Q: What is Consulting?

Consulting is about solving business problems for an organization. See our Consulting 101 deck for more information.

Q: I wasn’t a consultant before coming to Stern – am I at a disadvantage?

Not if you join MCA, attend Casing Boot Camp, corporate presentations, and MCA events. Langone students should enroll in the Langone Professional Development Program.

Consulting firms are looking for people with a diverse set of backgrounds. Graduating Stern students going into consulting come from backgrounds such as engineering, non-profit, IT, finance, and consumer goods.

Q: When should I start preparing for interviews?

Right now! See MCA's recommended timelines for recruiting preparation. Join MCA to get access to members-only resources.

Q: How should I prepare?

Attend all MCA events: boot camp, casing workshops, networking events. Practice with other students going through consulting recruiting.

For additional preparation and experience, apply to the Stern Consulting Corps (SCC). Career switchers in the full-time program should also apply to the Industry Mentoring Initiative (IMI).

Q: Do I need to attend Casing Boot Camp?

If you are going into consulting, it’s absolutely necessary! Other industries (marketing, media, internal strategy, etc.) are also using more case questions in their interviews. It’s a great way to learn how to think quickly and answer business problems in a structured way.

Q: How do I figure out which firm is right for me?

Attend corporate presentations, MCA events, and check out the useful links we've compiled for you.

Q: Which classes should I take?

Full-time students should take Strategy, Firms and Markets, Accounting, Foundations of Finance, and Marketing (or Operations) for the Fall semester and Corporate Finance, Decision Models, and Competitive Strategy in the Marketplace for the Spring semester.

Langone students should take Marketing, Foundations of Finance, and Operations before taking Strategy I and II. It would be helpful to take Decision Models, Corporate Finance, and Financial Statement Analysis before the fall semester when you have interviews.