Recruiting PE from Undergrad?

As said above, what shops recruit straight from undergrad, and what does this process look like? Is it possible to end up at a reputable shop out of undergrad? If not, is it easier to move from LMM->UMM vs. IB->UMM after a few years of experience? 

4 Comments
 

Use the search function, there are endless of threads on this already.

Long story short, there are graduate positions in PE (mostly at UMM / MF funds) but the number of positions are very limited. As such, you would need to be at a top target and have had an internship at GS / MS / JPM (and maybe even a previous PE internship) to have a chance, but even then chances are very small. If you are female or diversity, then standards are lower just like they are in IB.

LMM and IB are very broad terms. Moving from a well-known top-performing LMM to UMM would be easier than moving from a weak group at HSBC to UMM. Moving from GS TMT to UMM would be easier than moving from some unknown LMM in the mid-west with weak performance to UMM. 

 

To get into PE from undergrad you'll need to either be target + have a good internship or have a couple of really solid internships. Either way you slice it, you need to be cream of the crop.

 

Possimus esse libero nobis error. Aspernatur unde alias quaerat ipsum. Voluptatum eum mollitia unde et ipsam. Doloremque unde vel dicta animi.

Facere magni ut aut et consectetur repudiandae. Et eveniet accusantium ab dolores.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.2%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

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

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (97) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (234) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (95) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (271) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (352) $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
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”