Imperial MSc Economics and Strategy for Business for MBB

Hi Abhiram,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your unsuccessful applications to LBS/Oxbridge!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, pursuing that Master's degree will certainly help in passing the screening phase of consulting firms' application processes as the Imperial College London is a so-called 'target university'.
• Moreover, while this degree is valuable, it's important to complement your academic credentials with robust preparation for consulting interviews and networking. I would advise you to actively engage in case practice, get familiar with the interview process, and build connections in the industry.
• Lastly, consider your overall profile, not just the educational aspect. Consulting firms look for a mix of academic excellence, problem-solving skills, and leadership experience. I would highly advise you to gain practical experience through internships or projects related to consulting.

You can find more on this topic here: Salaries in the consulting industry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi Abhiram, 

I'm working now with another Imperial MSc graduate and have coached candidates from Imperial before, so, yes, Imperial it's a good school that will definitely elevate your profile for MBB. 

Are there better options? Potentially. MiM programs are a more direct avenue to MBBs. For instance, HEC, IESE, LBS and INSEAD all have great ones. Of course, if you want to be in the UK, LBS would be your best option. 

Lastly, you can control for other variables as well to increase your probability of passing screening with MBB. For instance, your CV and cover letter and your referral strategy. I'll paste a couple of resources below for you to check out, as well as a guide to help you assess whether you actually need a MiM (or MBA):

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
• Expert Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn? 
• Expert Guide: Are MBAs worth it?

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

There is another option of course - go work 1-2 years at Blue Chip Co/T2, make sure you do well there, study for your GMAT, and get into a good B-School and enter as a post-MBA.

The MSc in Economics feels like something you're doing only to enter consulting/MBB and I'm generally not comfortable recommending that. Its a $ and time cost that you can avoid if you're patient, and doesn't catapult you into MBB contention.

Hope that helps,

B.

You'll be struggling for a job in the uk(mbb) , try networking with  people enrolled on this course to get an idea of what are the prospects and you'd be surprised how different the career outcomes advertised are vs reality. 

Speaking from a McKinsey perspective, you will need to do something really impressive to sufficiently differentiate yourself for BA entry without a UK (or US) undergrad. Local masters courses, no matter how strong, are viewed heavily in the context of your undergrad. MiM courses are also not a big entry pool at BA given the depth of the UK undergrad candidate pool. It is much easier to enter from different educational background at an Asc level, which is typically 3-5 years experience (and sometimes an MBA). Sorry to be a little negative but this is unfortunately the reality of the London grad employment market. I hope this helps

Hi Abhiram,

Q:  Imperial MSc Economics. Will it help me get into MBB or other top consultancies or should apply for other MiMs as well.

In terms of the best brand for MBB between Imperial and other options, you can check it as follows:

1. Go to LinkedIn
2. Add each university as "School" one at a time. If possible filter by your master as well
3. Add each MBB as “Company” one at a time
4. Check how many current/former consultants are present in your target regions
5. Normalize the results for the cohort size of the schools

This should help to have a data-driven answer.

Best,

Francesco

Hi Abhiram,

One piece of information that is missing: MBB in UK or somewhere else?

As others have already pointed out, it would be difficult to get there if you are applying for the UK, one of the most competitive MBB markets. For other countries, it can work. 

One thing you can do to check for yourself is to look at LinkedIn and search for people with this degree and see who works at MBB.

Lastly, even if it does not work out in the most direct way, you could graduate, gather experience somewhere else (T2, large corp strategy role), and then try MBB after 2 years.

All the best,

Florian

Hi there,

I actually partner with Imperial university to train their students for interviews!

They have a fairly good pipeline for MBB recruiting.

Ultimately, you need to consider the alternative choice. If Imperial is the option, then it's not a bad one at all! Doesn't hurt to apply to other MiMs to see if you have another choice.