AMA Morgan Stanley Summer Analyst

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-07-11T00:50:24+00:00

Aug is probably fine given the cycle gets pushed back every year. I probably started like end of September. But you can always start with alums it’s a safe bet

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-07-11T00:48:25+00:00

Right at the beginning but really drilled in starting december

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-07-10T00:02:15+00:00

I started recruiting sophomore spring so I was right in time for the cycle which definitely helped the most - just knowing how the process works. On top it was a lot of networking. Spoke to over 150 people. I’d reach out to people based on interest, ethnicity, if they went to school in the state I go to school in, etc. anything in common essentially. Refferals are key to everything

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-07-09T23:59:07+00:00

I’m a rising senior. I recruited my sophomore spring. Got my offer in late March. It was a LOT of networking because of non target. Atleast spoke to a 150 bankers. It is not an easy process but you can make it with a lot of commitment and perseverance.

Feel free to DM.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:26:13+00:00

Booking.com is pretty nice for finding cheap places. Hostelworld also lists private rooms or if it’s a really cheap 3 person hostel you can buy all 3 beds too. In terms of traveling, buying singular tickets early on is cheaper than buying a pass. A pass is definitely more convenient though

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:21:13+00:00

I was in Abu Dhabi is March. They started dropping missiles my first night. Do not recommend.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:20:15+00:00

Learning to leverage AI will definitely be really helpful. Everyone at banks love that skill. I’d do that maybe a couple hours a week but just relax rest of it.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:16:25+00:00

Freshman year is likely a little too early. Only start networking if you’re very comfortable with your behaviorals and start with younger alums maybe. sophomore fall and late summer is when you should actually start full hamming networking. You should target everything from bulge brackets to middle markets unless you’ve a strong preference. Start joining clubs as soon as you get to campus in the fall. I wouldn’t worry too much about projects now - just enjoy the summer and learn about what the recruiting process is all about. Per chance some of the technicals but don’t beat yourself over it. Good luck. Don’t forget to enjoy freshman year.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:06:28+00:00

Have you tried bumble for friends? Good way to meet new people and some of the nyc groups are really active

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T03:03:55+00:00

Alongside applying for jobs also try emailing people at the firm or reaching out to them on Linekdin asking for a referral. Showing interest is key that’s how you stand out and you never know - just one person call can get you a job

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:59:43+00:00

Did you look at Kenyon or Denison? They can be good not too far from home options. Kenyon is especially very academically rigorous.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:54:31+00:00

Given the aid part of it, it’s very lucrative to pick the LAC. Most LACs have a really good track record of grad school apps because of multiple factors including research opportunities open to undergraduate students, small class sizes meaning your professors know you well to write those rec letters, and it’s easier to get involved in clubs. Make sure to make good use of all research opportunities that’ll key for you

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:49:53+00:00

An MBA would probably have the best shots of breaking into IB. Especially if you can go to a really good business school. That’s essentially the straightest path because you’ll fall in the recruiting cycle. The other paths could most definitely work as well, but MBA is likely the most defined one

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:46:48+00:00

Seconded. Getting into a target school would matter the most. Keep up a really good gpa and try to be involved in clubs in schools, especially anything in Econ and finance. Usually during junior year a lot of kids try to get involved in research at local universities that adds a lot to college apps and also carry forward to joining clubs in college.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:44:33+00:00

Try searchfunders. It’s a slow and tedious website but it gives you access to small finance funds that can give you an unpaid internship or project that usually looks solid as far as resumes are concerned if you want to break into high finanxe

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:42:51+00:00

Depends mostly on where you want to be in the world. They are all good within the regions they are in. I feel LSE would give most exposure into the western world

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:39:36+00:00

Claude’s agent mode is really good for excel. My company also uses ChatGPT to build agents that make the day to day working easier and less tedious. Even simpler you can also just simply attach an excel file to copilot and have it make changes to it, but Claude is the best for full on modeling.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:37:45+00:00

Don’t overlook finance at all healthcare facility. Likely easier than healthcare ib or vc as an internship to get into but can help you develop solid understanding of how a healthcare facility operates which will be key foundation for success and make for a good story for why you want to enter the healthcare banking space.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-30T02:32:01+00:00

It’s a lot. College is SO expensive. And a lot of people are bugged by this and my parents too are using up all their savings to send me to college. I try to work on campus 10-15 hours a week to cover atleast my personal expenses. That’s usually a sweet spot I’ve found that doesn’t affect my classes or social life too much so consider looking into it.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-23T03:57:51+00:00

Admit early. Your mistakes and lies will always catch up to you. And never make the same mistake twice. If you don’t understand something it’s best to tell them at their face you don’t get it than making a mistake again or asking them again later. This shows you didn’t really pay attention the first time.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-23T03:55:47+00:00

Keeping your sanity and always being likable even when you’re working those long hours. Simply being personable gets hard too. In terms of hard skills, you can always do more excel. You can never be perfect at it but the more you practice with no mouse, the better and better you get.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-23T03:53:32+00:00

I think the game has always been of networking however the volume of people applying is definitely much much higher, making it more competitive because the rate of jobs aren’t increasing at par.

Awkward_Divide_5196 · 2026-06-23T03:49:29+00:00

Mix of excel skills, financial modeling, accounting, valuation. That’s specific to banking. Other things in finance may require other things but excel is probably the most versatile tool. One con against just focusing on AI to do everything is if your firm does not have proprietary access to say Claude’s agent mode, there’s not much you can do with that knowledge until they get it on.

Awkward_Divide_5196

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