IB vs. Consulting: Why do consultants get MBA after 2 years?

Not a consultant so can only try to answer your questions.

I’m already a consultant. Do I still need an MBA?

If you want to return to your current firm, this answer depends on the firm. For many firms, no. How can sitting in a classroom and talking about business problems teach you more than working on those problems directly? For other firms, an MBA is recommended for most consultants aspiring to more senior positions, since they will benefit from an expanded network and enhanced perspectives on business problems. You should observe the system of promotions in your firm and talk to your colleagues who have done an MBA before. As an example, CapGemini and Booz & Co. promote non-MBAs more readily than Bain and BCG. The answer also varies by region; for example, the Japan and Germany offices of global consultancies tend to have less MBAs among the top ranks.

If you want to change to another consulting firm, an MBA may make sense if you are targeting a firm that is much more selective than your current firm or a firm that places heavy emphasis on MBAs. Given your previous consulting background, an MBA is usually unnecessary unless you are dead-set on a small number of certain firms.

http://managementconsulted.com/business-consulting/mba-business-school-…

Not sure if consultants are more successful in getting into MBA programs, but if you look at the top employers for MBA programs (in this case HBS), you would say that consultancies send more people to MBA programs.

Harvard Business School’s Top Feeder Companies Estimated % ofClass of 2013 Estimated Number inClass of 2012 Number Found in Facebook 1. McKinsey & Co. New York, NY 5.7% 52 32 2. Bain & Co. Boston, MA 4.6% 42 26 3. Boston Consulting Group Boston, MA 3.4% 31 19 4. Booz New York, NY 2.0% 18 11 5. Deloitte New York, NY 1.6% 15 9 5. Google Mountain View, CA 1.6% 15 9 5. J.P. Morgan/Chase New York, NY 1.6% 15 9 8. Goldman Sachs New York, NY 1.4% 13 8 8. U.S. Army Various locations 1.4% 13 8 10. Citigroup New York, NY 1.2% 11 7

http://poetsandquants.com/2011/08/15/top-feeder-companies-to-harvard-bu…