You've seen the TikToks of 22-year-old analysts in Midtown Manhattan, and you want in. But here is the reality check: Investment banking recruiting has moved so early that the race is half-over by the time you step onto a college campus.
If you wait until your junior year of college to "learn finance," you are already three years behind the students who are landing spots at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
As a former Managing Director, I've seen thousands of resumes. Here is exactly what you should be doing right now—in high school—to put yourself in the top 1% of candidates.
1The "Target School" Strategy: Your First Big Investment
Investment banking is one of the few industries that still cares deeply about where you go to college. Banks have "Target Schools" where they actively send recruiters.
The Goal
Aim for "Super Targets" like Wharton (UPenn), Harvard, UChicago, Michigan (Ross), and NYU (Stern).
The Action
Research the "2025-26 Target Tier List" (which I break down in Crack the Street). If you don't get into an Ivy, don't panic—but you must target top public business schools like UVA (McIntire) or UT Austin (McCombs).
If you are a high school junior, your GPA and SAT/ACT are your "Credit Score" for the next 10 years. Don't let them slip.
2Master the "Language of Money" (5 Minutes a Day)
You don't need to be a math genius, but you must be "financially literate." Bankers can smell a "tourist" from a mile away.
The Action
Subscribe to The Wall Street Journal or Fortune's Term Sheet.
The Challenge
Every day, pick one term you don't know (e.g., "EBITDA," "LBO," or "Basis Points") and look it up. By the time you start college, you'll speak the language fluently while your peers are still confused by the news.
3The "Stepping Stone" Internship
You likely won't get a job at J.P. Morgan at age 17. But you can get a "Stepping Stone" role.
The Action
Look for a local small business, a startup, or a wealth management office in your town.
The Pitch
Offer to help them for free for 10 hours a week. Tell them: "I'm a high school senior interested in finance, and I want to help with your data entry, basic research, or Excel sheets."
The Result
Having "Financial Intern" on a high school resume is a massive signal to college finance clubs that you are serious.
4Build a "Banker-Ready" Resume (The 1-Page Rule)
Bankers have zero patience for "fluff." Your high school resume should be exactly one page and follow the standard Wall Street format.
Include
Your GPA, SAT/ACT scores, leadership roles (Varsity Captain, Club President), and any "Quantitative" wins (e.g., "Managed a $5,000 budget for the Robotics Club").
The "Human" Element
Add an "Interests" line at the bottom. Are you a scratch golfer? Do you restore old cars? Bankers hire humans, not robots. (I talk about the "Airport Test" in Chapter 4 of my book—read it).
5Learn the "Mouse-Free" Skill (Excel & PPT)
In the bullpen, the fastest analysts never touch their mouse.
The Action
Start learning Excel shortcuts. If you can build a basic budget without using your mouse, you are ahead of the game and you have a good "aside" story to talk about in interview...
"I've been so focused on IB since high school, I even mastered how to navigate the entire Office suite without a mouse"
...bankers will eat that up in an interview.
Resource
Use free YouTube tutorials on "Investment Banking Excel Shortcuts."
The "Secret Weapon": Crack the Street
While the steps above will get you through the door, my book, Crack the Street, is the actual roadmap for what happens next. It's the "MD in your pocket" that explains:
- How to win the "Coffee Chat" game (the most important part of networking).
- The "Email Sanity Check" to prevent career-ending mistakes.
- The "On-Cycle" timeline (why you need your next job before you start your first one).
High school is for preparation. College is for execution. Start now.
Get the Complete Roadmap
Crack the Street gives you the complete playbook from high school prep through your first analyst year—and beyond.
Get Your Copy Now