<p>If I want to be a financial manager or maybe work in finance at a large bank like U.S. Bank, what undergraduate programs might I consider? Economics major at an Ivy League, business/finance major at UTexas or UMich, Wharton of course, or something else?? (all assuming that I make it to these programs...) Which path is best? Which paths are possible? Thanks!</p>
<p>Or maybe, for a financial manager at a technical (pharmaceutical for example) company... major in biomedical engineering, get hired by the pharmaceutical company, work up the ladder, and eventually have them pay for my MBA and go their business route? Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>There is no cut and dry path to business, great managers in tech often don't even have an MBA, especially in "new-tech", which is one of the glories of business in the States.</p>
<p>the paths you have mentioned are definitely very traditional ascents up the corporate ladder.</p>
<p>Mlee, you should not lump universities into categories. For example, Penn IS an Ivy League. Schools like Michigan, Cal and MIT may not be Ivies, but they are just as respected. You can major in Economics at any of those universities and be as well postioned as students who go to Ivies. It isn't because Cal, Michigan, MIT and Penn have top ranked B schools that you cannot major in Economics (or any orther field) at those universities and not get as highly a respected a degree as those offered at other Ivy League schools. </p>
<p>And aranaxon is quite correct, there are many ways to get to where you want to go. Follow your passions, take initiative, work hard and be sure you can be happy with your choices and the rest will take care of itself.</p>
<p>I have the same ambition as mlee yet I am more to a business major than a economics major. It's still the same right?</p>
<p>If you have varied interests but know you want something to do with business Penn is a great school because you can take classes, get minors and/or degrees from more than one undergrad school and do it all in 4 years. So you can do Engineering and Business or you can do Biology and Business or whatever it is you're intersted in.</p>
<p>If you are hardcore into business rather than econ, then you'll probably find a business curriculum more interesting to you personally because it's applied versus theoretical.</p>
<p>Like people said - go with what interests you. There are a ton of schools and different ways to get to the same end goal so go with what works best for you personally.</p>