Help me make an important career decision!

I posted the other day and it was somewhat helpful, so now I am going to attempt to narrow it down.

I am from a large 2nd tier (maybe 3rd?) state school. I am an undergrad, and graduating this upcoming spring. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I am majoring in accounting and finance. I am heavily involved in extra curriculars (I hold several leadership roles) and I am taking the GMAT in two weeks.

I would like to know if getting my MS in Accounting - and then CPA - and getting into consulting with a Big 4 firm could lead to a top MBA program. I have been told I have a great chance of getting into a very good school -given that my gmat scores are good- for an MSA program which will definitely help with Big 4 recruiting. I realize there is a risk that I may not get into Big 4 consulting, however I think I can demonstrate that I can be an excellent consultant. Of course I am unsure how many students (if any) firms recruit for consultant positions out of an MSA program, so I may be stuck with audit or tax.

Let me reiterate: I would like to know if getting my MSA, from a top school, and then getting into a B4 firm could possibly lead to a top MBA program. Have any of you taken this path, or know friends that have taken this path, and it turn out to be fruitful?

Please do not criticize the accounting profession. That is not the point of my question.

Thanks.

5 Comments
 

Yes a big 4 consulting gig (Deloitte) can help you. It won't guarantee anything but I've seen people go from Deloitte consulting to M7 including HBS. Don't think big 4 consulting would give a shit about cpa and or ms in accounting. You would want those credentials if you wanted to go into audit.

You would probably have to do a rotation, 2 years in audit then 2 years in consulting before you could do your mba stint. Why the focus on an MBA, what is it that you really want to do?

 

I haven't really decided yet. I like the thrill of new work and new problems that need to be solved so I was thinking consulting or ibanking which in my mind an MBA will help with. And I would have to get my MSA at a better program to be looked at (by big 4 at least). My school has very little recruiting opportunities with the better firms, though I may be able to get a securities analyst job with Wells Fargo. I just don't know how much that job would help me get into a top MBA.

 
FirstTimeMonkey I like the thrill of new work and new problems that need to be solved so I was thinking consulting or ibanking

I dont work in IBD, and my only knowledge of it comes from WSO, but from what I gather, it isnt a great place if you're looking for "the thrill of new work and new problems that need to be solved"

 

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