Pros: This is the kind of place where you feel honored to be among the smart people working here. Lots of opportunity for advancement and to learn, both formally and informally. Very cool perks, like free admission into any museum you can think of and great company parties. Having a TV studio in the building meant occasional celebrity sightings.

Cons: Long hours, usually worked until 8 p.m., and I was too worn out to do anything after work. Senior management would sometimes tell us that we needed to stop working so hard, but it was just lip service. The culture and the project deadlines required constant long hours. I felt guilty leaving at 6 p.m. There seemed to be a lack of organization at the team lead and management levels, which trickled down to the developers. The open work environment basically meant constant interruptions. It was hard to focus and get anything done until the end of the day when most people had gone home. On the other side of training is the unofficial requirement to spend time training new developers. Normally, when building a team, this is a good thing, but in the two years I was there, I trained five temporary consultants. So, instead of building a team, all that training just went to completing their short-term project, then they were gone.

Pros: The company offers competitive pay and a great benefits package that is better than investment banks. There is free food. The people working there are friendly, smart, and generally easy-going compared to people at investment banks. More job security than investment banks. Fast-paced work environment and some very interesting work. Ability and talent, not seniority, are recognized and rewarded. Training program for new grads.

Cons: The work culture is very unique, with some strict rules. It's much bigger now than 5 years ago, and profit sharing is no longer that lucrative. Some of the senior management's decisions are difficult to grasp.

Pros: Great intern events throughout the summer, at least one per week. There is always something to do. You're given your own project to work on and complete throughout the summer. When you're done, you get ample opportunities to show off what you've accomplished to upper management. Everyone is willing to help or chat with you about their role or the company. Lots of financial knowledge to gain, with provided classes in finance and tech.

Cons: The work isn't always super challenging or structured, which makes it hard to focus and be productive sometimes. The tech can be a bit restrictive since it's almost all proprietary, but the people who literally built it are around and willing to help you leverage it the best you can. Not a fan of the open floor plan.