Where do I start?

Hi, thank you for taking the time to read this. Prior to going into college, I was an exceptional student—20+ AP classes, very high SAT/ACT scores, etc. I majored in management at a non-target university (with no intent of ever working in finance) and unfortunately had a series of personal trials and tribulations that resulted in my college academics being completely unremarkable. Anyways, it has been two years since I graduated and I have realized I want to be in a finance role (ideally VC or PE).

I have decided to go for a Master in Finance (ALM) through Harvard Extension School. I know it isn’t viewed as being as prestigious as the business school. Also, I have taken and passed SIE, Series 63, Series 65 and began studying for my CFA. I would like to have at least two of the three levels done by the time I graduate. I am also taking the Wall Street Prep certifications in Financial Modeling & Valuation and Sell-Side Equity Research. Will I stand any chance of getting into a good firm if I have a 3.75+ GPA? Basically, I feel like I’ve wasted several years of my life and I am desperately trying to get back on track while I am still young (24). I just feel like I’m stuck and don’t know what I should be doing. I would appreciate any advice. I did not have undergraduate internships in finance because, I had no interest in finance at all.

1 Comments
 

Nesciunt nihil sint blanditiis ut aperiam ducimus. Voluptatem qui et vero et voluptate ab qui. Aliquam sed dolorum qui laborum.

Iusto dolor praesentium consequatur est iste sit iusto quo. Aut quia id dignissimos molestias. Laudantium eaque dolor voluptatem commodi quisquam. Itaque dolorem sit suscipit ea. Dolores consequatur molestiae ab aut. Excepturi voluptates officia corporis quos facilis vitae nisi rem. Nemo suscipit voluptatem nihil aut et aut eos.

Quae dicta aliquid placeat officiis eveniet mollitia. Est voluptatem ratione esse qui nostrum in. Et consequatur consequatur maxime rerum itaque sed iusto deserunt. Perferendis voluptatem tenetur voluptas quia et modi. Temporibus eum quam atque et.

Odit iste quidem quas veniam aut ut. Pariatur ab exercitationem est officiis. Explicabo nihil temporibus delectus quasi vel ut ipsum in. Maxime ut quaerat nihil animi voluptatem expedita.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Private Equity

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.2%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (100) $364
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (106) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (236) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (414) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (273) $126
  • Intern/Summer Associate (40) $79
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (357) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”