Hello everyone. I just joined this board after a couple days of leisure thread viewing/searching and I would like to get advice from some of the experienced people here.
I am currently a sophomore at Penn State(University Park), in the Smeal School. My GPA is around 3.4(there are some good reasons behind that grade being slightly lower than what is expected,and I can go into detail about that if necessary). My SAT is 670m and 660v. I am white Hispanic (just throwing that out there).
Ok, now that we have the base stats out of the way, I need some advice.
First of all:
I initially didn't even think about becoming a trader or IBanker until the summer of my Freshman year, but it has truly grown on me. I literally can't get enough of the stuff. I took action immediately upon arrival back from break. I joined the Penn State Investment Association, the Smeal Market Technicians, read every vault guide I could find, started researching about wall street and finance online and through upperclassmen and compiled a list of "recommended reads" with the help of some of the more successful finance students in these clubs. I found out that my school has a collection of both "IBD" and "WSJ" and have started reading them during the week or going through archives during the weekend. I also took part in a trading competition and was one of the top 10. I applied for a job in the trading room as well (Mostly tech support stuff but it gives me unlimited access to the school's resources 24/7). I familiarized myself with trade station and I am currently going over the Bloomberg certification material(I am plan on finishing all the tests early next semester).
Do you all think that this is a good start? What else should I be trying to do?
I am also curious about how my current University compares to other schools in terms of being a "target" or "non-target". The reason I want to know this is because I am considering a transfer to schools that are higher up the ladder. The benefits are obvious: Higher prestige and a fresh shot at a higher overall GPA.
What about internships? There are a couple sophomores that I converse with on a frequent basis who have had internships already! One, for example, was supposedly interviewed today for a new hedge fund! I feel like I am behind the curve. In order to solve this problem, I am trying to get an internship at a regional branch of Merrill Lynch(I think its PWM) in Miami.
I have another possibility. I have a major connection in LUKOIL, but I don't know much about the setup they have there. Does anyone have some info on that company?
What about SEO and programs like that? Do I have the stats to be able to get into such a program?
As you see, I have a lot of questions (These are only the ones off the top of my head)
Please forgive any grammatical errors I may have made. It's late and I haven't slept yet.
Thanks in advance!
Pull your GPA to 3.6 +
For what time frame? Before junior year? Senior?
I feel like this has become an all too-common theme on this forum. Obviously if you're from an Ivy League or equivalent school, you have a decided advantage in applying for these jobs over those who were educated elsewhere. Just because you went to Penn State instead of Harvard doesn't mean you can't get into investment banking; you just need to try harder. People tend to become immediately discouraged by the preconceived notion that they have no shot.
My advice to you: do well in school, assume a significant role in that investment club, and network your way into a couple solid internships.
You're only "behind the game" if you let yourself be.
SEO. If you are truly hispanic, this should help a lot.
you should start reading the facebook group wall street networking. we've made it an invaluable resource.
yea try for SEO. Look for finance internships this winter and next year. Just try 5 times harder than everyone else bro. ima freshman and i am a go hard when it comes to internships and grades, and it has helped me b/c i already have two offers from boutique i-banks to work next year. just really go hard on your pursuiit bro and i am more than sure you'll get into ibanking. good luck.
Is SEO really possible with my grades? This semester I got hit by a bad case of Bronchitis around midterms, and it sort of ruined my grades in a couple classes.
To tell the truth, I am pretty dead set on transferring now. It's not even about the prestige anymore. This school seems to be bad luck for me.
Btw. Does anyone have any inside info on OAO LUKOIL? Some finance kid mentioned the company once and told me about some kind of trading desk that is supposedly godly to intern/work for. I don't know much about that kind of stuff yet, and I can't seem to find anything about it on the lukoil site or on google searches.
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