Will I ever wear a $2000 suit ?

Hello All,

I'm new and know that I can get best advice here. I want to start a career in corporate finance, IB, but don't have what top firms in the industry usually look for when hiring entry level candidates.

I'm 27, a Mechanical Engineering major(tier 2 uni), low GPA 56%/100(slacked) US equivalent, come from South Asia, currently in Toronto. Lacked focus after high school, wanted to get into medical school, ended up in a engineering program. Learnt how top finance companies preferred some candidates(Ivy, top of class) when I moved to Canada. I personally feel I'm better than what my GPA suggests, the education system there required good memorization skills, or someone who could reproduce word to word from the text book and we wrote a 100 mark final. It was boring to me. No excuses, but...

I've tried a few things to create a pathway. I took accounting courses at a CC, actually a grad certificate and qualified to write the CPA exam from a US state. I need some advice from members on this site as to how it can help me get to where I want to be. A pathway is really appreciated..

How can I get a foot in the door for a industry that in all fairness looks for Ivy league, high GPA individuals ? Considering my background, I'd think networking wouldn't help me much(no banking experience, non target, low GPA). Every second person I networked with has passed the CFA L2 here in Toronto. I know two of who are in retail banking.

I write 2 of the 4 CPA exams in April. Considering I pass, would that really help me a lot ? Will that make any statement to recruiters when they filter out resumes? How should I proceed in the situation I'm currently in ? Should I accept the fact that this industry is not for me unless I get an MBA from a Ivy league(unlikely, have student debt, low GPA makes it hard to go to a game changing university).

Thank for taking the time to read.

lateman