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To clarify, there is still a very small chance you make it to a MF. I think what this comment is saying is that your alma mater doesn’t matter much if you are at a top BB and are good, but to be clear, even if you are both those things, the chances are still very small.

 
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Bank & Group is way more important than undergrad school for PE recruiting. GPA + SAT / ACT scores matter a lot though. 4.0 / 1600 from state school at a top group is better than 3.5 from Harvard in the same group IMO. People like talking to people that present as normal and being at a tippy top banking group means someone else has already validated / de-risked you. Honestly with how many megafunds there are these days (20+ firms w/ 15bn+ latest fund, hiring on average class sizes of 10-15 associates). MF / UMM is not hard to get if you really commit to prepping and work at a banking group that has previously sent people to MF. Very few people in good groups that know for sure they just want MF / UMM (and don't care about which one, open on location, etc.) don't get a seat if they actually prep. Easier said than done though, because most people won't - this is why on cycle becomes more of a shit show every year because less kids are ready.    

 

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