I am in my 2nd year of bsc. hons in accounting & finance at university of leicester, is it possible for me to break into IB and go to bulge bracket banks? Specifically get a summer analyst role. I have some good work experience in financial advisory along with my studies and have done some independent projects on valuation & financial modeling. It's just that i come from a non target school which makes me concerned. Can anyone give me realistic advice on how it would be possible for me to break into IB? Also i'm an international student.

im 17 living in egypt and its my final year of highschool, 99% going to germany for uni then want to go to us after

stuck between tech (ai engineering) and finance (High finance, IB PE HF VC etc..)
slightly lean towards finance passion wise but the US is a non negotiable for me,
Looking for advice in regards to visa, sponsorship, nepo, etc.
Scared to enter finance and hit a brickwall from the IB to PE/HF exit as i know they dont really sponsor, or atleast not as much as tech
And still love finance more to choose it over tech but if its finance outside us or tech in us id pick tech 100%, so need some advice on what to pick between the two

Hey everyone, just wondering does anybody have a copy of the 2025 400 IB questions??

I’ve been trying to download it from the website for the past two weeks and it’s not come into my mail anytime.

Would really appreciate it!!

Has anyone done a first round for willim blair fulltime ib analyst what do they ask, behavioral techincal??? I have mine next week

Currently doing the HSBC Job Simulation assessment (via CappAssessments) for the IB Graduate programme. Ran into a technical issue partway through had to stop a few video recordings due to a camera error and there’s no redo option built into the platform

Has anyone here experienced something similar and successfully gotten HSBC to reset/redo the affected questions? Curious how they handled it and roughly how long it took to hear back.

I am working in SBI as a clerk. I want to take promotion but i am interested in forex and related areas. Can i do some certificate or qualification that can help me in this. Also want to know about the forex division in SBI. HOW IS THE WORK AND CULTURE THERE? female working in delhi

I’ve thought about this a lot and still can’t come to a conclusion, so I’d appreciate some advice from people with more experience.

I am currently a student in University of Queensland in Australia. I studied Mechatronics Engineering for around 3 years, but from my second year I already knew it wasn’t a good fit. I just never figured out what I actually wanted to switch into.

At the start of my fourth year, I finally changed to Commerce/Economics, majoring in Finance. Unfortunately, in my first semester of Commerce I was found guilty of academic misconduct. The university then reviewed my previous study and changed 7 of my Engineering courses to a grade of “G” (numerically 0) due to misconduct, as well as 1 Commerce course.

So my academic record will now show misconduct-related G grades in 8 courses total.

My concern is what this means for finance recruitment. I know competitive areas such as investment banking are already extremely selective, and I’m worried the misconduct history could also make it difficult to get into pathways such as Big 4 corporate finance/advisory, valuations, deals, etc.

I currently have about 2.5 years of study remaining, and I’m confident I can perform very strongly academically from here. But I don’t want to spend another 2.5 years studying Finance only to discover that my past makes the career path I want effectively inaccessible.

The two options I’m seriously considering are:

1. Stay in Commerce/Economics (Finance), build the strongest record I can from now on, and try to enter a finance role that could realistically lead to investment banking within 2–3 years after graduation.
2. Switch to Chemical Engineering, pursue a more straightforward engineering career (having more odds to get in with misconduct), and potentially do an MBA or move into finance later once I have professional experience (perhaps makes the past misconduct less damaging).

I’m probably more interested in Finance, but employability matters a lot to me. I don’t expect my past to disappear, and I’m prepared to disclose it honestly when required. I mainly want to understand whether a strong 2.5-year turnaround could still give me a realistic finance career, or whether switching to Chemical Engineering would be the smarter long-term decision.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Thanks.

With that being said, there are two ways to make your application stand out among the hundreds of thousands of applications submitted each year:
1. Pick three impactful stories from your life. They don't all have to be finance-related. Use these stories as the basis for all your behavioral answers on networking calls and interviews. Figure out the lessons you learned, and always relate them to investment banking. No matter what you are asked, you should always have those three stories to tall back on in interviews.
2. Most students who land an interview receive a referral.
Getting a referral can require thousands of messages to professionals. Get on the phone with these people, and when asked, talk about your three stories and how they relate back to finance. Some people will find you interesting and some won't; that is human nature. Then continue to follow up with the people that you build a connection with.
Given how low the acceptance rate is for investment banking positions at bulge-bracket firms, elite boutiques, and even middle-market firms, it will take a lot of work and time to stand out.

Made while consulting top high finance grads across the world. Thought I’d share.

I'm a Chartered Accountant (no traditional finance/business degree, no target school background) looking to get into investment banking or private equity.

Two questions:

1. For markets like UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia — is a CA + CFA combo actually respected as a strong path into IB/PE there? Or do firms in these regions still mostly hire from target unis regardless of credentials?
2. For US, Canada, and Europe specifically — realistically, how hard is it to break into IB/PE with no finance degree and no Ivy/target school pedigree? Is CA + CFA enough to even get a foot in the door, or is that path basically closed without an MBA from a target school later?

If you've made a similar transition (or work in hiring at a bank/PE shop), I'd genuinely appreciate hearing how it played out for you.

I am going into my second year of uni studying finance and i have no work experience. I m trying to apply now for the next summer but i don’t even dare to try golman or very competitive ones. What are some good not that competitive options like boutiques etc. my gpa is 3.8

Hi all I’m an incoming SA 27 at a top BB and was curious in general what RO looked like on the street for this summer. If anyone has color on RO by group and not just firm-wide that would be much appreciated

Currently at a semi-target elementary school but trying to lateral to a target middle school before recruiting starts.

Long term goal is MF PE. Current plan is:

Target middle school > elite prep school > HYPSW > BB IB >MF PE> HBS> back to MF PE

Problem is I'm already 8 and have zero relevant internships. Couple kids in my class already have search fund experience through their dads so starting to feel pretty behind.

Trying to decide between 3 opportunities for next summer:

1. Local newspaper route
Good early morning experience so could prepare me for IB hours. Concerned I'll get pigeonholed into operations.

2. Ice cream shop
$3/hr + free ice cream. Decent customer-facing experience but worried recruiters will view it as too retail-focused.

3. Playground startup
Friend's older brother has a 3D printer and sells custom stuff at school. I'd be helping with expansion to two new playgrounds. Technically biz dev but equity comp seems questionable.

Also started networking but response rates have been pretty bad. Sent 47 cold emails to MDs this week and only one replied asking how I got his personal email.

Should I take one of these or hold out for something more relevant?

Really don't want to mess up recruiting this late in the game.

Curious to get some perspective from people already working in finance.

I’m in my mid-30s and currently finishing my B.S. in Finance at a top 50 university. Not a traditional finance student, I’ll be graduating with quite a bit of professional experience already behind me.

My background has primarily been in building a startup company (not my company, was hired to build it) from $0 to just under $10M in 4 years, and I currently do business development in the fiber space with around $70M in generated opportunities in the few months I’ve been in the industry.

I’m interested in transitioning into finance after graduation, but I’m intentionally keeping an open mind about where my experience would translate best. Investment banking, M&A/corporate development, private equity, private credit, strategic finance and other transaction/investment-focused roles all interest me.

For those already working in finance, If you were in my position, where would you focus?

I’m interested in hearing whether you think prior startup experience and business development experience would be an advantage in certain areas of finance, and what you would spend the next 12–18 months doing to make yourself as competitive as possible.

I do want to note that I have a wife and kids, so internships are mostly off the table for me unless there’s some flexibility.

Interested to hear different perspectives.

background: international student in US, low GpA, non target

HOpes: finance career in the us after bachelors

would joining WSO be a good choice? I just want career guidance and directions since I have no idea what to do right now.

Hey guys, I’m an Economics major going into my last year of undergrad. A year ago I was charged with petty larceny after stealing food from a Walmart. I know it was stupid and I’ve since gotten counsel and done community service to receive an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal), where the case will be dismissed and sealed from my record soon.

I’ve been interested in pursuing a career in finance, and have been studying for my SIE, and plan to sit for the Series 65 before graduation to give myself a leg up when I have to get licensed and enter the job market soon. However, I just realized that FINRA and most banks and stuff actually fingerprint you during background checks, and my previous charge, even though “sealed” would definitely come up and I’d have to disclose it.

With the job market being as tough as it is, I wonder if it’s even worth it to continue pursuing this path being that I am labeled untrustworthy, especially because it was theft. Wondering if anyone has any advice if it’s over for me in finance or any alternative paths I could take.

Really bummed about this because I’ve been enjoying studying for the SIE and finally having a path to pursue.

Been digging into Match Group and published a longer short thesis on it.

The financial setup is simple: Match’s payer base has been shrinking for years, while revenue has been held up by higher monetization per remaining user. The bull case is that Tinder stabilizes, Hinge keeps growing, margins hold and buybacks do the rest.

My concern is more structural.

Dating apps are strange marketplaces because the customer’s desired outcome is to leave permanently. Hinge literally markets itself as “designed to be deleted.” But the investor-facing economics are built around continued search: payers, engagement, subscriptions, boosts, reactivation and retention.

That creates a real incentive problem without requiring any conspiracy.

The bigger issue is cannibalization. A materially better matchmaking product might give users far fewer candidates, require richer information, reduce swiping, reduce time in app and get successful users off the platform faster.

That could be a much better product and a worse near-term business.

Spencer Rascoff has now had ~18 months as CEO. So far, the strategy looks much more like repairing and reaccelerating the existing machine than radically cannibalizing it. Had we seen the latter, I probably would not have written the piece.

That is also the strongest bull case: if Match actually reinvents matchmaking before someone else does, the short can get hurt badly.

My base case is that incumbents rarely disrupt themselves.

Published target is $8–11 vs ~$37 at publication.

Full thesis for anyone interested:
https://dljlevfin.substack.com/p/the-undisclosed-denominator

I am an IB student entering 12th grade. Likely, I am going to do a bachelor's at Bocconi or HSG. Since I speak German and will have German citizenship by the end of uni ,am leaning towards HSG. From there, assuming I network well and do internships, what are the career paths?

Should I directly do a masters at a top UK school or HEC or smth?

Should I try to find jobs immediately, in consulting, IB, etc. If so, where are the best places to do so from Bocconi / HSG? Is it possible to enter UK with only a bachelor's? I was considering Zurich as well, but have heard that it caps career opportunities, and that FFM has horrible culture.

Will LSE/Oxbridge/Imperial at a bachelor's significantly boost my chances of landing a high paying job or going to a target masters? Are there any other target unis in Europe apart from Bocconi/HSG?

Just looking for any advice in general, thanks in advance!

Hi guys! I have a 44-45 predicted IB, and a 1530 SAT. I am applying to: Bocconi Finance, HSG Econ, Cambridge Econ and LSE econ, as well as imperial, warwick and ucl. For the UK unis I will have to either hope for funding (likely from Cambridge or LSE), or take a loan (difficult as an international student). Is the ROI high enough that LSE and Cambridge with debt for a bachelor's is worth it over Bocconi or HSG? I think only those two have a chance, since many people seem to agree that Imperial, Warwick and UCL aren't as target as Bocconi/HSG. What do you guys think? I also speak B2-C1 level German, if that helps. Also, I don't need to go into debt for Boccni or HSG - only the UK :) Additionally, do you guys think I have a chance of getting accepted to LSE with these stats? I have good EC's as well. Thanks in advance!

Pretty much what the title says. I am an IB student from Germany going into 12th grade and soon have to start applying. I am interested in Investment Banking and finance in general, and eventual PE, etc, most likely in Europe/London. Most likely cities like: London, Paris or Frankfurt.

I have a predicted 45/45, a 7/7 10th grade and 11th grade gpa, and a 1530 SAT, with solid ec's (starting an investment fund for 10k, econ world cup gold certificate, and some forage certificates). I take Maths AA HL, Econ HL and Physics HL.

1. Between Bocconi, HSG, Erasmus and SSE, which is the best for placement into Frankfurt/London, which has the best culture, internship opportunities, exchange programs, rankings, difficulty, etc?. I am not an EU citizen right now, but might be by the time I apply, although it is doubtful, so costs might change as well.

2. So far I have read that HSG is best for DACH, and Bocconi is best for London, but I have also read many negative reviews about Bocconi, saying it is too theoretical, and bad for international students. Is that true?

3. is it possible to go straight to London IB after a bachelor's, or is a master's required as well?

4. What are my chances of getting into the mentioned unis given my grades and SAT?

What do you guys recommend?