Weekly wrap up July 18

Author

Ivy Almirol
July 18, 2026


Hey WSO Monkey,

The middle of summer is when internships stop feeling like orientation and start feeling like a real test. This week’s forum talks intern mistakes, awkward manager conversations, cold emailing for fall roles, and life advice from people who have seen the banking/PE path up close.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Should My Intern Get a Return Offer? - "If other interns are doing a better job while working with you (less mistakes, better communication issues), then feel free to rank them higher. But my guy, he's an INTERN. Interns know absolutely nothing. It's on you to teach and be patient. You should never solely rely on an intern's work. It's on an intern to show interest in learning, making progress, and asking questions. Your social awkward point is moot. If you enjoy his presence, that should be enough."

  2. Intern Keeps Sleeping at Work - What to Tell Them - "Associate 3 and recently seen one of my favorite interns falling asleep during meetings and on the desk. Love them and want them to get the return but how do I make sure they stay awake? MDs have noticed and so have VPs and they’re not too happy about it. Thinking of pulling them aside and checking if everything is okay at home but they aren’t overstaffed or anything so not sure what to tell them."

Knowing the Answer Isn't the Same as Delivering It

If you've ever left an interview thinking, "I knew that question...", you're not alone.

Interviews aren't just testing technical knowledge. They're testing whether you can think clearly under pressure. That's why students who ace practice questions at home often struggle in live interviews.

WSO Academy doesn't stop at teaching technical concepts. Students work through live mock interviews with mentors, receive structured feedback, and practice until their delivery becomes second nature. The Academy's interview framework includes technical and behavioral mock interviews, a 10-dimensional scoring rubric, and mentor matching in under one hour on average.

That preparation has helped students earn 986 verified offers across investment banking, private equity, consulting, hedge funds, and more, with an 88% placement rate among job-qualified participants who completed the required engagement milestones.

The interview isn't won by the person who memorized the most.

It's won by the person who performs the best

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1.  Why Banking Seats Feel So Competitive - "Imagine if banking didn't pay as well. Lets pretend analysts got paid $50K/year. Or factor into this if housing was affordable and wider net of jobs that enabled you to live comfortably in a big city and put aside 20-50% of salary not just concentrated to a shrinking number of tech and finance jobs. You could literally just go to college, join 1 company for 25 years and climb the ladder. Would you really care about any of this? Would any of this really matter to you? Probably not..."

  1. How Realistic Is It for Me to Get a Micro Investment Bank Fall Internship Through Cold Emailing? - "We'd get these emails all the time, and rarely respond. We'd had absolute legends of resumes come through having gone to all these prestigious schools and stacked internships, and sitting next to my MDs/Founders and showing them the emails and say "don't respond - we can't budget for a new hire right now and you'd be wasting their time". Ironically enough, these firms do a lot of cold-emailing themselves to try and win business so you'd assume they'd have a different perspective/respect for this approach..."

  2. Life Advice After Banking/PE (Rising College Jr.) - "IB can be very lucrative and some people are built for it, but it’s not as easy as you’re making it out to be to clip the top pay, and PE still is an attractive asset class and career, just not as attractive as it once was (and you must be selective with where you go, as some firms are great and some are duds - hint, MFs are probably not the way to go for the vast majority of people)."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • How This 'Non-Target' Math Major Broke Into Investment Banking (Starting in January!)

  • From Pre-Med in Vietnam to Wall Street: How This Non-Target Student Broke Into IB

  • Before You Choose a Finance Career, Watch This

Hot Jobs 💼

Associate - "We are hiring a full-time Investment Associate in our Baltimore office to help us find, evaluate, and close our next investments in late-stage software and technology companies..."

Associate Director, Investments (New York City) - "As the Associate Director of Investments, you will play a critical role in shaping the College Board’s long-term business strategy. Your work will directly influence how we expand access to education for millions of students..."

Investment Banking Analyst Intern - "Westcove is seeking an Investment Banking Analyst Intern to join the team as soon as possible for a minimum 10-week internship. This is a structured, full-time, in-person role based in our Los Angeles office five days per week. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of Los Angeles or be prepared to relocate to the Los Angeles area before the role begins and available to work in person for the full duration of the internship..."

Senior Analyst, Private Equity Operations - "The Senior Analyst, Private Equity Operations leads the operational management of private deals, from approval and settlement through ongoing lifecycle events such as IPOs, restrictions, corporate actions, and liquidity events..."

Investment Banking Vice President - "This involves reviewing AI outputs for correctness, methodological rigour, and commercial relevance—then building evaluation criteria and model answers that reflect how things are actually done at top-tier banks…"

Private Equity Expert - "Mercor is recruiting U.S./UK/Canada/Europe/Australia-based Private Equity Experts for a research project with a leading foundational model AI lab."

Financial Modeling Expert - "In this highly visible role, you will deploy your deep expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and deal structuring to support major investment decisions across diverse sectors..."

WSO Mentor - "Are you an experienced professional with a background in investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, S&T, venture capital, asset management, equity research, quant finance, corporate dev, real estate finance, or top-tier consulting? Passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders? Wall Street Oasis (WSO) is expanding its Mentorship Program, and we're looking for outstanding professionals to join our mentor roster—an elite network supporting students and young professionals as they prepare for high-stakes careers. Whether you’re looking to give back, stay connected to rising talent, or sharpen your coaching skills, this role offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact, remotely and on your schedule..."

On Deck - Training 🎓

All in Eastern Standard Time

Stay Strong,
Patrick Curtis
CEO and Founder, WallStreetOasis.com

WSO Mobile App: iOS | Android

PS - We're also always looking to add resume reviewers and WSO Mentors to our team. Set your own pay (from $40/hr to up to $400/hr) to increase or decrease mentee flow. To submit an application, go here.

PPS - Think you have an interesting story? Want to share it with our podcast listeners? Hit reply and let me know!




* PE Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the PE Interview Course
** FMV Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the Elite Modeling Package
*** IB Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the IB Interview Course