Is it reasonable to set your life's dreams to become an IBer?

<p>I mean, even if you do go to BB target schools, aren't the chances still slim in terms of being able to get hired by a large investment bank?</p>

<p>For those who fail to become an IBer after graduating, what do they usually become?</p>

<p>What about quality of life in IB? Good? Bad? Worth the money earned?</p>

<p>Will IB still be a very lucrative career in the future?</p>

<p>Can a graduate from a non-target school become a financial analyst, accountant, or an actuary for a few years, and THEN go into heavy IBanking, depending on their previous job performance? How are the chances in this scenario?</p>

<p>I think these are a few questions people here should consider before choosing a college solely based on wanting to become an investment banker. I've been wondering as well for a long time, for I will be picking colleges this fall :)</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Lifestyle is terrible. When deal flow is heavy 100+ hr wks aren’t uncommon. Now, even when deal flow is relatively low, jr people work 80+; constantly pitching and putting in face time. </p>

<p>A lot of people who can’t hack it end up in “lower” finance jobs - i.e. asset management, accounting, etc… some end up with mid/back office and bide their time until they try to break in again. </p>

<p>Banking is a cyclical industry, it has rough ups/downs. There will be big$ again (have you SEEN GS’s half-yr guidance?) Obama talks a big regulation game but I doubt he’ll bring anything to the table, maybe another S-OX for ABS’s at best.</p>

<p>The takeaway is that you won’t be able to survive just for the money. You’ll actually have to like what you’re doing. And yes, tons of non-targets have broken in; the “get out of jail” card is business school. So if you mess up out of undergrad you still have a shot. But going to a target, pulling great grades, and nailing your interviews is definitely the “easier” way to do it.</p>

<p>Look, this should be the question you ask yourself: do you want to give up what would probably otherwise be 2 or 3 of the best years of your life to work 100 hour work weeks for a bank? </p>

<p>Investment banking will always be lucrative, but the jobs will become increasingly hard to get, with practically every Ivy League Economics and Finance major chasing after an i-banking job. That said, even if you can’t land an i-banking job (and if you don’t have a 3.7 or better GPA you can forget it), there will be plenty of well-paying opportunities in things like commodities trading, energy, and securities.</p>

<p>Wait, first of all, what do you mean by “2 or 3 of the best years of your life”…?</p>

<p>Yes it is reasonable until another madoff show up in the picture and run away with all the funds that you were supposed to invest. And as some of the people who looses people’s money in Wall Street, you might jump of a bridge but your dream will stay real.</p>

<p>You stayed an IBer until the rest of your life. Whether the rest of your life ends at 24, or 25, your dream still comes true.</p>

<p>On a serious note:</p>

<p>Plan your damn life however you want it. After all, it’s yours right? But be careful for what you wish and don’t blame the world if things do not turn out the way you wanted.</p>

<p>It’s ok to make plans but stay real and remember that our plans do not always work for reason that are beyond our within our power.</p>

<p>By the way, If I am right, Bernie Madoff did not go to a top noch school, in fact he dropped out at some point</p>

<p>I think that if you set your “life dream” to be an investment banker, or any one career (or school for that matter), you will ultimately find yourself disappointed even if you do achieve that goal.</p>

<p>Yelena, is your 1st language English? I have no clue what you said…</p>

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<p>The first few years after college when you usually are not only free of your parents but also don’t have to worry about kids or a family, where you can spend all your money on yourself because retirement is a long, long way off, where you can travel freely to pretty much anywhere, and where you can play the field and learn the ins and outs of love.</p>