What I don't understand is why people make it sound like breaking into IB is that difficult?

Actually, it is far harder getting an offer from MBB than a BB offer. I suspect that many of the commenters are not in the industry.

For the record, having an ivy league degree doesn't necessarily bolster your chances of a return offer. My nus friend beat out two wharton / LSE kids to get the return offer.

My personal experiences working with ivy league / top uk schools also confirm the same thing: if you're good enough to be selected, you're good enough to be there. The truth is that a lot of the kids who made it to ivies or top uk schools were only able to do so because of papa mama scholarship.

Aside from HYPSM, the top students at local schools are on par. I even have friends who got into Tier 2 ivies like Brown but turned them down due to cost. Not being sour grapes here because I fundamentally do agree that US/Uk schools provide a better experience/platform but you don't have to beat yourself down if you're from a local uni and think that you have NO shot at a BB IBD. Lol.