How hard is it to break into investment banking?

<p>If one graduates from at least a top 20 school, gets at least decent grades, and knows Chinese?</p>

<p>Your criteria are far too general.</p>

<p>it’s not the same as getting into college. personality and network can make up for almost anything. if you are at a target school (banks come to recruit on-campus) you will probably need at least a 3.3-3.5 and legit work experience to get interviews. after that it’s really unpredictable. as from as i know, it is easier to break into banking in asia compared with US.</p>

<p>If you can network, you’re in.</p>

<p>Personally, I think it is being overstated here by how difficult it is to get in to IB. I am sure the competition is tough - but so is everywhere. Sure IB’s tend to recruit at top school but I think you should concern your self less with “Am I going to a school that and IB prefers” and more with “IB’s want profitable hires because they are a business-- what knowledge and skills can I gain that will make me a profitable for an IB.”</p>

<p>^That and you’ll have to pass 8 trials of death. I hope you play the harmonica…</p>

<p>Wait, how hard is it if you go to a top 30 school, have a 3.4 GPA, but screwed up one semester because you were in love with this girl (long story, ending in tragedy!), but then did well afterwards, and also you were in the business club as the treasurer but the club lost money one year but made money the other year you were in charge, and back in high school you were elected “Most Improved” on the JV Soccer team but you didn’t really see much playing time in important games, and you play the trumpet pretty well, maybe you were in a local band for a while (you know, playing at bars, etc., selling home-made CDs) but the band broke up due to irreconciliable creative differences between you and the drummer (also the drummer stole the girlfriend mentioned above), and you’d be happy to include a tape of eclectic free-form Jazz in your application to the banks, also you have webbed feet but don’t make a big deal about it although you feel sort of insecure about it and to be frank, overcoming the social stigma against people with webbed feet is a big motivation in your life and your end goal is to prove that a person with webbed feet can in fact succeed in the fast-paced world of investment banking?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance, this question has been sort of gnawing at me.</p>

<p>Sorry, I forgot to mention that the drummer from your band also used to be your best friend, I’m not sure if this changes anything.</p>

<p>You’ll have a better chance if you don’t ramble on with nonsense.</p>

<p>I can’t tell if he was serious.</p>

<p>It doesn’t necessarily matter if you go to a top 20 school or not. Getting into IB depends entirely on the person, not on the school. If you’re really serious about getting into IB, you need to read some books to familiarize with it. Some good books to read are House of Cards, The Sellout, Liar’s Poker, The Greatest Trade Ever, just to name a few.</p>