Top 5 Business schools for Consulting.

Hello,
I am conducting groundwork for MBA in the US. I would ideally want to recruit into IB (planA) but to have a plan B in place (I am an international student), my backup is Consulting. So, I would like to know from all of you working in Consulting and those currently in business school, which MBA program would be my best shot into Consulting?

Thank you! Appreciate the help.

7 Comments
 

Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton are the top 3 if you can get in. Otherwise, the rest of the M7 are still great for consulting as well (particularly UChicago and Kellogg). Outside the M7 programs, Dartmouth, Michigan, Virginia, and Duke are likely your best bets from what I saw at MBB. I was not involved in MBA recruiting at all though, these are just the firm names I saw the most. 

 

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you for this. Would you say from MBB, each of them would prefer a particular school more apart from HWS or it's really neutral ?


And have international MBA grads from these programs been able to get visa sponsorships at MBB? Do you have any idea about this based on your colleagues' experience with such visa issues? Because only a few from the list actually have STEM designation. It wouldn't make sense to do the investment into an MBA & not have visa sponsorship in case the program or the concentration I choose in a program isn't STEM certified.

Thank you!

 

I don't know of any particular school preferences, there may be some regional offices that like a few schools though (like perhaps Berkeley Haas has a better chance at an SF office), but generally the top schools should give you a good shot at an interview. Standards are the same once you have an interview, regardless of school. Unfortunately, I don't know how any of the visa sponsorship stuff works so I can't be more helpful there. I know a lot of internationals join for the MBA sponsorship, but I unfortunately don't know the details.

 

Hi! That's alright regarding the visa question. So, in terms of geography, is there like a major preference for offices and the work done, growth opportunities, and variety of industries worked with or it again is neutral regardless of whether one is in SF or NYC? Have you had any personal experience with all of this?

Also, I really would love to know whether there should be any pre-requisite in terms of degree, or work experience that's ideal to have before getting into Consulting, especially Strategy Consulting.

Thank you!

 

Importance of which specific office you join will be firm specific (for example McKinsey staffs nationally so your office is less important, Bain staffs regionally by office so there's a much stronger office culture). Your undergrad degree doesn't matter much, although the tier of university you attended tends to matter far more. However, if you're going to an MBA program, then your undergrad is hardly relevant anymore. 

 

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