Sophomore - Boutique Consulting or Industry Internships for MBB Junior Year?

I'm a sophomore at a target looking for summer internships to better position myself for applying to MBB junior year. Should I focus my search on boutique consulting firms or the finance departments of F500 companies? Which would be viewed more favorably? I know that MBB really looks for name-brand companies on a resume...but a boutique consulting position would signal my interest in consulting.
I have some basic consulting experience already from a student organization that works with businesses in the local area, so I'm leaning toward F500 companies.

I'm also in the running for a business analytics internship at a start-up. How would interning at a start-up look to top-tier consulting companies? Bad move or a way to differentiate myself?

 

I'd go F500 for the name recognition if you can get it.

However, MBB does look favorably on start up experience because that work is very similar to what you would do on a day to day basis. I'm telling you, it's more important to make contacts with people in MBB and do something productive that you can talk about.

Just imagine an interview where you ask "what you did?"

 
SmallUser:
However, MBB does look favorably on start up experience because that work is very similar to what you would do on a day to day basis.

I don't know if you're talking about the OP's startup offer specifically or just startups in general, but I've never thought that what I do at my MBB is particularly similar to what I'd do at a startup. MBB is fine with people who did the startup thing, but not because the work is the same as consulting.

SmallUser:
I'm telling you, it's more important to make contacts with people in MBB.

This is true, I guess, but exposure to MBB consultants shouldn't be a major criterion in choosing your summer position.

Both routes are fine from a resume standpoint if you want to be a consultant; I did the boutique consulting thing, while at least two of my analyst coworkers did the F500 thing. Since you've already done something consulting-ish, you might lean towards the F500 job. But then again, if you actually want to be a consultant, I would think that from a pure enjoyment standpoint you'd want to work for the boutique consulting firm.

One of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.
 
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One of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.

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