Recent graduate of SMU here- when I was considering schools I knew I wanted to work in finance and specifically investment banking. I ended up attending SMU, going through the process, and successfully making it into IB. If you are like me and want to know if SMU would be a good pick for you to do finance, just know that we place with the best (at all of the top banks). The class placements for the Alternative Assets Program (SMU Investment Banking Program) are here:
Again, this is specifically for high school students who would like to know if SMU is a good pick for trying to make it into high finance (it is). Cheers
If you are interested in Finance, Accounting, Investment banking, or business in general its a great place to be. Many of my professors who also teach MBA’s have been shocked by undergraduate student quality, in comparison. Furthermore the undergraduate population keeps getting better.
(I can confirm that as I used to work in admissions before I graduated this past may, and recently started with an excellent investment firm)
I am sold on attending SMU but I have a question about the Investment Banking world. I have seen multiple people in the field talk about how doing well in this field is oriented around pleasing your superiors even if that means kissing up or undermining coworkers. Is this true at all? What has your experience been so far in the field?
Really depends on where you work - small vs. large offices and Location. Some teams are collegial others are cut throat be sure to try and get a feel for an office environment during interviews.
You’ll please your superiors if your work is perfect and timely. Know modeling and PowerPoint and have a keen understanding about how companies (i.e., clients) work.
When you enter any larger organization in the professional services industry, even though your company has “outside clients” your real clients are the people above you in the hierarchy. A big mistake young lawyers make in large law firms, for example, is not realizing that usually the partners they work for are their “clients” in a practical sense, not the person/company the firm represents. If you provide professional service to your bosses, you will get ahead and eventually be trusted to provide those services directly to real clients, whereas if you do not act professionally and responsibly within the office you will never advance.
@BooBooBear: Although I agree with your comment in general, I think that all lawyers in biglaw or large law firms understand that they are there to please the partners & their supervising attorney or attorneys (as assignments shift).
@Publisher In my experience, it is shocking how many newer attorneys do not understand that concept, and spend inordinate amounts of time complaining about more meaningful client contact. It is something I have heard associate committee types whine about all the time.
Interesting. I do agree that young associates want more client contact, but they also need to get work assigned to them by more senior attorneys–usually partners–in order to make their billable hours expectation.
Regardless, I think that we agree much, much more than we differ.
