johnjacobjingle

i am wondering what types of GPAs most people have for ibanking. i go to Cornell with a 3.4....will this cut it on Wall Street?

ixjunitxi

Depends....Major?...work experience?...Ec's?...Which bank?

3.4 at Cornell (though an a strong school) under normal circumstances (everything else avg) wont cut it....i have a connect at Goldman... and he said he cant get me in unless i have a 3.5 plus (just an idea of the caliber)

Try your best to raise it this semester...this is going to be a tough year...considering the credit crunch/fear of recession

prathiba6

hes right....BBs typically look for 3.7-3.9 for regular candidates, and if uve got exceptional work experience and good connections...3.6 should push u through....

undefined

That's insane. GPA isn't all that matters. I'm an engineer and it's saddening to hear you need a 3.7> to get one.

lynn4eva

wow darn. i really really want to be an investment banker!!! can you give me advice on which courses to study for? i mean undergrad and then grad school later. Is USC business school a good choice? what other business schools are known among firms?

prathiba6

USC business school is nice...but honestly..if u want to work for a BB...top 3-4 business schools are essential unless u have good contacts...and for undefined....if you are an engineer...3.4 will suffice....because engineering is a lot harder that finance or econ.....

ramaswami

what if you went to an Ivy? Is the GPA requirement slightly lower?

john5170

prathiba6, so is it really possible to get into investment banking from engineering?

ixjunitxi

prathiba6, has def exaggerated what it takes to get in...I go to NYU Stern which is not a top 4 business school and i was an intern at Morgan Stanley the past summer. USC is a great business school and will provide you ample opportunities.

I would say the GPA needed is a 3.5 Plus for most banks to get an interview..then its all up to you in the interview.\

Coming from a top 25 school/and the top LACS with good grades( 3.5+) will get you an interview at BB's

As for courses for your own benefit take courses in finance and accounting for general knowledge. However it is not essential because the kids that come from LACs or are liberal arts majors don't take these courses and still do well.

If you went to an ivy.. i think it helps but it will not lower the GPA requirement by that much...ivy kids simply can get lower to the typical 3.5 cutoff than some who comes from a non-target and will have to have upwards of a 3.6+

prathiba6

ixjunitxi...NYU stern is a fantastic school.....its finance program is no.3 in the united states....USC is a really good business school...but if you go through all the websites of the recruiters and look at their target schools...you will see that you wont colleges like USC there...maybe for some of them....but Goldman Sachs, CS and some others dont

lynn4eva

Is it easier to start with a smaller firm after your undergraduate studies or go for the bigger ones? Wouldn't you go after the top firms after your MBA? So NYU would be a better choice than USC? Is it better to study finance or econ for my bachelors and then specialize in grad school...or just start off straight with banking?

ixjunitxi

Its better to go for the Bulge Brackets as they have formal programs and training...which will help you in the long run...it is better to study finance b/c its more applicable...but as i said before, it doesnt really matter if you come from a good school...most things are learned on the job and during training...if you want to ultimately do a front office role...start in banking

lynn4eva

how bout stockbroking?

ns347

not hating, but aren't most ivies except Princeton and Cornell's grades heavily inflated?

undefined

Yes, they are heavily inflated. There have been many studies/articles on the grade inflation.


Also you do NOT need to be from the top business schools for investment banking. My friend is a business major at University of Maryland... still got an internship with JP Morgan. GPA is key.