Insight programs
The first applications a freshman or sophomore can send.
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SusquehannaDiscovery Program, Quantitative Trading and Quantitative Strategy DevelopmentQuantApplyOpen in New YorkApply
How they work
What is an insight program?
A short program run by a bank, fund, or consulting firm for first and second year students: a day, a summit, or a week of sessions on what each business does, with workshops and time with people who work there. Some firms also run paid sophomore summer programs that work like a shorter internship. Many are aimed at students from groups the industry underrepresents.
Who should apply?
Freshmen and sophomores who are curious about finance or consulting, whatever their major. Firms say what they look for on each program page: usually class year, sometimes a background or an interest in a business. No finance experience is expected. Interest you can explain and some evidence you have explored it go a long way.
How does the HireVue work?
Many firms screen applicants with a recorded video interview. A question appears on screen, you get a short time to think, often around 30 seconds, then a minute or two to answer on camera. There is no one on the other end. Expect why this firm, why finance this early, a teamwork or leadership story, and sometimes a question about a market or a company you follow. The firm's own instructions say how many questions, how long, and whether retakes are allowed.
What happens after an insight program?
Firms use these programs to meet students early. Some invite strong participants to apply for a sophomore or junior summer internship, some offer a faster interview process, and some simply keep in touch. Each firm decides this; its program page usually says what to expect.
HireVue practice262 questions
- Investment Banking87 questionsPractice
- Sales and Trading51 questionsPractice
- Asset Management36 questionsPractice
- Equity Research33 questionsPractice
- Private Equity18 questionsPractice
- Hedge Funds17 questionsPractice
- Management Consulting20 questionsPractice
What it asks
Why are you applying to an insight program in investment banking this early in college?
Name what you want to find out (what analysts actually do, whether the pace suits you, which groups exist) and one thing that already pulled you toward it, such as a class, a club pitch, or a conversation with someone in the industry. Show curiosity with a plan. The trap is pretending you already know banking is your career; at this stage honest exploration reads better than certainty.
Tell me about a time you worked on a team to reach a goal.
Short setup, your specific role, one action you took that moved the team forward, and the result with a number if you have one. Close with what you learned about working with others. The trap is saying 'we' the whole time so the interviewer cannot tell what you did.
In plain words, what does an investment bank do?
It helps companies and governments raise money (selling stock or bonds to investors) and advises them on big decisions such as buying or selling a business. It also trades securities for investors. Give one example of each. The trap is jargon; if a friend outside finance would not follow, simplify.
Tell me about a business news story you followed recently and why it caught your attention.
Choose a story you read about on a reputable news site, summarize it in two sentences, explain who wins and who loses, and give your own view. Say what you would want to know next. The trap is picking something you only saw as a headline and cannot discuss when asked one follow up.
What are the three main financial statements, in one sentence each?
The income statement shows revenue, costs, and profit over a period. The balance sheet shows what a company owns and owes at a point in time. The cash flow statement shows cash coming in and going out. The trap is giving definitions without saying how they connect, even briefly, through net income and cash.