but slightly more on the HF side. Anyway, this is a very feasible route.
Also the prestige of colleges change in tech. It’s an interesting arbitrage. Stanford and Harvard will always be great. But University of Maryland College Park, almost any University of California, and UIUC (among many others) really feed into FAANG companies.
Also OP, why not go the JC -> Transfer route?
ironnchef any recommendations on good free sites for coding? Wouldn't be a bad idea to brush up on my SQL and Java skills
start here
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8butISFwT-Wl7EV0hUK0BQ/featured
and here
https://www.youtube.com/user/learncodeacademy/videos
you won’t make it to the end of the first two years if this is your mindset
I don't think you should give up any hopes yet. I was in a similar position. I was usually that one friend who would schedule meet ups not because I was popular but because that was the only way I would be involved in plans. My High school GPA was horrible but I had a high SAT score (Just like you). I would spend my time in high school doing nothing but watching TV shows and movies (I watched over 300 movies). But I really wanted to break into wall street.
I got lucky when I got a scholarship to University. But the University that I got a scholarship to was a no-name non-target school. Still, being the best opportunity available I took it. I worked really hard in University (which wasn't easy because I am an international student). I joined different clubs on campus as well as honors programs. Right now, in my second year at Uni, I feel like I am well placed despite being at a non-target. I am in the middle of interviewing/applying at BBs/EBs. While nothing is guaranteed at this point, I am confident that I can land at one of the well-placed firms in NYC.
So, what I would tell you is make the most of the opportunities you have, don't give up and while it is a uphill battle, its not impossible. Good luck!
I went to a "non-target" (https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/what-wso-gets-wrong-about-target…</a">see this post I wrote on who WSO get's the whole target/non-target thing wrong) and have enjoyed my career and certainly don't think I missed out by not going to a fancy school.
In fairness, I wasn't trying to work in IB or PE in high school or even as an undergrad. Seriously, working for a BB as analyst isn't worth rating a whole life upon. You are putting way way way way too much pressure on yourself. You will be fine and successful, relax!
I graduated with 3.2 from hs, got a horrific sat score, went to a community college for my associate, and then transferred to a satellite campus of my non target state school. None of these things held me back from being able to recruit for banking, I’m now joining arguably the best group in banking as an intern. Your past experiences or current situation, doesn’t have to define who you can become. What I did was bust my ass networking, networked again for multiple internships, and kept a near perfect gpa. You are young and are starting with a clean slate, the sky is the limit from here on, no matter what anyone else tells you. While most of the forum is somewhat helpful, like mentioned multiple times there is an elitist mentally problem, so what you are reading isn’t necessarily true. I would refrain from filling your mind with negativity, maybe fake a break from WSO and focus on doing what is in your control.
You had a poor GPA, ok ACT, and were lazy in high school. Did you honestly expect to get into a top college? Quit blaming the system and blame yourself..
You guys want me to be soft and cuddly? Got to say things as they are...
Everything is perspective.
Think about the comments you've just made:
You're focusing on everything that is wrong in your life, and you're perpetuating an internal dialogue that is only going to get worse. It happens to all of us - but you can change that dialogue.
Think about this: out of everything in your life right now, what can you CHANGE?
Many people in life wallow in self-despair when they are confronted with negative situations and are surprised when they don't get the outcome they want (or they feel they deserve). How badly do you truly want this?
Are you willing to do every single thing possible to change the trajectory of your career via hard work and effort?
The truth of this matter is that the only thing holding you back from your dreams is yourself. You only lose when you give up/quit - so think about that.
Reflect on these thoughts, and PM me if I can provide some guidance on getting started.
I regret that WSO only lets me SB once.
Discipline and the Stoic Wholeheartedly recommend this entire philosophy for life. Life is really, really hard and the hardest parts are not the difficult tasks you can see in front of you; they are the unexpected sucker punches from out of nowhere. In that context, right now you just have yourself to rely on, but also just yourself to support. The world is your oyster, but it takes a lot of effort and grinding to make it, and more importantly, a lot of stoicism and bravery in the face of uncertainty and rejection. You should reject "motivation" and instead pursue discipline.
My story in brief I've told this story more times than I'd like, but I also went to a non-target, had a low 3's GPA (sub 3.2), graduated during global financial crisis, went abroad to work at a boutique firm, and did a couple of jobs and an MBA before I broke into investment banking. Oh along the way, had a number of surprises both professional (laid off!) and personal (baby!). I am not perfect but I have cultivated a mindset of extreme toughness, which has been forged through both struggles and successes over the years.
Principles and goals At the end of the day, my goal was never "break into investment banking" or "make XYZ salary." In place I have installed sort of, for lack of a better word, principles, which are thus. I wanted 3 things: (1) to have a happy and healthy family, (2) a job that was intellectually interesting, and (3) be financially secure. The rest of the decisions and goals in my life have been guided according to these principles. You will notice that none of these 3 principles can be "achieved" or done for good. Families have to be constantly cared for and can fall sick. Jobs can be lost or gained, or they can be challenging or not. Finances are fickle, both generating money and keeping cost discipline on your budget. Understanding life as a journey and not a destination is a really important part of adulthood.
Would I be able to DM you to ask for advice or are you too busy since market is going crazy, understandable if now is not a good time
Being a high school senior, you still have so many options to change your situation and break into IB. It sounds like you already know all the recruiting lingo and steps you have to take well enough, so I'll assume this is just a nervous rant at a low-point and that you'll get over it. And you're still well ahead of the curve for knowing about IB as a high school senior, even if things are happening so quickly.
Here are some concrete steps you can in the next few months (I assume you know most of this already from the language you use in your post, but I'll just write this anyway) take to maximize your chances: (1) Spend the summer learning everything about IB and start interview prep, from technicals to behavioral. Learn the stuff as deeply and as well as you can and don't just be able to answer the usual questions. Practice with a buddy or relative three times a week. (2) Halfway through the summer, start networking (so that you already know something about IB, and won't be going into these networking calls without knowing your stuff). Don't try to look for a job for now, but aim to find a mentor and to supplement (1). (3) Figure out all the courses you're going to take for Year 1 and start studying for them in the summer. By the time you're on-campus, you should only have to spend a quarter of the time you otherwise would have studying. You will also thus be able to maximize your GPA--perhaps think about going through course evals thoroughly as well. (4) Figure out every single resource on campus that will help in recruiting, and make sure you have all your applications prepared by the time you're on campus. You can also start finding the key people in these clubs and prepare all your networking emails beforehand. (5) Think about the schools you are targeting to transfer to and learn everything about them. Start preparing draft essays. (6) Create a list of all firms you plan to reach out to for summer internships for freshman summer, with a focus on local/regional firms. Also start researching all firms around campus, IB or not, and start drafting cold emails for summer/off-cycle/schoolyear internships. The goal is to set yourself up for a strong namebrand sophomore internship, which will help whether or not you successfully transfer. (7) Stop thinking about PE, read more books--I admire people who are already thinking about their career in highschool, but it seems to me you need more balance. (8) Spend the other half of your time in the summer with your friends and family and some other practical skills. Get a part-time job, anything, to keep you grounded.
OP, I can assure you there is more than one way to get into the field you want. Sure there's the standard path: right kindergarten to right high school to right college to right internship etc.
Not everyone goes through that. Especially if your parents don't know the path and don't set you up for it, you are bound to be behind many.
You can do research about the field, talk to people from your dream job and ask them what could help you understanding that they do and getting some alternative experience.
You want to create yourself a story. You will get, in interviews: why you? Why not the Ivy League college kid? Your story? You didn't go to the right schools, not had the perfect marks. You messed up, picked yourself up and try other ways to get in. You did this, this and this. At least you stand out because you are different from the others.
I'm not guaranteeing you it'll work every time, and you'll have to tweak it a few times, but you'll get your shot. edit: EG: Look at Synergy's post. He has a nice story to tell. Good example to follow.
Dude, I don't even have a degree and I've worked at number of firms in NYC from BlackRock, Barclays, BMOCM and etc... I don't know want to fucking hear it. But in my case, I busted my ass. I'm definitely not the majority. Nights and nights of being alone, studying, find ways to differentiate myself so I can give myself an edge over someone who did have a degree... oh and try all this while having a baby unexpectedly at the age of 22. I don't pity you. If I can do it, anyone else can.
Agreed I like your attitude I’m 24 just graduated and just didn’t get a high enough GPA and not at a target , currently doing a lower tier finance job and busting my ass so once we come out of this recession we are about to get into I can transition into IB. Would love any advice from you
Define low tier finance job
Jesus this thread. OP: Harden the fuck up dude.
t. graduated college homeless while mother was dying.
I would first think you need to toughen up a little. But aside from that do not give up you have lots of time you just need the right attitude. The biggest networking connection I just got recently was talking to him about how difficult it will be to get into IB because of my past. But I didn’t whine , when he asked me so what are you going to do ? I simply replied whatever it takes. Have this approach I mean yes you want a plan but do not come to successful people just crying about how difficult it will be. You can get there , you are young , younger than me it sounds even. You have time
P.S If you've made it this far my high school senior ass truly appreciates you reading this.
Wut?
If you listen to the WSO podcast you'll see that there is MAJOR success outside of IB-> PE...from people with a variety of backgrounds. Life isn't linear and you have a massive advantage of even knowing what you want at a young age.
Do you realize how much time you have to learn and make yourself more marketable outside of just the university you end up attending? do you realize that networking and interview skills can more than offset a mediocre GPA + school if you hone THOSE skills?
Life is not linear...it's just starting for you and if you are willing to put in the work, the sky is the limit!
-Patrick
Kid...there's more to life than wall street.
>The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it’s impossible to turn back. ~https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/articles/the-iron-by-henry-rollins/</a">The Iron and the Soul
You need to evaluate your weakness and address them ASAP because there are tons of students who would willingly let their girlfriend get trained for a shot at IB. Don't be discouraged but if you aren't willing to change your mentality once you start college then forget about it because you won't be able to make the adequate sacrifices in order to become the person you aspire to be.
Hey, i completely understand and trust me I was in your shoes. I had a shitty GPA in high school and 32 ACT. With athletics I got into an alright school but not a target by any means. I worked my ass off freshman year and started off with a solid GPA which laid the platform to do well in following years. I’m not even a finance major but applied to thousands of internships this summer (I’m currently a junior) and one actually worked out. I promise all is not lost. If you work hard I promise you have a chance
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