Please give me advice - bad non target school!

Hi, I am new to this forum and I need help. My problem is that I want to go into investment banking, but I attend a nontarget school. Furthermore, I did not care about my GPA until this year so it rounds to a meager 3.6 with 4.0 major.

I just finished my second year so I know it is too late for me to transfer, although I will try once again. I was able to land a summer analyst internship this summer at a mm ib in sf with a good connection and a lot of research.

My question is what should I do after I graduate and I cant find an actual full time job in banking. Obviously my only chance would be to get an MBA from a top 10 program, but how would I go about doing that if at most I can only find a job at a small regional boutique?
Would it look better if I went into accounting with the Big 4 for 3 years or so and then applied for my MBA? (because I know a few alumni here working in ey, so I assume I have a much greater chance)

Any other tips on how someone like me would go about getting into a top MBA program?
Thanks!

 

I'll tell you what you would've found if you had done a search/read around the site a bit:

1) Network (family, friends, alumni, cold-call, cold-email, should cold-whatever at least 500-1000 people)

2) Get your grades up. 3.6 isn't bad, but it doesn't make you stand out

3) Improve ECs: leadership positions in clubs, internship during year, whatever

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

The perfect GPA is really going to be your saving grace here.....start AGGRESSIVELY networking and you may just be able to pull it off. In the job description bullets, try to quantify RESULTS of your duties. If you can transfer, go for it.

Get busy living
 
Best Response
Getgo:
seedy underbelly:
You misspelled analyst.

and that is why, OP, you are hopeless

Not sure why being a DB was so important, but to the OP your situation is anything, but being hopeless. Look at my first posts on here... I had no idea what I was getting myself into last year as a junior from an ultra non-target (0 banks recruit at my school). When I posted my resume people threw up on it, but I kept my head up; I was starting in the hole just like you are. I then networked my ass off, learned a lot, kept my GPA up and got involved at school with good EC's and I landed at a small PE firm this summer. Did the absolute best job I could there, continued learning, and got awesome references from the guys at the firm. I'm already in the recruiting pipeline at a few BBs right now and have already had calls / interviews at 8+ solid middle market banks. It's just the beginning and a lot of things have to go right, but I've made it this far and I'm determined to break in and I've made it this far already. Naysayers will always give you a hard time, but you can earn it IMO, you just have to be willing to go the extra mile time and again. / rant that is all.

'Before you enter... be willing to pay the price'
 
akptech:
updated resume: http://www.razume.com/documents/21349

thanks BepBep12, if only i was as good a networker as you

to AcquireThis: i was only varsity level in my breast stroke event 0:26x for 50 free 1:10x for 100 breast

you?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I made the same mistakes that everyone does and struggled through it. I got a break because I didn't give up and made my own luck. My 'networking' effort was far from 'smooth' you've got to work at it everyday like its your actual job...

'Before you enter... be willing to pay the price'
 

High school was mostly short course when I did it. Dunno if it changed. More interested in: Which club team, if applicable?

Edit: Boutiques are a good shot. Good luck. You might get dinged unless it's sub 23.0. jk

 

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Get busy living

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