<p>I’m an incoming freshman at CSOM and my ultimate goal is to land a job for one of the big 4 consulting firms out of college as an associate consultant. I’ll be minoring in Chinese, either starting off with intermediate chinese or principles of chinese, and not sure what I will be concentrating in. I’m also fluent in Spanish, and I would like to study abroad in Shanghai. I heard finance is the best concentration in CSOM by far and is something I am interested in, but I’m not sure if it is the best idea for consulting. I wasn’t admitted into the honors program, but I think I have a decent shot of being admitted after the first semester considering my scores and gpa in high school as well as other schools I got into. I’m also a minority, and I’ve heard that there are great networking and internship oportunities for minorities in the business world. </p>
<p>Does any one have any comments about consulting in general at Boston College, or any other knowledge that they would like to share?</p>
<p>Get involved with groups on campus, it will help with meeting people and networking, which is going to be very important. There’s the Management Consulting Club, they don’t really have meetings, but they spread the word about consulting companies on campus, help with case studies, etc. </p>
<p>As for the honors program, from what people have been saying, CSOM is pretty over enrolled this year. This means the honors program is also going to be very full, so they will take very few if any people during freshman year. Your achievements during freshman year, specifically 1st semester grades, play a big role in being selected for honors in CSOM. They won’t really care where else you got into, you’re at BC now. From there they do interviews, etc. Not everyone they’re interested in actually makes it. </p>
<p>The big take away is to rock your classes and get involved in activities you really are interested in.</p>
<p>You’re an incoming freshman, and your main goal is how to land a top consulting job when you graduate from CSOM.<br>
Are there other things you want to get out of your BC undergrad?</p>
<p>From basic research it seems that CSOM, or BC in general, is not actively recruited by MBB. In any case, just work hard and get involved. Your interests may change, but your GPA and ECs will remain consistent on any job resume.</p>
<p>Bain Consulting is the only of the Big 3 that recruit at BC. But, exemplary BC students do get into these firms. </p>
<p>Management consulting club is very useful. They sponsor mock interviews, mock case interviews, and sponsor management consulting competitions. Being one who was a finalist in one of the competitions and who just did a case interview this past week, I can definitely say that my experiences with the professional organizations in CSOM, including the management consulting club, have been very helpful and rewarding.</p>
<p>People wrongly come into CSOM thinking that finance is the best concentration in CSOM. I laugh when I see freshman who have never taken a finance class proudly state, “I’m a finance concentration.” Ironically, you’d ask them to explain what a basic security like a bond or a stock option is, and they have no idea. In any case, opportunities await with most of the concentrations in CSOM. The kicker is whether or not you put forth effort and are driven to succeed in your years at CSOM. Quite bluntly, they’re are some dumb ass kids who exhibit no effort and who think that their label as a ____ major in CSOM will make them a perfect candidate at any firm. Average students have little trouble finding decent jobs out of school. Stellar students get into stellar firms. It’s really that simple. BC CSOM is a good enough program where you are destined to get into particular firms based on the effort you put forth in school and in extra-curriculars. </p>
<p>Top management consulting firms tend only really consider students who are around the 3.7 GPA area. Concentration doesn’t really matter, as people from A&S get into management consulting firms as well (usually econ majors).</p>
<p>One tip I’d leave you with is that don’t fall into the trap of “finance is the top concentration so therefore I should concentrate in it.” Even if this statement were true, which it isn’t as explained above, you should pursue a discipline you’re interested in and don’t be afraid to move away from management consulting if you find a passion elsewhere. Management consulting is sexy but is not for everyone.</p>
<p>I second that I too have heard that finance is the top major at Boston College. The person that says that Bain is the only one that recruits at BC, I read that McKinsey also does as well. It is my understanding that Boston College is a “semi target” so it attracts about half of the big firms to campus.</p>
<p>I know that you’ve been accepted into CSOM but maybe a better way to make yourself stand out to the consulting world may be to become an A&S math major and then apply to the Harvard Business School’s 2&2 program at the end of your junior year.</p>
<p>If you get into that program (you’ll know before Labor Day of your senior year) then kick back and take a bunch of interesting liberal arts courses during your senior year, get any job for two years after you graduate (as required by the 2&2 program) and then go to the Harvard Business School with your undergraduate math degree (a hot degree these days especially if you also take a lot of stats) when you’re 24. You’ll graduate with your MBA while still 26 (which is very young to already have a Harvard MBA) and then you’ll stand a much greater chance of being hired by a Goldman Sachs level firm and at a level (and pay) higher than a person with a BS degree in finance.</p>
<p>I know, I know………ASSUMING that anyone can get accepted into Harvard Business School (<10% acceptance rate) is never a safe assumption but college is all about taking risks, following your dreams, and being willing to adjust if necessary.</p>