Chance me for MBB please, given my GPA & other credentials?
Hi,
I'm looking to break into Management Consulting (MBB) for Full-Time roles out of undergrad (I'm currently a Junior). I've got an S&T internship at MS/GS/JPM (non-U.S office, but a global financial hub city's office) for this coming Junior summer, and I know MBB FT positions will go live in this coming Summer. Even though S&T is great, I'm still interested in giving Consulting my shot (and I know they're very different skillsets so I'll work on explaining 'Why Consulting'). I'm only targeting MBB because they are the only ones that sponsor international students
I'm currently studying at a lower-tier Ivy (so I guess a target or semi-target), and I'll be able to get my gpa up to a 3.68 or 3.69 max by my 2nd semester (I'm an Econ major)... I won't likely be able to get a 3.7 gpa
- Will I get cut-off from first round resume selections for getting literally 0.01 less than 3.7?
- However, if I do get a 3.7, am I 'smooth sailing' or will I still be likely cut from the resume selections? I know of course, I've got to have killer casing skills, I should network hard for the offices, and be well-rounded ofc
- Will my BB summer internship give me any leeway here with the 3.68 or 3.69 since they're not just going off GPA anymore
- I'm also an international student, so is all your advice nullified, and I need a 3.8+ instead
Let me know if NYC,SF offices are out of reach and I can target NJ, LA, Texas, Seattle instead
Take all of the below with a grain of salt, because specifics around GPA etc. depend on the firm, office, their current recruiting appetite and various other factors.
With that said, my very high level reaction is that your application is weak to moderate in strength.
The TL;DR version is that you probably check the box for work experience, but not enough to truly stand out, and your GPA may or may not check the box. Extracurriculars are one wildcard here that can significantly sway your chances.
More detailed reaction:
Hope this helps, and once again, keep in mind that this is just a very general perspective based on the info you've provided - things can look different based on specific circumstances.
Dude, why ask a bunch of randos online? Shoot your shot.
There's always a chance at nearly any GPA, if you network and prepare enough. Sure, probabilities differ, but we all know folks from non-targets or folks with lackluster stats who somehow got in to great positions. Hell, even Warren Buffet got into Columbia even though he was well past the admissions deadline and had a mediocre academic background because he chatted up Prof. Dodd and impressed him. And the rest is finance history.
As far as I know internationals are viewed the same as Americans in MBB processes.
The S&T at top BB is boring but pretty strong in my opinion, one of those check-the-box-for-prestige/demonstrated competence things.
Personally I would just round to a 3.7 on the resume. Yes technically this suggests you have a 3.66 or 3.67, but people are skimming quickly and a 3.7 will pass the sniff test more than a 3.68.
I think your profile is one that could be cut or passed through depending entirely on the strength of your ECs and your networking.
Since your work experience is boring, develop/highlight more interesting extracurriculars. While President of Finance Club is a good EC, you might be better off with Vice President of Rock Climbing Club as the first thing in your Extracurricular/Leadership section, just to make it seem like you've got something cool going on. Also I would think about the interests section at the bottom of your resume - I got quite a lot of questions about that in my interviews.
I would split networking into a) get a strong push from 1-3 BA/AC/As on your school's recruiting team and b) get a referral from as high up as possible, ideally a partner. I actually don't think either of these work anymore at McKinsey, but they helped at Bain/BCG. The partner thing is tough but if I'm reading your story correct you might have connected parents in a global financial city, trawl their network for 2nd degree connects.
Feel free to pm me, also an international at a similar tier school joining MBB NY FT.
I had a 3.6 in an “applied econ” type major, and moderate experiences (internal consulting internship at midsized health company frosh summer, consulting club on campus, govt relations internship soph summer, plus gen biz clubs) at a low ivy and I had very poor recruitment outcomes for internships this cycle (never got to first round for the ~50 places I applied to, even places that recruit heavily from my school; and only got first round at 2 firms, one an econ firm and the other a general t3 but for an econ consulting position; only got an offer from the t3). Also why would you not just round GPA to a 3.7?
So are you implying the reason you didn't get the first rounds was the GPA? Or was it that you were competing against people who had BB/FANGs on their resumes?Or was it networking?
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