Hi everyone,
I recently decided that I really want to pursue Investment Banking full-time, ideally for 2026 off-cycle or graduate roles, and I’d really appreciate some honest feedback on how competitive my profile might be.
I’m studying at a semi-target university in Europe and my GPA is around 2.1 (UK scale: ~63%), which I know isn't considered outstanding for top banks. That said, I’ve tried to build strong experience around it:
- internships in corporate finance and transaction advisory at two Big 4 firms
- leadership roles in my university finance society
- one summer internship at a mid-market private equity fund
- strong technical prep (valuation, accounting, LBO basics)
I’m realistic that my grades might hold me back at the CV screening stage, so I’m trying to understand my chances before I double down on prep.
Based on your experience:
- is it possible to land interviews at banks like J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley or Rothschild with a GPA in this range?
- how much can networking / referrals compensate for weaker grades in Europe?
- would applying to Big 4 Corporate Finance / TAS / Valuations first and lateralling into IB be a better strategy?
Thank you so much!
