Strategy& vs. BCG

Hey folks,

Currently trying to decide between two offers from Strategy& and BCG. I would love to hear what you guys think. What I am weighing is the pros and cons of being part of Strategy& after the recent acquisition (high growth potential, it's the TS deals group and I'm interested in M&A, in NY) with the guaranteed pros of BCG (great for grad school, exit ops, great professional development).

The biggest thing I'm working through is if Strategy& has a value proposition to be a disruptor in the next five years. From within Strategy& and from partner level people at other firms (next 4, mainly) I've heard, about the Strategy& acquisition, both "dumpster fire, failing miserably" and "potential game changer".

Given all of these things, what are y'all's thoughts? Thanks

37 Comments
 

BCG hands down. It will set you up much better down the line.

Only reason I may consider Strategy& is if you want to be stay in consulting your entire life and make a career out of it. If that is the case, then it MAY be worth taking the chance on Strategy& for the CHANCE of what it could be. But still, the future is very unknown and it has much more chance of failure than success imo.

It would be 100x easier going from BCG to Strategy& then vice versa, should things turnaround for Strategy&.

Hugo
 

I worked at one and currently employed at the other, go with BCG, it's a sure thing, the problem is the alignment with the kind of work you'd enjoy doing, in BCG you will not have a very strong M&A arm, as for S& is somewhat difficult how things will turn out years down the road. Just asking, what your future plans are? go for BS, exit to industry? and which location is BCG?

 

I guess both are good options, but given the better brand name I would probably choose BCG. Strategy& has a huge potential which needs to be realized in the next couple of years, yet BCG is an edge ahead. Which offices are you looking for?

 
Best Response

Go to BCG. Suck it up and do the distance thing for the summer if you're serious about her. Work your ass off at BCG so that you're someone that they would hate to lose to Bain/McK.

If by the time the Fall rolls around, you're still dating your gf and she's set on living in NY post-graduation, ask BCG if you can transfer your offer to their NY office. If they say no, re-recruit for Bain/McK/other firms in NY. Going to BCG will only increase your perceived value to other firms.

 

Definitely go BCG. I briefly had the "potential disruption vs sure thing debate" when I was coming out of my MBA, went BCG and it was definitely the right decision. There are a lot of things that need to fall into place to make you go the other way: The giant implementation/strategy concept has to overtake the industry, PwC has to get it right and overtake Deloitte to become the ones who run this, MBB (BCG specifically) have to miss the boat and become irrelevant/go out of business/become less prestigious than PwC, AND this all has to happen in time (next 2-5 years) to affect you.

Or...just go to one of the top firms in the world in BCG

 

In regards to your location problem, I know of a few Associates who were able to transfer their offers to other offices after their summer internships - it's not just and MBA thing. It's not guaranteed, but make good relationships and it's certainly an option. Just realize that New York is one of the most competitive offices both for recruiting and transfers, it'll probably be easier to go NY --> Atlanta than the other way around. But also realize it may be difficult to more difficult to recruit into NY for Bain/McKinsey.

 

Unrelated but..... has anyone here seen the movie "Super Troopers?" In the beginning when the cops pull over the druggies fleeing to Canada, the driver asks the cop, "you pulled me over just for speeding??" The cop replies, "no, I pulled you over for littering AND..... littering AND..... littering AND.... smoking the reefer!"

That whole "littering AND" was burned into my brain. I thought it was hilarious.

And whenever I hear "Strategy&" I think "Strategy AND.... Strategy AND...."

 

I don't think it's a terrible name actually, they could have chosen a more elegant name but most names would not have been that controversial. I mean a normal name like Hudson & Company or whatever would never have achieved the same effect of motivating people discussing about it. People will get used to the name over time anyway and at least the name is not really comparable to any management consulting firm name out there.

 

This reminds me of the time some kid asked me for help regarding GS vs. Jefferies for IBD. I didn't get why he kept telling me good things he had heard about Jefferies' from his "friends" regarding their "recovery" and "growth", despite me telling him to take GS and run.

He ended up taking Jefferies for its "growth potential" but I found out later he never had an offer at GS.

 

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