For students seeking full-time jobs in investment banking after graduation, a summer internship after junior year is an absolute requirement, as the vast majority of full-time positions are awarded to summer interns. Most banks now initiate recruiting for junior summer internships during the spring semester of sophomore year, with first-round interviews starting as early as April/May (more than 12 months ahead of the post-junior year internships). The recruiting process continues on a rolling basis during the summer after sophomore year and concludes by September/October of junior year.
Despite the recruiting cycle beginning so early, students interviewing for internships are expected to be familiar with the various roles available to summer interns and to have some understanding of the skills and tools relevant to those positions. DFE provides extensive training for students interested in finance jobs, starting with Financial Markets (FMKT) 256 Practical Financial Markets in the fall semester of sophomore year. FMKT 256 has no pre-reqs, and is open to all sophomores, regardless of their intended major.
This course will help to prepare you for the rigorous networking and interview process that kicks off early in the spring semester — more than a year prior to the actual summer internships. Taught by professors Emma Rasiel and John Caccavale, FMKT 256 will boost your technical skills and knowledge of the markets. It also incorporates visiting lectures and bank-sponsored competitions that expose you to some of the roles on Wall Street, with opportunities to present your knowledge to visiting executives from some of our top recruiting firms. We strongly encourage all students interested in applying for summer finance internships to enroll in this course in the first semester of sophomore year. If you are not sure whether finance is for you, FMKT 256 is a great way to learn more and discover whether starting your career in the financial markets is the right path for you!
If you are a first-year potentially interested in the financial markets, please also sign up for the DFE Email List, through which we send out information about DFE activities and recruiting events on campus.