Hi everyone! I'm currently a high school junior and want to attend New York University's Stern School of Business. There, I'll joint-major in finance and economics, and minor in computer science. So, my question is...
What advice do you have for an aspiring banker?
Apologies if this is a shitty post, it's my first post on WSO!
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Learning how to use the search function is a good first step. In all seriousness, though, all you have to worry at the moment is getting into a target school.
I go to a top target (think HYWPS) and now work at a PE MF (think KKR, BS, APOL) and can say that going to a target school does not matter at all. In fact, I think it put me at a tremendous disadvantage in terms of student debt after I graduated. What I recommend is going to ASU and having a really good time in college, and then focus on banking once you've completed your third year - enjoy school! Also, would be nice to not go to school in a liberal state.
This just make sure you have a 4.0 and network decently.
Yeah so if you don't have an offer by junior spring of HS, you're out of luck. GS is already interviewing for summer 2023. Better start networking asap. Tell them your lifelong dream was to become an investment banker and you're guaranteed to get the offer
Become a chemical engineer, work for Exxon or a competitor, live in a state like Louisiana, make 200k with nearly absolute job security, and on a COL adjusted basis you're destroying the bankers and work less.
ThankMeLater
First of all, you need to set up "coffee chats" with bankers and tell them how your end-goal is breaking into "high finance."
Second of all, use the search function.
Third, get a good GPA. It's really not difficult to get above a 3.5 with minimum effort, no matter what school you go to.
How would you suggest setting up "coffee" chats? Is there some short of forum or something? Should I just walk into the bank and ask to chat with a banker real quickly? Should I drive up to the city and walk into a firm?
I think this post was somewhat sarcastic, if you have coffee chats as a 16 year old that just comes off as weird. Wait until your freshman year of college. You set them up via cold emails, don't walk in anywhere.
It's admirable to know what you want to do early, and very helpful in this accelerated recruiting world, but I warn you not to have laser focus on banking - enjoy your social life, especially the first year or two at college. Realistically you could still be recruiting FOUR years from now, and you don't want to be burned out by then. IB recruiting is tricky, you need to be passionate about it, but not come off as obsessed/try hard with no other interests. Don't get too tied up in finance right now because you have a long way to go,
Stern is a great school, and if you can get a 3.7+, join a club or two (not just finance clubs - other interest clubs look good too) and start growing your network, you should be fine to recruit sophomore year.
LinkedIn?
Honestly though, if you come across as this try hard, you're not going to get an offer.
Chill out for a few years, don't even think about banking, and enjoy life
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