Unique Dilemma - Need Advice from Experts

It's my first post, but don't be alarmed. I've done my research on several other forums, but since my situation is rather unique, I need some feedback from you guys here at WSO.

I am a Canadian student finishing my fourth year at Uni, with a full-time offer at a Big4 in September. Over the last four years I have matured, and since I messed up my first 2 years of university by switching majors, I didn't get into the B-School I wanted.

With my crappy GPA and my stellar extra-currics, I have managed to get a Big4 offer, but my passion lies with consulting, specifically MBB. I have a few options and I need advice on which situation is the most realistic.

1) Start at Big4, suffer through audit and get my CA, transition to the consulting arm of the firm, leave the firm to go do my MBA at Ivey or Queens, then recruit and get an offer at MBB (saves me time and money, but there's no guarantee I can switch over to consulting because of my grades)

or

2) Reject the Big4 offer, apply and do a second undergrad (have to in order to apply to Ivey - they use the 2+2 method), apply to Ivey, get accepted and recruit for an MBB/banking internship and land a full-time MBB offer after graduating. (I am very confident in my ability to get accepted and maintain a GPA within the top 10% of my class, it is expensive but it guarantee's me another shot at recruiting - I am a good networker)

I am smart, I have good social skills, and I can nail extra-currics no problem, but I need to be realistic. Which option would you chose if you were in my shoes?

8 Comments
 

doing a second undergraduate degree is a fucking stupid thing to do. and you didn't do thorough enough research because there have been other threads asking whether they should redo their undergrad somewhere else. the answer was almost unanimous: NO

 
Best Response

postman, I am only considering doing a second undergrad in order to get into Ivey, as they use a 2+2 education system. I have to do another 2 years in undergrad in order to get into Ivey and do 2 years with them. This is what I want to do because there are extensive internship and networking opportunities available to get me into MBB. I don't see the undergrad+Ivey as a bad thing if it gets me where I want to be. Now that I have uni experience I can kill my classes and score high. Why is this such a horrible idea?

Planetbeing, My current program is not recruited by MBB or any consulting/ibanking, so it is impossible for me to network in my current position.

I want to get to MBB, which path do you think would be the best? 1 or 2??

 
afisher459It's my first post, but don't be alarmed. I've done my research on several other forums, but since my situation is rather unique, I need some feedback from you guys here at WSO.

I am a Canadian student finishing my fourth year at Uni, with a full-time offer at a Big4 in September. Over the last four years I have matured, and since I messed up my first 2 years of university by switching majors, I didn't get into the B-School I wanted.

With my crappy GPA and my stellar extra-currics, I have managed to get a Big4 offer, but my passion lies with consulting, specifically MBB. I have a few options and I need advice on which situation is the most realistic.

1) Start at Big4, suffer through audit and get my CA, transition to the consulting arm of the firm, leave the firm to go do my MBA at Ivey or Queens, then recruit and get an offer at MBB (saves me time and money, but there's no guarantee I can switch over to consulting because of my grades)

or

2) Reject the Big4 offer, apply and do a second undergrad (have to in order to apply to Ivey - they use the 2+2 method), apply to Ivey, get accepted and recruit for an MBB/banking internship and land a full-time MBB offer after graduating. (I am very confident in my ability to get accepted and maintain a GPA within the top 10% of my class, it is expensive but it guarantee's me another shot at recruiting - I am a good networker)

I am smart, I have good social skills, and I can nail extra-currics no problem, but I need to be realistic. Which option would you chose if you were in my shoes?

You can always aim for MBB post MBA. Kill it at your Big4, who knows you might have opportunities to advance/take leadership roles there. Who knows, in 2-3 years you might want to do something completely difficult than consulting. Almost everyone I know at MBB who went/is going to b-school does not intend to go back there.

I have no idea why anyone would go through undergrad twice, that's a huge red flag, waste of time/money and would not do under any circumstances. General rule of thumb is never draw attention to your perceived "mistakes" unless asked. If you're apologizing/explaining, you're losing.

 
venturecapitalista
afisher459It's my first post, but don't be alarmed. I've done my research on several other forums, but since my situation is rather unique, I need some feedback from you guys here at WSO.

I am a Canadian student finishing my fourth year at Uni, with a full-time offer at a Big4 in September. Over the last four years I have matured, and since I messed up my first 2 years of university by switching majors, I didn't get into the B-School I wanted.

With my crappy GPA and my stellar extra-currics, I have managed to get a Big4 offer, but my passion lies with consulting, specifically MBB. I have a few options and I need advice on which situation is the most realistic.

1) Start at Big4, suffer through audit and get my CA, transition to the consulting arm of the firm, leave the firm to go do my MBA at Ivey or Queens, then recruit and get an offer at MBB (saves me time and money, but there's no guarantee I can switch over to consulting because of my grades)

or

2) Reject the Big4 offer, apply and do a second undergrad (have to in order to apply to Ivey - they use the 2+2 method), apply to Ivey, get accepted and recruit for an MBB/banking internship and land a full-time MBB offer after graduating. (I am very confident in my ability to get accepted and maintain a GPA within the top 10% of my class, it is expensive but it guarantee's me another shot at recruiting - I am a good networker)

I am smart, I have good social skills, and I can nail extra-currics no problem, but I need to be realistic. Which option would you chose if you were in my shoes?

You can always aim for MBB post MBA. Kill it at your Big4, who knows you might have opportunities to advance/take leadership roles there. Also in 2-3 years you might want to do something completely different than consulting. Almost everyone I know at MBB who went/is going to b-school does not intend to go back there.

I have no idea why anyone would go through undergrad twice, that's a huge red flag, waste of time/money and would not do under any circumstances. General rule of thumb is never draw attention to your perceived "mistakes" unless asked. If you're apologizing/explaining, you're losing.

 

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