PE internship for the upcoming school year?

Hi, I'm a rising senior studying math at a top math program (think top semi-target). I'm looking for a PE internship for my senior year of school. I'm willing to work for free; I just want the experience. I have a decent resume (biz strategy, good GPA, quant investment analyst/portfolio management in well-regarded international bank this summer). What would be the optimal route for me to secure such an internship?

Should I try contact the most senior person I can find, or should I message recruiters? 

Should I stick to smaller firms? If so, any tips on going about finding a firm that would be a good fit for me? 

Should I focus on one firm and hound everyone on the firm?

Should I message them on LinkedIn? 

Should I try to network before asking for an opening, or be open in the cold-email about what I am looking for? 

Thanks in advance

1 Comments
 

Beatae aut cumque non iure quidem quidem ea. Minima nisi accusamus corrupti quia culpa quisquam modi. Ut accusamus doloremque reiciendis aut et. Voluptatem dolores quaerat blanditiis est dicta cum. Aliquam sequi quo consequuntur et consequatur porro ut.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (99) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (356) $61
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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”