<p>How much does it matter where I get my undergrad degree from? </p>
<p>The reason I ask is because I am considering a degree in finance, however I am paying for college almost entirely on my own and do not have the funds to attend a major university. I will most likely have to stay at home for college, and my options are a small university in my hometown (close to 3000 students) or a Penn State campus (not Uni Park) that is also near my home town to which I could commute. </p>
<p>I feel that because of my situation a lot of my opportunites in the Finance field get shut right away (such as Wall Street, iBanking, etc.). I realize that if I graduate with a high GPA I might still be able to attend a good graduate school, however this will not help me early in my career since I don’t plan to get an MBA right away since I most likely will not be able to afford it. </p>
<p>Should I just try and pursue a different field or is there still some hope?</p>
<p>There are many top notch schools that will pay for you to go to college. Just work really hard in HS right now and start compiling some app materials. </p>
<p>I’m out of high school already. I’m a freshman at Syracuse University, sorry I should have clarified that. I am transferring back to a college near home because of financial reasons. My grades were good in high school and my SATs were decent, but nothing good enough to allow me a full ride anywhere. Just in case it helps:</p>
<p>Syracuse GPA: 3.46</p>
<p>High School GPA: ~3.75</p>
<p>SATs: CR - 650, M - 560, W - 600
ACT Composite: 26</p>
<p>Take it one year at a time. If you go to the Penn State regional campus and do well, you might find that you can transfer to State College for your junior year. Your financial situation also might change.</p>
<p>Get great grades. Study really hard for the GMAT. Work for a couple years after college(possibly in a different field than finance). Go to a good MBA school. Ta da! You win.</p>
<p>You can got to any grad school from any undergrad school, it will just require a greater emphasis on test scores, essays, the interview, and work experience.</p>