Where to go from here - Young analysts

So I've posted a bunch here in the past, but I figured as I'm trying to start my career over, I might as well make a new name.

A little background, I graduated in 2011 from what would either be called a semi-target or a strong regional target. I graduated with Latin honors, part of the honors program, majoring in Economics and Political Science (double major). I played a varsity sport and held down on campus jobs including one in which I was promoted to supervisor.

For the past 16ish months, I have been teaching English in a foreign country as part of a government program. It's not very prestigious or anything. I don't really have any plans to go into teaching long term, so I'm looking to get into something more lucrative, a lot of my friends are in IB/Consulting, so that's the type of background I see myself fitting into.

In college, all my work experience was government related as that was my focus, but one of my internships launched an interest in business and management, so essentially I don't have any internship experience in business, but I do in congressional offices, including congressional leadership offices. While I like politics, I don't want my job to essentially tie me down to Washington DC for the rest of my life...

So for the past 2 months, I was interviewing with a MBB consulting firm, I got the interview through the referral of a partner that I found through my school's alumni directory. I felt like I followed all the right WSO routine for networking and it seemed to go pretty well, as I thought I did terrible on my first interview, but they passed me. Then in the second round I thought I did great was pretty much 99% sure I was going to pass into the final round, but I was dinged. I've done a good 20 hours of live case practice in addition to just on my own (yes, I realize I could do more).

So from here I'm not sure what to do. I know it's too late to get into consulting through the standard recruiting season, but is it too late to get in through alumni connections and stuff? I feel like I'm not good enough for the McKinsey/BCG/Bain brand, so any suggestions on firms that use employee referrals heavily? I have a pretty good friend at one of the Big 3 accounting firms' consulting practice, but he's only a 2nd year analyst, should I be going for bigger players found through my alumni base? I would say my alumni are pretty receptive to helping, only problem is not sure which companies are also receptive...

So in essence, how much pull do young analysts have in terms of securing a position? Are there any consulting firms that are particularly receptive to employee referrals?

Thanks for any help.