<p>I am currently a senior in high school. As I will soon have to decide where to go for undergrad, I realize that I have to consider what profession I would like to hold in the future. I am thinking about ibanking, but I do not know a lot about the field. I was accepted to Harvard and have applied to the Huntsman program in international relations and business (2 degrees - 1 from upenn and 1 from wharton) and Duke (might receive a scholarship).</p>
<p>If any of you have experience in ibanking and would be willing to share generally what the profession involves and the skills needed, I would really appreciate it. Also, I would appreciate any advice as to the best undergrad institution and major if I decide to pursue ibanking.</p>
<p>You really can't go wrong at either Harvard or Wharton--those two schools are recruited from the heaviest. It's all up to personal preference really.</p>
<p>Cornell is really a substantial player as well with their new business program AEM. Every top bank recruits heavily from Cornell - I was given four ibanking offers to JPM, Citigroup GCIB, Deutsche and Merrill. Many of my friends had multiple ibanking offers as well. I will be working at Citigroup next year</p>
<p>Well, I actually had a 4.11 gpa (got a few A+'s) and am currently like 3rd in my class in AEM. Cornell's location has nothing to do with the recruiting. Generally, during the recruiting season - early october for investment banking, Cornell alumni from all of the top banks come up to Cornell to recruit kids to bring back to New York for their superdays. The recruiting is fantastic. Generally, you have to have a 3.8 and/or great internship experience to get a banking job at a BB in new york (GS, MS, Citigroup, Merrill, etc.). This previous summer I worked at a real estate private equity firm in the city. If you want finance, you should 100% do AEM. Most of the banks come to recruit for both all of Cornell and specifically for AEM, meaning that if you are in AEM, you are competing against fewer kids. AEM is definitely the way to go - if you have any questions feel free to send me a message.</p>
<p>and most people don't intern while attending school - its really not feasible - especially if you work in the city and go to a difficult school like Columbia or Stern. Generally, internship programs are in the summer.</p>
<p>MY nephew is attending Columbia. He had an internship at a hedge fund last summer. A number of his friends are continuing with this work during the school year.</p>
<p>There's quite an advantage to being there, seems to me, for this sort of thing. IF you get to take advantage of it.</p>
<p>Cornell AEM is no substitute for Harvard or Wharton. Those two are untouchable. Cornell cannot claim to be recruited by both Blackstone and Citadel.</p>
<p>thanks for the info. everyone. could any of you tell me what kinds of internships would be best (e.g. anything in business?) and how you go about getting one (e.g. through the college or independently)?</p>
<p>also, sports, what are starting salaries like, if you don't mind my asking?</p>
<p>Citadel may have recruited someone from Cornell, but this kid had to have gotten it himself. Neither Cornell nor AEM are on the list of campuses that Citadel visits.</p>
<p>jpps1, although cornell may not be a target school for citadel, they will still look at applications from Cornell lkids - it just means that they don't go to Cornell to recruit.</p>
<p>Do I-Banks recruit at liberal arts college extensively? I'm going to Williams, and this has been my biggest concern, that the lack of any kind of business preparation will hurt me in recruiting.</p>
<p>when applying to cornell, can you put two choices, for example AEM and the college, and then if rejected to AEM you could possilby attend the college.</p>