​Investment Banking Target Schools​​

People ask, who are the target schools investment banks recruit at? These schools have campus hiring sessions that large banks come to pick them up. The list goes:

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Harvard​

Yale

Princeton

Upenn

Cornell

MIT

Columbia

Stanford

Duke

Dartmouth

Brown

UChicago

NYU

Northwestern​

Williams

Carnegie Mellon

Johns Hopkins

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You should know that this is not a comprehensive list. However, if you are in one of these schools you are in a better shape of getting into a major investment bank.

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No matter what other people might be saying, getting into a target school, or better yet, an Ivy, is the single most important thing. However, if you are not studying at one of the target schools, it is not the end of the world. Internships and work experiences count more than your education as long as you are not too far off. Networking is also a key factor when it comes to investment banking recruitment.

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Harvard, Yale and Princeton wins hands down when it comes to Investment Banking Recruitment. If you are in one of these schools, the bar for experience can be lowered, according a recruiter at a Bulge Bracket. Also, you might want to get into a school that is closer to New York City, as bankers tend not to recruit too far from their office. NYU Stern Business school is a good example, as almost all major banks recruit people from there, partially due to location. Columbia University is also an example. ​

 

You might then ask, what should I do if I am not from one of these target schools? Don't panic, it is not the end of the world. Use this website to find the Bulge Brackets, Large & Mid-sized Banks and smaller Regional Boutiques that operate in your city, and do some networking, some cold call and try to set up information interviews with the bankers in your city!