If you are selected for the interview, you will usually receive an invitation within two weeks of submitting your application. It is even faster for 2nd round noficiation and final decision. I do have friends getting an interview invitation after two months, but that is the exception.

If you are dinged, they will send you an email in Feb/March once they finish their entire process.

 

Had a few friends get in from the non-target we attended (for disclosure: I did go through the application process, but was unsuccessful). Non-targets actually break in quite a bit through SEO though the process is quite competitive (especially the final round interview. Solid organization.....

Authored by: Certified Corporate Development Professional - Director
 

My friend did one...he had a 3.8 GPA in Finance...he's a genius lol literally, but he cares nothing about finance. The phone screen is just a couple of questions, no valuation from what he told me...so just be ready to express how you want to finance and study over some light finance just in case...they have an in person interview if you pass the phone screen.

 

I applied for the first round, interviewed in November, was waitlisted in January and got an acceptance a few weeks ago. I accepted their offer for IBD-Corp Finance... I haven't heard of many people getting offers though so I'm not sure whether they're still waiting or whether their class is going to be considerably smaller this year..

 

I went all the way to final round as a soph. Then I applied really early as a Junior. Currently, I have only finished the phone interview, but was wait listed immediately after that. I am not sure how to react to that kind of schedule. Traditionally my school has had 6-7 SEO accepts each year. This year, I have heard of none. The only people that I have heard were successful were those that got an offer organically, then requested to be a part of SEO.

Anyone have an idea of how many they are seeking to take this year?

 
Best Response

I am not sure if you already had the interview but here is some advice anyway..

1st round phone interview:

Pretty basic interview.. most important things are covering highlights on resume, why SEO and what you know about SEO and why the program you are applying to such as IB or AM etc.

This interview as I said is very basic and so long as you have a good application you should be fine so long as you dont goof. The second round in person interview is where the prong you.

2nd round in person interview:

This is where SEO usually has at you. They will cover all the same stuff in the 1st interview, like why this program and what do you know about SEO but in a much more unfriendly manner. Also they might ask you about your essay and other parts of ur application. They will likely ask you a random question like "how many gas stations are in the US?" or something of the sort, just keep your composure and think it through logically the answer doesnt really seem to matter that much, they just want to see that you can think on your feet. Also memorize the yields and market levels for that day(10 yr yield, the Dow level etc.)

I hope this helps.

Good Luck

 

Yeah, the second round (in person) interview is the one to really prepare for. Make sure you're prepared for those open-ended "how-many-___-are-there-in-the-U.S." questions. Just clearly state your though process out loud and make logical assumptions for all your estimates. There is rarely a right answer, they just care about your though process. Also, look out for random math questions, and possibly the 12 ball question.

Be sure to stay calm though, as it will be more of a stress test than anything, and they will seem to have no interest in your answers, but just ignore that and stay focussed on selling yourself.

 

Just be prepared for those, a good resource is "Case in Point," by Marc Cosentino. Most people read this for consulting cases.

Typical market sizing questions run as follows:

How many telephone booths are there in Manhattan?

 

DaniNo which industry did you apply to? I thought the deadline was Nov.1. Do they give out interviews on a rolling base? How do they schedule interviews? Are there any surprise phone interviews without notice?

 

There are no surprise interviews of anything like that, 1st round interviews are pretty flex( I believe on rolling basis). Best advice for the interview, be yourself, be calm have good reasons for why you applied to what you applied to, like IB-CF or IB-ST also be sure to be updated on WSJ, know what is going on in the market and lastly know as much as you can about SEO

Best of luck

 

My best friend is an asian male in a target school and he has been waiting for a little over 2 months since he applied~ not even a phone interview~ not even an email! Any thoughts? I told him that probably means they aren't interested (though he does have a nice gpa...)

 

When I applied for SEO last year, I heard almost immediately after applying. I applied before the deadline (sometime mid Oct. I think), and was also notified before the deadline (I forget how far in advance). They told me that I had been selected as a "preferred candidate" and, as such, I would go through an "accelerated recruitment process".

 

There are many qualified candidates from both target and non-target schools with equally outstanding backgrounds. They've done other internships, excelled in their coursework, and would do well in the campus recruiting process. SEO is different because in addition to these strengths, successful candidates have been recognized for their commitment to the community either from a reputation standpoint or from formal awards.

I would encourage your friend to be patient as the application process is competitive and that there are numerous candidates that need to be interviewed globally. In addition, he should be applying to the firms directly as well as their respective scholarship programs (ex: Lehman Brothers' Vision Scholarship).

 

hey guys. sorry i never got back to this post. i just wanted to say that my interview didn't happen the week i said it was going to b/c of previous travel arrangements i had b/f finding out about the internship. however, mine is going to happen in a week. hey, i did the accelerated phone interview. and then after that i was sent a link to select interview times and dates. i hope it goes well for you guys!

 

I applied for the first round, and I have my interview in NYC Dec. 12th. In person invitations usually go out the same day that you got your phone interview. So if you didn't hear back from them after a week, you probably didn't pass. I may be wrong though.

On another note, I was looking at the past CF alumni and no one was placed in GS. Most of them are at UBS JPM and DB. Does this mean that GS doesn't typically hire from SEO?

 

Well now I'm starting to worry....

I submitted my application on 10/31 for for corporate finance and still haven't heard back from them. Not a single email =/

Guess that means my chances are screwed?

 

lol I submitted without the mandatory essay... I misread it as "only (whatever program it is) has to complete this part", while it actually says "all candidates have to complete this part except for (whatever program it is)"... just got an invitation

 

I applied back in november and I never received anything so I know I got rejected. My friend already had his actual interview.

Did anyone get the phone interview that is from a non-target school and is a sophomore? I'm a sophomore at a non-target school and I heard from someone that SEO is very selective and if you're from a non-target, you should be at least an outstanding junior. Is that true?

 

Ok big guy, since you're not good at understanding English, I'll explain myself more clearly. I got an offer to a bank that SEO works with independently (read: by myself). I just wanted to know if other people were getting SEO offers because I haven't heard much about it.

P.S. I actually LIKE SEO. Your reasoning skills are clearly not going to get you a job, for you're sake I hope you're a quant.

 

dude, why the f should you care about the result now, just freaking take the offer and forget about it, and plus, if you truly got the offer with the bank that SEO works it, you should contact your interviewer and let them know, they will automatically place you in that company but just in NYC, btw, if you have heard back by now, chances are you dont get it so stop thinking about it

 

SEO is a JOKE as I have said here many times. Who the fuck cares if you didn't get into the program? Plus if you were really successful you wouldn't have needed it.

This reminds me of a couple of weeks ago when we interviewed at one of our target schools, I asked this kid what other banks he was interviewing with and if banking was his only option, etc.. he responds, "I have a final round with SEO...", needless to say, he didn't get a second round or a superday.

Bottomline, it is a joke, but unfortunately we have to have them. Luckily, that analyst that I spoke about on here a couple months ago that came from SEO, got fired. Not because he came from SEO (obviously), but because he was a lazy bastard that was used to handouts (aka SEO).

My honest advice - if you are interviewing with SEO, keep it to yourself.

 

I received an offer from SEO last Friday and I will be interning with UBS...That is definatley weird though because usually if u get an offer from a partner firm you are guaranteed SEO…I would look into it more if I where you.

 
OldMoney:
I received an offer from SEO last Friday and I will be interning with UBS...That is definatley weird though because usually if u get an offer from a partner firm you are guaranteed SEO…I would look into it more if I where you.

Look, this SEO kid can't even spell properly. What a shame. If I were your boss, I would never let you work on any written assignment (offering memo..or heck even a PPT).

SEO is a JOKE

 
cdnbanker:
I'm a little confused. Are there any benefits to getting an offer through SEO versus getting it directly from a bank? If not, why is the OP upset?

Unfortunately, it is harder not to make a FT offer to SEO SA's. Basically SEO SA's have to not screw up. "Normal" SA's have to add some value to the group.

Just wait until you have to get a book done with a SEO hire, you'll know what I am talking about.

 
cdnbanker:
I'm a little confused. Are there any benefits to getting an offer through SEO versus getting it directly from a bank? If not, why is the OP upset?

SEO requires students complete 100+ hrs of finance and excel modeling training before they start their summers. It also gives access to a pretty strong alumni base. The only real drawback is getting labeled as an "SEO intern" who unfairly received a handout by your team, but if you work your ass off throughout the summer, I'm sure it would become a non issue.

From what I understand, however, the point of the program isn't simply to get more minority summer analysts. It's to create a longer term impact that down the road creates more inclusion/diversity at the senior banker level.

Full disclosure- I was also rejected by SEO, but received IB SA offers from BBs on my own. Regardless, I think it's a great program, but understand those who disagree.

 

I didn't know that you could join SEO if you were given an offer by a partner firm. So that's what I'm probably going to do.

As for all the other stuff being spewed here, it doesn't matter. I'm smart enough and qualified enough to get an offer on my own so I don't think there is a question as to whether or not I'm good enough. Obviously you all are blinded by the biases and stereotypes that have perpetuated by this forum, but SEO does have a mission and it's one that I believe in. It's deeper than a SA gig and thats real.

 

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