Using your alumni network to break into Wall Street
Shared school is the warmest opener there is. Here is how to find the alumni who can actually help, and what to say.
Updated June 2026 · 7 min read
If you do one thing in your recruiting networking, make it this: reach out to alumni from your school. Shared school is the single warmest opener available to you, and alumni reply, take the call, and remember you when a seat opens.
Why alumni reply when strangers do not
There is an unspoken obligation between people who walked the same campus. Alumni were once in your seat, often got their own break through an alum, and feel a quiet duty to return the favor. That goodwill is the most valuable asset you have in recruiting — and it costs nothing to use respectfully.
How school matching actually works
A real alumni match is more nuanced than "same university." It is tiered, and all of these count:
- Same school, full match — you both attended the same undergraduate institution.
- Same parent university — including a business school and its parent, such as Wharton counting toward Penn.
- Named business schools stay distinct — NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, and UT McCombs are their own communities, separate from the parent.
- Dual-degree and transfer — if someone attended two schools, a match on either one counts.
Major and club overlap stack on top
School gets the door open; a shared major or club gives you the second sentence. "We both studied Economics" or "I see you rowed lightweight crew too" turns a polite reply into a real conversation.
Where to find alumni at a given bank
- 1Your school's alumni directory and LinkedIn alumni tool — filter by employer and industry.
- 2Finance clubs and their alumni contacts — many keep a list of grads who placed into banking.
- 3Mutual connections — ask people one year ahead of you who they networked with.
- 4A curated pool that already tags alumni overlap for you, so you are not searching one profile at a time.
What to say to an alum
Lead with the school connection, then make it specific. Keep the same calm, brief structure as any cold email — the shared school does the warming for you.
Subject: Fellow NYU student exploring banking
Hi Daniel,
I came across your profile and saw that we both studied Economics at NYU. I am currently a junior exploring careers in investment banking and would value hearing about your path into the industry.
I would appreciate a brief chat whenever convenient and am happy to work around your schedule. I have attached my resume for reference.
Thank you, and I hope you have a good week.
Best,
Maya
See your alumni at every bank, instantly
Maybole does this for you: it reads your resume, finds the bankers who actually share your school, clubs, major, and hometown, and drafts the note around what you genuinely have in common.
Frequently asked questions
Does a business school count as the same school as the parent university?
For matching purposes, yes — a business school connects to its parent university (Wharton to Penn, for example), though named business schools also form their own distinct community. Either angle is a legitimate opener.
What if no alumni from my school work at the bank I want?
Widen the connection. Look for a shared major, club, hometown, or high school. Any one of these is a real opener, and a strong second-degree connection can be nearly as warm as a direct alum.
Is it worth reaching out to alumni who graduated decades ago?
Senior alumni can be powerful advocates, but they are also busier. Start with alumni one to five years out for conversations and tactical advice, and reserve senior outreach for when you have a specific, well-formed question.
Let Maybole do the hard part
Upload your resume and Maybole finds the bankers who share your school, clubs, major, and hometown — then drafts the calm, personal email that earns a reply.
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