Good afternoon all,
After pounding the pavement for more than half a year, I locked down a job as an Associate at a boutique in NYC . I came out of a no-name undergrad with a 3.0 and general business degree, then worked in Private Wealth for 2 years before returning to Business School (outside top 10, in top 25). I had <3.5 in Grad school, <700 GMAT, and had internships in buy-side research (non-BB or MM) and at a boutique M&A/IB shop in B-school.
Throughout my process I interviewed at 3 BB's, 3 MMs, and a handful of boutiques.
A lot of content on here is very accurate, but there is obviously a lot of fluff too. You have to be lucky, patient, and very persistent. Above all else, you have to want it, and I mean really want it. Wake up every day trying to figure out how to better your technical, communication, and interview skills.
I would be more than happy to answer any specific questions fellow monkeys have.
Best.
-S