Is IB worth it?

Ok, so at this point I am confident that I will get into IU Kelley and UMich, but not Ross. The amount of time and effort I will need to put forth to get into the IBW, let alone get a decent IB job is going to be absurd. This seems like an astronomical amount of effort and I feel like the amount of time I will be putting into this, (not to mention I’ll have 0 social life in freshman year), could be better spent in another field of work where I could see comparable, if not better salaries.

 

Having fun in college and working hard are not mutually exclusive. You can work hard and still have a social life, especially considering you are probably going to major in something like econ/finance (which are both way less rigorous in terms of courseload when compared to engineering/compsci).

 

yeah the problem is that I can’t risk not making the IBW. No party freshman year is going to be fun enough for me to willingly risk my chance of making the IBW, which is basically my only hope of getting a good IB job if I don’t make Ross.

 

bro just don't go out too much or get too smashed. not getting hungover and going out 3 nights a week leaves you with more than enough time to do work and study for IB.

 

What field of work will give you comparable/better salary with less work to get there?

To be succesful in anything you'll need to grind to stay competetive with your peers, so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Either way, if your mentality is to give up before you start it doesn't seem like IB is a career for you. Not knocking you, just affirming that it is a grind and you'll have a hard time if you're not willing to work for it.

 

Yeah I don't plan on "giving up" or anything, I was just more trying to figure out if it would a smarter idea to invest my time and effort into a career that isn't so dependent on whether or not you went to a target school or not.

 

Dude, close to half of the IBW is in a frat. They party as much as other kids, except for a few crucial weeks. If you want to party freshman year, join a frat and party with upperclassmen in the IBW.

 

Would it be advantageous for me to join one then to optimize my chances of getting into it? I'm trying to ensure my chances of getting in by optimizing everything within my control. I've heard that a lot of people get in as diversity candidates or for other reasons that aren't based on their merit.

 

Yes, diversity helps, that's just how IB works nowadays, no point focusing on that. Yes, being in a social or business frat helps because you make connections with older members in the IBW. Also chill out, you're a junior in high school. You've got to have confidence in IB and making 5 posts in 24 hours is the exact opposite of that.

 

A great answer to that was already posted here. Just scroll down to the best commented highlighted with green color.

Edit: Here is a great comps comparison for IB and other industries.

“Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives, living existences of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon their shoulders is really a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don’t think. Become.”
 

Why would you not be interested in something just because it is challenging? The entire reason I chased banking was because of the challenge. What's the fun in life of just having things handed to you if you don't work for them? Don't do it for where you think you'll end up, do it because you enjoy the process.

 

Ut qui voluptatem et sit fugit corrupti. Cum unde voluptas quasi tempore. Nihil natus est eum. Et ut repellendus cum accusantium nobis voluptatibus illo.

Laboriosam velit voluptate pariatur repellat. Nostrum sunt debitis veniam soluta. Aut consectetur voluptate excepturi eum sed. Necessitatibus fugit aliquid quod voluptate odit delectus. Error et neque et repudiandae voluptatem. Fugiat nesciunt sunt minima optio.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
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

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...”