Unconventional background - any shot at consulting?
Hi!
I'm an undergrad with an unconventional background and was wondering if I had any shot at breaking into consulting. I have a 3.9 GPA and 2400 SAT I, 800 Math & Chem SAT II (do those even matter??) in a MBB target school (Tufts/Northwestern/similar),
BUT am majoring in Communication Studies with minors in Art History and Integrated Marketing Communication. I have straight A's in my quantitative classes (math, econ, marketing research) but have not taken them at advanced levels. As for internships, I've been everywhere BUT business-related places - journalism, health, public service, entertainment. I started and run my own freelance graphic design business, though, and have managed to make it into a sustainable enterprise. I love working with my clients and solving their problems. Do I have a shot? And if I do... is there anything I can do to increase my chances?
Thanks, everyone.
troll
I promise you -- not a troll. I seriously wonder.
Major does not matter for consulting. The fact that the schools you mention aren't really targets matters a whole lot more.
Clarification - not gunning for MBB. Just hoping to enter the industry at a decent place. I do know that those 3 recruit on my campus though.
Northwestern most definitely is a target for all three MBB and most of the tier 2 consulting firms.
To the OP: you have a shot. You might be turned down for interviews because you do not have brand name business internships. Network with alumni and make sure they know why you're interested and why you'd be a good fit.
I think you do have a shot.
2400 and Tufts/Northwestern? does not compute. my sister is 2400 and went Harvard. personal choice?
Personal choice. I wanted to study Communication and the program looked great. People told me to aim higher, perhaps I should have.
not what I would have done, but respect. keep that SAT score on your resume, and you should be able to land some interviews.
You should have a shot coming from Northwestern Communications.
Consulting doesn't demand a particular background, infact the more unique you are the better.
Imagine someone with a communications background AND has taken a good deal of quantitative-level courses(and done well, obviously). That's attractive to a consulting firm. You can't just have one of those skills like a MIT Mathematician with zero social skills-- that won't crack it in consulting.
The A on my team right now is an English major from Northwestern.
2400 SAT I scores carry a fair bit of weight with MBB level consulting firms. It's by no means a shoe-in for an interview but you should be competitive for most...the coin toss is still a toss, but the coin is weighted in your favor
I love it when people claim to have an unconventional background when they:
This is almost the definition of conventional.
Unless you grew up in a yurt in Mongolia, your background is not unconventional. (And yes, my firm interviewed such a guy once)
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