could you please rank these top schools for consulting?

hi! new to this forum so please excuse me if this is not the right place to ask this/repetitive! i’m an international student hoping to study in the us. i plan to pursue business wherever it’s offered, or economics, along with a dual major in psych/cog sci (im interested in behavioral econ) and eventually break into consulting after graduation. as an international student, my options for employment in the us are already limited, so i want to make sure i’m choosing the best possible school that opens the right doors and maximises my opportunities, and hopefully get some return on a rather huge investment. i'm a high achieving student and will strive to make the most of my college experience, wherever it may be. im finalising my college list and only want to apply to the schools which are best suited for my goals, as well as prestigious (asian parent mindset), so please dont worry about whether ill get in right now, im just wanting to understand and contextualise the relative strength of what schools i should target. i already have safeties.

umich ross, berkeley haas, usc marshall, uva mcintire, ut mccombs, unc kf, emory goizueta, washu olin, notre dame mendoza, georgetown mcdonough, cmu tepper, ucla, vanderbilt, rice

(except the ivies, duke, nu, i understand they mostly beat the others in consulting placements) 

and what about top lacs? amherts williams claremont mckenna bc? should i consider those too? 

also internationally, what about places like uoft, ubc, ivey?

i know im asking a lot, sorry LMAO

thank you in advance to whoever takes the time to read and reply to this! cheers!




 

3 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content and threads, here's a breakdown of your question regarding top schools for consulting placements:

Top U.S. Universities for Consulting (Non-Ivies/Duke/NU)

  1. UMich Ross

    • Ross is a powerhouse for consulting placements, with strong representation at MBB (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) and Tier 2 firms (Deloitte, Accenture, etc.). Its alumni network and career services are top-notch.
  2. Berkeley Haas

    • Haas has excellent consulting placement, especially on the West Coast. It’s a strong feeder into MBB and tech-focused consulting roles.
  3. UVA McIntire

    • McIntire is highly regarded for consulting, with consistent placements into MBB and Tier 2 firms. Its alumni network is particularly strong in the East Coast.
  4. UNC Kenan-Flagler

    • Known for its consulting pipeline, UNC KF has a solid reputation for placing students into MBB and Tier 2 firms, especially in the Southeast.
  5. Georgetown McDonough

    • McDonough benefits from its location in D.C., which provides access to consulting firms with a focus on public sector and strategy consulting.
  6. Emory Goizueta

    • Goizueta has a strong consulting placement record, particularly in the Southeast. Its small class size allows for personalized career support.
  7. UT McCombs

    • McCombs is a strong feeder into consulting, especially in Texas and the Southwest. It has growing representation at MBB.
  8. Notre Dame Mendoza

    • Mendoza has a strong alumni network and places well into consulting, particularly in the Midwest.
  9. CMU Tepper

    • Tepper is known for its analytical rigor, which consulting firms value. It has solid placement into MBB and Tier 2 firms.
  10. UCLA

    • UCLA has decent consulting placement, particularly on the West Coast. However, it’s slightly less competitive compared to the schools above.
  11. USC Marshall

    • Marshall places well into consulting, especially in California. It’s a good option for those targeting West Coast firms.
  12. Vanderbilt

    • Vanderbilt has growing consulting placement, particularly in the Southeast. It’s a solid semi-target for Tier 2 firms.
  13. Rice

    • Rice has a smaller footprint in consulting but places well into Texas-based firms and Tier 2 consulting roles.
  14. WashU Olin

    • Olin has decent consulting placement, but it’s not as strong as the schools listed above.

Top Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs) for Consulting

  1. Amherst College

    • Amherst is a top-tier LAC with strong consulting placement, particularly on the East Coast. Its alumni network is highly active in consulting.
  2. Williams College

    • Williams has a stellar reputation and places well into consulting, especially MBB. Its alumni network is robust and supportive.
  3. Claremont McKenna College (CMC)

    • CMC is a standout on the West Coast for consulting. While its representation in New York is weaker, it’s a strong feeder into West Coast firms.
  4. Bowdoin, Middlebury, Swarthmore, and Wellesley

    • These LACs are semi-targets for consulting. They have smaller footprints but still place well into Tier 2 firms and occasionally MBB.

International Schools

  1. University of Toronto (Rotman)

    • UofT has a strong reputation in Canada and places well into consulting firms like McKinsey and BCG within Canada. However, its U.S. placement is limited.
  2. University of British Columbia (UBC)

    • UBC is a strong school in Canada but has limited reach into U.S. consulting firms. It’s better suited for those planning to work in Canada.
  3. Ivey Business School (Western University)

    • Ivey is the best Canadian school for consulting placements. Its case-based curriculum is highly regarded, and it places well into MBB and Tier 2 firms in Canada and occasionally the U.S.

Key Takeaways for Your List

  • Top Picks for Consulting: UMich Ross, Berkeley Haas, UVA McIntire, UNC KF, Georgetown McDonough, Emory Goizueta.
  • LACs to Consider: Amherst, Williams, and CMC are excellent options if you’re open to smaller schools with strong alumni networks.
  • International Options: Ivey is the strongest for consulting, followed by UofT. UBC is less competitive for U.S. consulting roles.

If consulting is your ultimate goal, prioritize schools with strong alumni networks, career services, and consistent placement into MBB and Tier 2 firms. Good luck with your applications!

Sources: UCLA Clubs to showcase their elitism, Back to make fun of UCLA, the worst top college there is, Target Schools For Consulting Megathread, Advice for undergrads going into IB interested in PE, Worldwide MBA Programs divided into tiers

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

incoming mbb, would say of the schools you listed:

umich, berk, uva, notre dame, georgetown >

usc, ut, unc, emory, washu, ucla, vandy, rice >

cmu

for consulting (these are in no order as well). 

Also another thing to caveat is that these schools are all strong for their specific offices, so umich ND -> Chicago, georgetown -> DC, at least for MBB.

Williams and amherst are great, probably more williams people, but afaik it seems like those lib arts schools do better in IB than consulting

 

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