A different thread than my usual ones...I promise...

College Majors Business Major
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>So after reading the replies to a post I made today only, I realized that I've been doing something really wrong. Instead of doing all that I could to try and reach my goal of becoming a consultant, or to a lesser degree investment banker (but thats fading quickly), I've been instead wasted energy trying to figure out what I should do with the assumption that I won't make it. Although its wise to have a plan B, I realize that I'm spending 95% of my energy on Plan B, and only 5% on A, when it should be the other way around. So now, I'm going to ask for your guys' help again, but this time its different:</p>

<p>I'm wondering if you guys can help me come up with a list of schools that would help me become a consultant. </p>

<p>You guys will see quite quickly that HYPS are out of the question as well as any good school (my stats are pretty awful because frankly, I messed up in hs), but what are some good reach, matches, and safeties I can apply to to help me towards my goal?</p>

<p>demographics:
*I am an Asian Indian Male
*From a competitive public high school in Oregon: Beaverton High School, which was also rated the best AP school in Oregon, so yeah, its a smart school. (On top of that, our graduating class is rumored to be the best class of all time, so my rank would be higher had I been in a different year )
*student body at school = 500+</p>

<p>The Numbers/ECs
*ACT Composite 30 (8/12 on essay) (DANG IT!!!)</p>

<p>-English 30 (Usage/Mechanics 15 Rhetorical Skills 16)
-Science 24 (ouch)
-Reading 31 (Social Studies/Science 17 Arts/Literature 15)
-Mathematics 34
(Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra 18
Int.Algebra/Coord.Geometry 16 (ouch)
Plane Geometry/Trigonometry 18)</p>

<p>*Freshman year:
Language Arts (Honors): A/A
Social Studies 9: A/A
Advanced Algebra 2: A/A
Bio/Chem/Phys 10 (Honors): A/A
SAT Math Prep: A
SAT Verbal Prep:A
Spanish 1:A/A
Team Sports:A
Health 1:A
Web Design:A
Computer Programming:A</p>

<p>*Sophomore Year:
AP Chem: B/A
Lit Comp 10 (Honors): A/A
Physics 2: A/A
Pre-Calc: A/B
Social Studies 10 :B/A
Spanish 2:A/A
Symphonic Band: A/A
Team Sports: A
Health 2: A</p>

<p>*Junior Year
Human Anatomy: A/A
IB Biology: A/A
Spanish 3: A/A
IB Calculus: A/A
IB Psychology: A/B
Team Sports: A
IB Seminar: P
IB English: A/ A
IB TOK 1: A</p>

<p>*Senior Year Anticipated Courseload If I get my choices:
IB Physics SL
IB TOK 2
IB Biology HL 2
IB English HL 2
IB Math HL 2 (Calc 2 basically)
IB Spanish SL
AP Statistics
Biotech/Economics (not the same course...the slash indicates I'll take one or the other for 1 semester)</p>

<p>In summary: I currently have a 3.913 UW GPA, and 4.152 W GPA. UW class rank = 31/520 and W = 17/520.</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:
*NHS (2 years)
*OHSU Dental exploring program
*Doing research on anti-viral medications.
*Will probably volunteer at a hospital and then OHSU during the summer.
*Varsity tennis 4 years (possibly captain next season).
*Science Team 4 years.
*World Quest Trivia 4 years
*Portland Youth Philharmonic Organization (2 years)
*Mathfest Participant 4 years
*Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Rising Star Program (will have 150-175 volunteer hours done)
*Mathcounts Tutor (about 50+ volunteer hours)
*Model UN (1 year)
*maybe DECA next year</p>

<p>Awards/Honors/Leadership:
*Possibly tennis team captain
*Science Club Treasurer (1 year)
*Science Club VP (2 years)
*Math Club (4 years) (VP 2 years)
*IB Diploma Candidate
*6th Place at World Quest out of 32 10th grade
*Mathfest Algebra 2 1st place freshman year
*Oregon Invitational of Mathematics Tournament Participant Fresh Year</p>

<p>Schools I'm almost pretty much set on applying to:
-University of Oregon (in state)
-University of Michigan
-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (ED-non binding)
-USC
-University of Washington-Seattle</p>

<p>Considering:
-University of Texas-Austin (very strong consideration because of awesome sports and location)
-Emory
-Claremont McKenna
-Northwestern (ED)
-Vanderbilt (ED)
-Rice (ED)
-Stanford (dream school, but not happening, so I'm not sure if I want to waste money applying here)
-University of Notre Dame
-University of Virginia</p>

<p>I'm open to almost ANY suggestions though.</p>

<p>Notes:
-I haven't taken any SAT 2s yet, and would like to for the most part stray away from schools that require them, especially since I don't know how well I'll do on them if I take them.
-Money isn't too big of a factor, but we're not super rich, so I'd like to save as much money as possible.
-ED means I will apply to one of the schools marked ED early decision for sure.</p>

2

<p>what the hell? you call this messing up in hs? no need to be modest.</p>

<p>to be frank with you, you are a rising senior, this is too soon to be deciding on specific career goals like consulting and investment banking. you might change it many times while in college.</p>

3

<p>well yeah it might change, but still, I have to go with my gut as of right now. So can anyone give me advice?</p>

<p>Also, I'm not being modest. Seriously, a 30 on the ACT and a 3.9 is nothing to brag about. Already I'm like 31th in my class at 1 school, and given how many high schools there are in the US, think of how many people would be better than me in the nation, hell even the world (30 students x number of high schools = a huge number of people better than me)! So yeah, please don't think I'm bragging, because honestly, there's nothing to brag about.</p>

4

<p>you're a rising senior who has asked about a ton of different jobs/careers and now you're set on consulting and are going to pick a college based on consulting placement, right... placement is generally going to relate to school prestige. you probably have a shot at northwestern which apparently has 50% of their IEMS majors going into consulting. just do well at any of those schools and you'll be fine. anyway, you're stressing out way too much trying to figure out what you want to be, you're only a rising senior in high school! relax!</p>

5

<p>There are large discrepancies in the quality of education provided at various high schools. So your formula doesn't work..especially if you go to one of the better schools.</p>

<p>BTW, only a small percentage of the people who are "better than you" will be competing against you for consulting positions. I'm sure some will become consultants. Others will become doctors. Others will become dope smoking hippies, and others will do who knows what. </p>

<p>I had a 2.8 GPA in HS, and I am indeed bragging.</p>

6

<p>dwade: did you read my post at all, because like I said, I was looking for a good plan B in case my plan A failed.</p>

<p>But anyways, can anyone help me out with my question?</p>

7

<p>"my stats are pretty awful because frankly, I messed up in hs"
***? Compared to what?? You should look at some of the USNWR "top schools," and find out via their career center what companies recruit there. You don't have to go to HYPS to get into consulting. My school is nowhere near HYPs, however Accenture, Mckinsey, BoozAllenHamilton all recruit from there. But in your case, given your "horrible" stats, I would say that you have a really good shot at schools such as Northwestern, Chicago, NYU, Cornell, and maybe Penn, Brown, or Dartmouth.</p>

8

<p>california..... if only you stopped posting here and studied your ACT, maybe you would do better...</p>

9

<p>Why don't you consult a guidance cousnelor of college advisor for career goals they would know you better, all you do on here is go back and forth between all the forums trying to find what will get you rich without any effort. No degree is paper gold you need to earn money. Like i said in every other thread you started - do what your gfood at the money will cvome.</p>

10

<p>Listen kid your stats are good but YOU WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED TO A GOOD SCHOOL if you are so unset on your career goals, The first thing theyll ask you in any college interview is how is the school going to help your career goals "make me rich" is going to get u a very bad referral. You are only deciding you want to do consulting based on the payrate. Being a consultant will require alot of longs hours, Late night phone calls and a ton of researching companies and individuals. Tons of analytical thinking about how your product can best fit the organization etc etc</p>

11

<p>Dude, chill out your 17, maybe 18 years old. Pull your head out your butt and just enjoy life. Pick a school because you want to be there for the next four years, not for a career. If you stay like this you are going to very unhappy by the time your 30, trust me I have seen it happen. And try to be more open-minded you might find something new that you'll enjoy. If you really have you career and the rest of your life planned out before your senior year of HS, I for one feel very sorry for you.</p>

12

<p>university of phoenix</p>

13

<p>Lol @ university of pheonix</p>

14

<p>Uria:
Dude, what do I have to do to make you realize that I'm seriously NOT just a money whore. Did you read my first post at all? I specifically said that I was searching for really good backup plans where I can reach my goal of 120-150k at a reasonable rate. Please, for the love of god, stop thinking that I'm just being lazy and don't want to work at all. I've said after awhile that I understand I need experience, but on that post in the engineering forum, the fact that you need to work for THAT long to make only a meager bit more isn't worth it to me. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop thinking that I'm only looking for an easy way out. Its giving other wrong impressions of me, so please stop thinking that. And another thing, do you honestly think I'm going to say in an interview that I want to go college X because I'll be rich?? You're being a bit ridiculous now. If you think that people who do jobs partially for money all are that stupid, then yeah, you are right that they'll get no where. Unfortunately, thats not true, and most of us are smart enough to have some common sense, especially about things like that.</p>

<p>
[quote]
You don't have to go to HYPS to get into consulting. My school is nowhere near HYPs, however Accenture, Mckinsey, BoozAllenHamilton all recruit from there. But in your case, given your "horrible" stats, I would say that you have a really good shot at schools such as Northwestern, Chicago, NYU, Cornell, and maybe Penn, Brown, or Dartmouth

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If I may ask, what school do you go to? See, the reason I'm really worried is because all I hear on this biz forum is target school. And whenever I ask about what happens when you don't get into a target school, everyone says I'm screwed, so what am I supposed to think? I'm not sure actually that I want to go to one of those super firms just because you have to travel and move around a lot more. I'd rather work for a company that doesn't require as much travel, even at the expense of not making ultra money. Like I've said soooo many times on every post, I'm really happy with 150k including bonus, so can I take from your post that I can attain this even if I don't go to a great school? Is it possible maybe even to reach 200k after bonuses soon?</p>

15

<p>Obviously, what I was implying is that a college admissions officer or alumni that will be conducting your interview will be able to see through you. Once they ask you what you wanna do they will expect to hear reasons behind it and what you know about it. You are still young and are worrying way way way too much about this.</p>

16

<p>dude california you have serious self esteem problems...all your posts on CC say that you messed up, don't have a chance of going anywhere other than a state school, etc. In all seriousness, your reaches should probably be schools in USNWR Top 20, your targets should be in USNWR 20-35, and your safeties schools like Oregon, UW, or others in USNWR 35+</p>

<p>btw kids at my h.s. even got decent scholarships to USC with your kind of stats...just chill out.</p>

17

<p>You made an effort so will I.</p>

<p>Target schools tend to be what you'd expect.</p>

<p>Ivy league (often excluding cornell)
MIT/Caltech/Stanford
UChicago, Wesleyan, Pomona/Harvey Mudd/Claremont
Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore</p>

<p>Credits of Denzera, a poster on this board who's actually a consultant.</p>

<p>Don't know schools easier to get into really can't help there.</p>

<p>THEMK</p>

18

<p>"If I may ask, what school do you go to? See, the reason I'm really worried is because all I hear on this biz forum is target school. And whenever I ask about what happens when you don't get into a target school, everyone says I'm screwed, so what am I supposed to think?"</p>

<p>I go to Case Western, a school that I'm sure no one on this board would consider to be a "target school," but a good school nonetheless. Honestly, how many people actually graduate from HYPSM compared to the number of people graduating in any given year? It's not the end of the world and you are not going to fail in life just because you don't go to HYPSM, so quit freaking out about it. There are many firms out there, big and small, that do consulting, and they don't all strictly stick to HYPSM graduates. I was offered an internship at Lazerpoint, Inc. in Lakewood, Ohio, which is a medium sized IT consulting firm as a rising sophomre, with only a 3.2 GPA as an EE. I think that if you really want to do consulting, and you have the drive and motivation to do so, then you can do consulting. But you haven't even set foot in a college classroom yet, so you should be worrying about getting into college and having fun in high school, not trying to figure out what to do after college.</p>

19

<p>so basically caseengr, you're saying that consulting isn't like I-banking in that everyone can in fact do it as long as they work? See I thought consulting was like I-banking in that even if you bust your butt, very few still get a job, so thats quite a relief. </p>

<p>But like I said, I don't necessarily want to work for those small firms because then I'll have to do a TON of traveling. So, what types of firms would I be looking for so that I don't have to travel a lot but still make a decent amount of money?</p>

<p>
[quote]
dude california you have serious self esteem problems...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>is it really that bad? the only reason I ask is because a few teachers have told me that in school, so yeah.</p>

20

<p>california i wouldn't panic about self esteem. you justify yourself through arguing about job and education prospects. some other people might justify themselves through buying clothes or cars or drinking alcohol or doing drugs. everybody has their vice. at least your vice might help you learn something if you keep your ears open</p>