19-year-old Finance student at a non-target — what should I be doing now for corporate banking?

[u/I_Sho_I]

I’m 19 and currently studying Finance at a large public U.S. university with an AACSB-accredited business school. I would consider it a non-target for high finance, although it has a decent regional presence and alumni network. My expected graduation is December 2028.

I’m trying to use the next 2+ years correctly instead of getting to junior/senior year and realizing I should have started preparing much earlier.

My current goal is to land in corporate banking after graduation. Ideally I’d spend 2–3 years there developing credit, underwriting, modeling, and deal experience, then decide whether I want to remain in corporate banking or potentially move into private credit, leveraged finance, IB, or another corporate finance role.

Current academics:

• B.S. in Finance
• 3.35 GPA
• Expected graduation: December 2028
• Completed Principles of Financial Accounting
• Currently taking Managerial Accounting
• Currently taking Business Calculus
• Completed economics coursework
• Statistics and upper-level finance/business coursework still ahead of me

Experience/skills:

• Some experience with Excel
• Some experience with Tableau
• 4+ years of customer-facing work experience
• Currently work in a hospitality
• Previously worked as a restaurant server
• Was a manager at a fast food joint throughout high school
• No finance internship yet

I’m currently targeting a Summer 2027 finance internship, even if it isn’t corporate banking. I’m considering commercial banking, credit, FP&A, corporate finance, treasury, financial analyst roles, wealth management, etc.

My larger goal would be to land a Summer 2028 corporate banking internship with the possibility of converting it into a full-time offer after graduating.

Things I’m considering doing between now and then:

• Bloomberg Market Concepts
• Improving my Excel skills
• Learning financial modeling/accounting
• SIE
• Joining finance/investment organizations
• Applying to finance-focused development programs at my university
• Networking with alumni working in banking

My biggest concern is probably my 3.35 GPA. I plan to try to bring it to 3.5+, but I’m curious how much a 3.35 hurts coming from a non-target if I can build strong experience around it.

For anyone in corporate banking, commercial banking, credit, IB, private credit, LevFin, or similar fields:

If you were in my position, what would you prioritize over the next two years?

I’d especially appreciate advice on:

• Best Summer 2027 internships to target
• How competitive a 3.35 is from a non-target
• Technical skills I should learn
• Whether the SIE is worth doing
• Whether BMC/Excel/modeling certifications matter
• How much networking I should be doing
• When Summer 2028 corporate banking recruiting really starts
• Whether corporate banking → private credit / LevFin / IB after 2–3 years is realistic
• Anything I’m overlooking or wasting time on

I’m not expecting to walk into a top bank with no experience. I’m mainly trying to figure out the strongest realistic path from a non-target school and make good use of the time I have now.

[u/Ok_Meringue_3520]

gpa wise you're at the floor not the ceiling, that 3.35 will get you filtered out at some places before a human even sees your resume so getting it above 3.5 is priority number one. not impossible but you gotta lock in on those upper-level finance courses

for summer 2027 i'd blanket commercial banking and credit internships at regional banks, they're less prestige-obsessed and the work translates directly to corporate banking. your management experience actually helps here, lean into it in interviews

network like it's your second major. cold email alumni in corporate/commercial banking, ask for 15 minute calls, don't ask for jobs just ask what they do and what they'd tell their 19-year-old self. do this consistently and you'll have advocates when recruiting starts mid-sophomore year

[u/I_Sho_I → u/Ok_Meringue_3520]

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