I am interested if a career in hedge funds is even possible if I attend these schools. Due to the fact that I do not have high enough grades for UCLA or UCSD, I feel that the “lower tier” UC’s will likely be my only options for college. As a result, I am wondering if internship applicants from these schools are viewed as too inferior in comparison to that of upper tier UC schools and of course Ivy leagues. Should I give up on pursuing this occupation or continue to do so? I am currently a junior in HS so I have not completely invested my time in it as of now.
Sidenote:
Is there any Hedge fund/investment firms that operate in proximity to UC Riverside or UC Merced that are willing to participate in internships? I am interested as to whether or not commuting would be required if I were able to acquire a job by attending one of these schools. Lastly, I was wondering what would be the optimal major for working in investing. I had originally planned to major in business administration but I am now considering economics. Any thoughts on this?
That would be an excellent option, but would I need more than just straight A’s? I have read that transfer applicants are required to state their previous experiences in the field of their major, which I assume means internships.
Don’t know your stats so it is tough to give you much advice.
The CC route top UCs is viable and reliable for talented students who really apply themselves. Many find it difficult to take the required courses and maintain a 3.5+ GPA it takes to be a competitive applicant to UCB/UCLA and UCSD. You can use TAG for less selective schools but, note, you still need a 3.4 for the likes of Davis and UCI and it excludes some popular programs like Business at UCI.
You might be better served going to straight to UCR. If you do really well, you can apply to transfer as a JR. If it works out, great. If not, you graduate from UCR - which is not too shabby. From there, you can find a financial services job that can bridge into a hedge fund if that still interests you. Or, you can head back for an MBA
Hedge funds hire very few graduates with no experience in finance. It is the goal of many analysts after their stints in investment banking. How much do you know about hedge funds other than high compensation?
I would just concentrate on getting good grades and go to the best school that accepts you.