<p>OK, I’m going to shoot straight with you, as I somehow think your experiences this month has made you open minded…</p>
<p>1) forget about I-banking. You’re either top tenth of one percent in intelligence and accomplishment by age 18, or you’re not. You’re not. I’m very close with someone who got a summer internship at Goldman two years ago. There were 200 applications from her school (Top 15), and two (2) internships awarded. She was an all League athlete as well as NMF. She is now a 2nd year associate. 999 out of 1000 people don’t have the combination of attributes required to get a summer internship at the top Ibanks, VC or Hedge funds. I’m not picking on you… just the way it is.</p>
<p>2) Your smart friend gave you very good advice. It is easier to get into B-school with a Mechanical Engineering degree (or math, or physics, or chemistry) than as an Econ or Biz major… fact.</p>
<p>3) You can appeal to several UCs. I heard (I think) that a person high up in UCLA admissions has an active duty military husband. I’d research that if I were you and then call that person directly… don’t screw around with the normal admissions personnel. Work the angle of your Dad.</p>
<p>4) I was having a conversation TODAY with a very successful businessman about where he went to college. He went to College of the Canyons when it first opened, when there were 250 students. He LOVED it. He then went on to Cal State San Bernardino when it first opened… under 1000 students, 6-10 students in the average class. a PRICELESS education. where could you go now with that type of interaction with full professors?</p>
<p>Lastly, UC Merced has a world class faculty but still a small student body. With your stats I’d take that over UCLA anyway… you’d be swimming against the current (all the 2250 UCLA engineering students). Take advantage the way my friend did. The smallest of the UCs may very well be the BEST of the UCs for your purposes.</p>