Non-targets with Good Placement List

Wanted to make a thread to lay out some of the non-targets that send a lot of kids to the street - usually this is driven by having 1-2 really solid student investment / IB prep clubs - IU Kelley seems to be the gold standard for this, to where many banks and buyside opps recruit there specifically from the IBW and for some it's become a semi-target.

In no particular order, the ones that come to mind are:

IU Kelley (IBW)

Penn State (Nittany Lion Fund)

FIU (Phoenician Investment Fund)

UGA (SMIF)

Alabama (CIMG)

ASU (IBIS / ASU Enterprise Partners)

Florida (a couple good clubs iirc)

UW Madison (unsure on their club but they send a ton to MKE / Chicago IB)

Illinois Urbana-Champaign (higher ranked school academically than the rest but still "non-target")

Georgia Tech (same as above; GTSF is their fund)

Carnegie Mellon (see above)

Boston College 

Fordham

Any I'm leaving out? 

23 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's a solid list of non-target schools with strong placement into investment banking, often driven by standout student investment or IB prep clubs:

  1. Indiana University Kelley School of Business (IBW) - Known as the gold standard for non-targets, with many banks and buyside opportunities recruiting specifically from the Investment Banking Workshop (IBW).
  2. Penn State (Nittany Lion Fund) - A standout program that provides hands-on investment experience.
  3. Florida International University (Phoenician Investment Fund) - A strong program for IB prep.
  4. University of Georgia (SMIF) - The Student Managed Investment Fund is a key driver for placements.
  5. University of Alabama (CIMG) - The Capstone Investment Management Group is a notable club.
  6. Arizona State University (IBIS / ASU Enterprise Partners) - Known for its IB prep and networking opportunities.
  7. University of Florida - Hosts a couple of strong investment clubs.
  8. University of Wisconsin-Madison - Sends many students to Milwaukee and Chicago IB roles.
  9. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Academically strong and places well despite being a non-target.
  10. Georgia Tech (GTSF) - The Georgia Tech Student Foundation is a key resource for students.
  11. Carnegie Mellon University - Academically prestigious but still considered non-target for IB.
  12. Boston College - Strong alumni network and placement.
  13. Fordham University - Known for its proximity to Wall Street and solid placement.

If there are others you think should be added, feel free to share!

Sources: Comprehensive List of Target Schools for Investment Banking, What are the Strongest Non-Target Schools for Undergrad Recruitment?, A bunch of target / semi - target schools have decided to prevent banks from recruiting on campus before the fall, The Comprehensive List of Transfer Friendly Schools For Investment Banking, UVA Undergrad for IB Recruiting

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