Have I Ruined My Chances of Becoming an Investment Banker?

I'm 17, and until recently, I was planning to become a physician. However, I'm reading all about investment bankers, and the job (and I won't lie, the money) has evoked my interest.

Unfortunately, I only applied (and was accepted) to San Francisco State University. I'm reading that many prominent firms will not even look at applicants unless they were a Top 5 school graduate. (Even if it was Top 10, SFState is waaayy down the totem pole).

Since I'm obviously not going to Harvard, should I just forget about being an investment banker?

No.

The partner track at the major investment banks generally requires an MBA although it generally requires an MBA from a top-flight graduate business school (e.g. Northwestern, Wharton, Harvard, Chicago, Stanford, MIT, etc.). Even associates hired directly from undergraduate schools are expected to eventually leave and get their MBA.

Now the tough part. If you do REALLY well as an undergrad you can get into one of these MBA programs. But you can't fool around. You've started to see how your performance now affects your options later. You have to have excellent grades as an undergrad and great standardized test scores. There you have it, it's up to you. You can do the work in college and have the life you want or you can be 40 years old, working at a job you don't care for and think back wistfully about how you had the chance to live a different life but screwed it up because you didn't make the effort as an undergrad.

Good luck.

No,

You can apply elsewhere still. If not.

You can get a bs in something. Then, work towards str8 A's. To transfer to a better school. For your masters.

Even, if you don't do that. You haven't ruined your chances. If you get top top grades. Your good. But the above would be best.

Just make sure you take classes devoted to an investment banker.

You may have trouble. You are behind before you have even started. Forget the money - study and do what you love. When you have to go to work every day and it sucks it won't matter how much money you have. You may drive home in a nicer car if you go after the money but almost no amount of money will make up for spending 8-10 hours per day being unhappy.

There are more options than being a banker. I know someone got a BA in English. Hired by a major NY investment banking firm to "dot the i's and cross the t's" of all the law sections contracts. Did well, advanced, then left to become a lawyer who can dot her own i's & cross her own t's.
business lawyers can also make good money.

Thats nonsence,there are some top Investment Bankers that only went to HS let alone a so called Top 5.It just takes salesmanship.Make a name for yourself as a top producer, they could care less if you just crawled out of the sewer,which is probably why every time I meet with Investment Bankers from prominent firms I FEEL LIKE BATHING WITH BRILLO. My advice is if you can get into Med school do it. At least you can help sick people instead of working with them.