| Topic Name: |
Advice |
| Message Name: |
THANKS! |
| Date Posted: |
01/03/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
I'm a college senior getting no where in my persuit of full time positions in management consulting and could use some serious advice about what option is best for me.
I'm in the top 20 in my class at one of the 2nd tier Ivys (ie not Harvard, Priceton, or Yale!). I started college thinking that I was interested in engineering, and choose that as my major. So, I have a ton of "quantitative" coursework (engineering and physics) and a bit of research experience on the side.
Halfway through college, though, my interests shifted and I have become very intrigued by strategy consulting. I did an internship with a global manager at a big-5 and had an awesome experience. Now I'm psyched about working in consulting. My sites are set on going to a top B-school (HBS is my dream) and probably going back into consulting after.
The problem is that I managed to not even score interviews with the more prestigous firms that interviewed on campus. I got lots of interviews with lesser-name firms, but haven't gotten any offers yet. The only firms I have still on the table are "minimally prestigous," "less presigous," and "no name." I'm waiting to hear back from these three, but have few other options.
My dilema is this: I have the grades, GREs (nearly perfect quantitative and analytical), experience and recs to get into graduate programs at some of the top engineering schools, and I wonder if I should go. It's not what is interesting to me anymore, but I CAN do it if I have to. I have applied for admission and the responses so far have been quite good. My goal is to be a strong applicant to business school (I know I would still work 3-5 years after grad school, hopefully then in consulting), so would I be better off to wait out the economic difficulties in (a top-notch) grad school, or take a no-name job in consulting? Either way, its not looking good, but I'm looking for the option that has the greatest possibility of working out. One side of me says more education can't hurt and the other side says more work experience--regardless of what it is--would be better.
I could use any input that you guys have! Thanks! |
| Message: |
Wow. First, I just want to say Thanks for your responses. I figured no one would care enough to bother responding, espcially in our fast-paced world. I really appreciate that you made the effort.
I've read the comments several times, and think you've raised some very good points (thanks!). The idea of not "wasting" my time on a graduate engineering degree is one that has concerned me for some time now. I really don't see much of a future for myself in the field, regardless of getting the degree or not. At the same time, it does seem like graduate school might be a good place to ride out the harsh economy before trying to get into consulting. Of course, just because the economy turns still won't mean that I will have a shot at getting a good consulting job!
Thinking about all this has raised another question in my mind: do you have any idea how the consulting firms view a graduate engineering degree? Do they shy away from it? (I ask b/c one firm told me I "have a bright future in consulting" but they couldn't offer me a position "due to questions of fit rather than capabilities" When I asked for input, they said they thought I was too sciency for them)
Do you know people with advanced engineering degrees?
Thanks!
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