Breaking into Macro Trading from Non-Target

I am a freshman majoring in Economics at Boston University (not in the business school), which I know isn't a very high non-target. Was wondering about how to break into sales and trading related to bonds and interest rates. I am most interested in macroeconomics, and watching monetary policy, and I want to translate that interest into a job, and obviously have some questions about the industry.

What places does Boston University place well at? Is there a strong connection to any one firm? I'm assuming it might not be as strong compared to other schools in the region.

What kind of courses should I aim for? Which coding language is going to be most important? How rigorous should my math coursework get? What minor may be most helpful?

What do these banks look for? Is it someone who may be in an engineering or quant-heavy major, or someone who knows the markets and how it works on a deep level?

I've been thinking of starting some projects over the summer (no related internship), like learning to pull data from the FRED and analyze it, or look at rate data around the world and produce a weekly write-up or trade idea. How well do these projects prepare you for the real deal? What other projects should I consider doing?

What sort of events or things are worth the effort? I see a lot of people posting about these early-career events from banks. How many of these are worth looking into?

Compared to other finance jobs, how competitive is this part of the industry? 

For internships, i assume it is not possible to get one in my sophomore year going into junior year, what internships provide relevant skills or experiences that would also take a sophomore? Do internships at places like the Fed, US Treasury, or the IMF provide a better understanding of bonds and yields?