ATK vs Roland Berger

Reputation wise they are roughly on the same level, although Roland Berger's core market is clearly Europe. I would take the offer that provides you with the most exciting life experience and this seems to be RB in Asia (will also be a plus for B-school admissions if you play it right).

How new is the office? If you are indeed joining at the office's infancy, I would take the Asia offer - would be such an interesting experience.

Thanks to PerterN and Proboscis for those first opinions.

The office is indeed completely new since currently opening. I had more or less the same reasoning concerning the exciting opportunity that the opening of an office could offer me. On the other hand, this is also a more risky move and I am a little bit concerned by the fact that RB name is less know in the US in regards to my future bschool application.

Name isn't everything though. If you are a top performer and can get rapidly promoted by working in this growing office, it will look better for your bschool application.

In general i would say that for US B-schools the AT Kearney Brand is better while for all others RB is better (Europe/ Asia). Roland Berger himself is for example on the board of INSEAD and the company has established the "Business and Technology" chair there.

When applying to grad schools, It is all about the story that you can tell that includes the experiences that you have been through and what you learned from them. - this is how several people from a variety of experiences can get into top-grad schools. So you must ask yourself: Can you paint yourself better at ATK or in Roland Berger?

Seems as if Roland Berger will provide you with a unique experience.

But besides grad school, you have to also examine things on a more practical and personal note and examine whether you realy "fit" or "want to be" in Asia as it may affect your performance.

ATK

True, ATK brand is perhaps stronger in the US.

That being said, in large parts of Europe RB has rockstar status, which ATK achieves nowhere really. (Look at the revenue per capita of RB in Germany, a market as competitive as it gets: http://www.luenendonk.de/management_beratung.php first column shows revenue in €, second column # of employees in Germany)

Since you mentioned Asia: RB did an in excellent job specifically in China, so any new office in Asia should have broad support as RB knows the US market is saturated and Asia is their chance to become a more global firm.

I think that outside of the US, almost everyone agrees that there is a big gap between RB and ATK:

http://firmsconsulting.com/ranking-mckinsey-bain-bcg-deloitte-roland-be…

PS: concerning your grad school options: Adcom Staff of top business schools obviously know all of this!!! You shouldn't be worried about this or that brand being a little bit more prestigious in a certain country: they are going to look at what you actually did...

i heard that in terms of size, roland berger is number two in china? >250 consultants? does anyone have similar figures for the chinese market as 24837 posted for germany?

Thanks to all of you for those insightful advice.

I agree with the fact that RB experience could be more unique and that what will matter for a B-school will be more what I really achieved during my consulting year than the ATK or RB name. In addition to that, very good point on how each of those experience will fit with my overall career goals as well as with the story I would be able to tell to B-school.

@ SebLer: Concerning RB in China, I have also heard that they have a very strong position in that market, but haven't found specific figures such as the one we have seen in this thread for Germany.

Undoubtedly, RB is very strong in Chinese Market especially focus on automobile. Many Chinese media rank RB as one of the top five management consulting firms in China (i.e. Baidu, MBA Zhiku). Usually, they just recruit Junior Consultants from four top universities(Peking U, Tsinghua U, Fudan U, and Shanghai Jiaotong U) the same as MBB did every year in China. In my perspective, RB should be a good choice if you want to start your consulting career in China.

I agree with the above. Just think where you want to be in ˜5 years, and than put both firms next to that given the above... Good luck!

Not trying to thread hijack but I have a similar question in a thread on Booz V Deloitte. Please input there mates.

I have heard ATK.

Asia > Europe. Neither one is MBB, so as far as I'm concerned the slight difference in reputation (if it exists) means almost nothing. There's MBB then everyone else you've heard of, and they fall into the second category.... along with OW, ATK, Monitor, etc... so it comes down to Asia vs. Europe --- the center of the world's future growth and prosperity, or a once prosperous land past it's prime and on a course for steady and prolonged decline?