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luciagomez
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Should I apply for an MBA or go straight for consulting? 09 Oct 2024, 00:54
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I’m a US citizen with 5 years of experience in audit, currently living in NY. I’m aiming to get into consulting, either MBB or Tier-2 firms. Do you think it’s worth applying for an MBA, or should I just start preparing on my own and focus on networking to break into consulting?

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Should I apply for an MBA or go straight for consulting? 09 Oct 2024, 04:14
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I can tell you that consulting is highly competitive right now, and family offices are definitely more relaxed. But if you’re sure you want a more dynamic career, then aiming for MBB makes sense.

Here’s my personal experience getting an offer from BCG:

I started by reading a lot of free resources: Victor Cheng, Crafting Cases, Casentino. Then I moved on to solving cases from business school casebooks. I thought I was well-prepared. But in my actual McKinsey round, the cases were much tougher, and nerves got the best of me—I made mistakes in structuring and calculations. End result: a rejection from McKinsey.

After that, I re-evaluated my prep. I went for more niche but challenging programs from The Thinksters and RocketBlocks, solved cases with current consultants, and did 50 more cases with senior consultants and partners. This time, I was much better prepared.

Not everyone succeeds on their first try, but if you believe in yourself, you’ll get there.
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Should I apply for an MBA or go straight for consulting? 10 Oct 2024, 01:53
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MBA is more for brand value , if you already have network that can help. Building network is not easy task ,if you are confident on networking skills then its good.
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Should I apply for an MBA or go straight for consulting? 10 Oct 2024, 02:10
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Its a personal choice whether you want to invest in your education or want to continue working.. in long term MBA will advantage

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Should I apply for an MBA or go straight for consulting? 15 Mar 2025, 07:01
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MBB is ultra competitive. You can, however, get offers without an MBA.

Here are the steps you need to follow

1. Network extensively for the office you want to apply. MBB firms require candidates network with them. They want to meet you and get to know you. They also expect you to meet the firm members and make an informed decision

2. Referral. Ideally someone from your "coffee chats" will agree to refer you to an office. This gives you a leg up and is a sign of confidence but it is not a guarantee. MBBs will test you thoroughly.

3. Round 00: Recruiter Screening. A recruiter from the firm will screen you on a phone call or zoom call. They will ask you about your intentions and goals and assess fit.

4. Round 0: Games - The recruiter will send you online games and tests and you must finish them in a certain timeframe. Practice a lot before you take these tests. These are not like GRE/GMAT. They have other components like business judgement, decision making, video cover letters, etc.

5. Round 1, 2: Case and personal interviews. You will get 4-6 cases and you must do extremely well in these. Case topics can be from any walk of life (business and non business cases).

6. Reference checks. Finally your references are checked and you get an offer.

What you can do
1. Start preparing for case interviews way early! Case interview prep takes a lot of time. Make sure you spend 2-3 months to prep.
2. Start networking asap. You can do cold networking or get friends to introduce you
3. Try to get a referral and mock cases from these folks so you know where you stand. Sometimes the firm will assign you buddies
4. Go through the 6 steps I explained above.

With an MBA from a top tier school you will get an audience. MBB recruiting from 4 onwards is the same. The bar is the same. So in some ways spending $300-400k (include lost income) will get you a bit further. There is still no guarantee that you will get an offer.

Hope this helps
luciagomez
I’m a US citizen with 5 years of experience in audit, currently living in NY. I’m aiming to get into consulting, either MBB or Tier-2 firms. Do you think it’s worth applying for an MBA, or should I just start preparing on my own and focus on networking to break into consulting?

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