Investment banking requires more than a bachelor’s. In order to get into the business you require a specific GPA, specialized expertise and a strong network. Many prospective financial professionals are curious about which schools can be the most beneficial to getting their job.

Investment banks with a bulk bracket typically hire for analyst and associate positions from a select group of universities. They are also known as “target schools.” These schools are essential for anyone who wants to land a job in an investment bank that is a top one.

The top investment banking schools are those that consistently send a significant number of graduates to the biggest investment banks and have impressive undergrad placement rates. Some of these schools offer extracurricular activities or student groups that allow students to gain exposure to the business like the Stern Finance Society and Booth’s famous finance program.

This year, Cornell is the best investment banking school, followed by MIT, and Columbia. All three schools are Ivy League and have a tradition of sending their graduates to Wall Street. The University of Texas at Austin also made the list. Its McCombs School of Business has a finance degree and an Investment Banking track.

While you can still get into top investment banks even not attending an academic institution that is a target however, it’s much more difficult. The most practical route for students who aren’t targeted is to sign with an established data room price middle market company in the region and then gradually lateralize to an upward-facing bracket.