How can I capitalize on senior year

what's on your resume? what will you be doing this summer?

seems like experience is the only other way to go

You will need to know the stuff required of an entry level trader/analyst VERY WELL and also network with alumni or any other bankers.

Show them your commitment to the field and demonstrate that you are fully capable to meet or exceed their expectations, contrary to what your GPA says. Get their reference directly to the hiring manager.

If you go through normal recruiting, it is highly likely that your CV will be axed before any interview

Demo trading is a good way to get trading experience. It's very easy to set up a practice forex account and you can do it during the school year. Same for stock brokerage accounts.

Sup bro, I'm a fellow Terp but I'm in the B-school, and all I can say is that with that GPA chances to qualify for anything with on-campus recruiting as an analyst is very, very slim/non-existent. Most firms that recruit from here in finance are from the Big 4 and require at least a 3.5. Some advice I would suggest would be to join FBIS as they have connections with opportunities in finance. Some are with big firms in IB but the standards are very high (3.7). All I can think of is talking about your engineering experience or math skills even though you dropped it. I think that networking is your only chance at this point.