<p>Was wondering if its simply unheard of to get an interview and actually score a position as a business analyst for a top company like McKinsey or GS coming from a non-targeted school such as UCSD. I will be majoring under bioeng/economics, and was wondering just how hard it will be. I want one of these jobs as I hear you only need two or so years of work experience to be enough to get into business school while working at an engineering position would be like 4+ years. Anyways thanks in advance for any replies =]</p>
<p>Its not impossible but it's definitely difficult. It takes a lot of effort on your part and usually you need to network with people working in the already existing company to help get your resume out of HR hell.</p>
<p>However, McKinsey and GS are known as the best of the best. You do not need to work at the best of the best. You can easily focus on getting employed by regional investment banks or smaller consulting groups, these companies are usually easier to break into and can provide good pay and the '2 years of experience' that you need to go to a top MBA program.</p>
<p>McKinsey and GS do not generally recruit from undergrad except at very few schools. dcfca is correct in this regard. But getting into consulting generally takes awhile anyway, since you need to build an experience base upon which you can provide advice.</p>
<p>As far as ibanking (Goldman Saks and others), you need to be from a top name school or be the one or two top students at your college to have any shot--and even then your school should be a recognizable school--they aren't taking anyone from Univ of Idaho or Chapman College ever IMHO.</p>
<p>how hard is it to get recruited into one of the smaller firms from UCSD?</p>
<p>Many UCSD grads work for Fortune 500 companies. Many less well known financial firms also recruit at UCSD. It depends what type of "smaller firm" you are talking about.</p>
<p>Like smaller firm as in Blackstone or smaller firm as in something else?</p>
<p>Because Blackstone=impossible even out of Wharton
Something else=probably easier than bulge bracket.</p>
<p>well since i know im probably not going to a recruited school (if i don't get into USC), i'll be at UCSD and i was wondering what kind of firms recruited there. I want something that'll look good on my resume and maybe prepare me for a career in investment banking since it seems like i won't be able to get in straight out of college.</p>
<p>so i was searching randomly on the internet and i just decided to type in my school's name with investment banking and this is what i found</p>
<p>proof that you can succeed anywhere you go.</p>
<p>UCSD is quite respected regarding good companies</p>
<p>Just because they don't recruit there doesn't mean you can't get a job on Wall Street when going there. I think you misunderstood my comments. I said its hard, not impossible. You are more likely to get a job in California with a good company. </p>
<p>As the last poster said, UCSD is quite respected--especially among medical products/services companies. Pfizer is one of their largest recruiters, as is Qualcomm (not medical, but still fast growth). You'll do fine at UCSD.</p>
<p>there are a few big name investment management companies that recruit at ucsd, but that is all</p>