Wow, y’all know I really like getting emails from undergrad kids who are being thoughtful about their road to an MBA while in college. I wish I’d had such forethought back in the day, so I always get an extra kick out of responding to their emails. The reader below seems to be in the process of building a really strong background and is looking for some advice on how to further direct that effort.

One of these days, I’ve got to get a job in a business school’s admissions office because I truly wonder what they think and talk about when reviewing candidates’ resumes, essays, and scores. I get so many emails about it on here, but, since I’ve never been involved in that work before, there are limits to how applicable my perspectives on these questions can truly be. Be on the lookout for a book review I’m planning on posting soon written by a former HBS admissions director because she does have the experience to give the “real deal” perspective on these sort of issues.

Also, I’ve been noticing that a lot of people have been leaving me comments with specific questions in them…PLEASE don’t do that because I’m almost positive that I won’t be able to answer them. I’m dealing with a pretty big backlog of emails and I always prioritize those. If you want your question answered, you’ve got to email it to me. And, please make sure it’s a good question…I’ve been getting a lot of doozies lately that make me wonder if the writer is being serious or not.

—–
SZ wrote:

“Marquis,

I can’t thank you enough for your great service to the community of prospective b-schoolers. Hopefully some of us will be able to contribute to the effort in the future.

I am currently an undergrad at Georgia Tech studying Computer Engineering. I am very fond of technology and business, and I would love to pursue an MBA from Stanford GSB. I am getting ready to wrap up an internship at Deloitte Consulting, and I am trying to decide where to go next summer and eventually full-time. I am considering firms like: McKinsey’s BTO, Booz Allen, and Deloitte.

My question is which firm would provide a better experience or make a better case for a b-school like Stanford?
A prestigious firm like McKinsey, a solid technology strategy firm like Booz Allen, or a technology implementation firm like Deloitte.

Or does the firm or type of work (strategy vs implementation) even matter?

Also, would you recommend any other types of work experiences (industry, startups, non-profit) instead of consulting?

Thanks again,

SZ”
—–
My response:

SZ,

I hope your school year is going well. I’m sorry for taking so long to write you back, but I’ve had a lot of emails come in recently and I’m just now getting to this one that you sent two months ago. I usually try to get to messages much quicker than that, but the summer months brought a lot of questions. Anyways, I commend you on thinking ahead about making the right career choices. You’re doing yourself a great service by getting this far ahead of the curve and will be much more prepared when you apply to business school. Your questions are tough ones because they need the insights of someone from an admissions background, which I don’t have. I’ll give you my own perspective, but you may want to contact the admissions office at Georgia Tech’s business school to ask the same questions.

Your first question about the type of firm that will serve as the best lead-in for B-school is a good one, but I’m not sure if there’s a definitive answer to it. I’ve met MBA students from a wide range of firms from small boutique to traditional strategy shops to technology implementation firms and the common theme between those kids was their track record of achievement. I’ve never heard an MBA admissions rep say that a candidate has a better chance coming out of Firm A versus Firm B and I doubt any of them would make that sort of statement. What’s important here is to get the sort of experiences that will enrich you professionally and build toward your overall MBA story (as I’ve written about in the past). Since you’re still in college, you can be strategic in plotting your path to make the optimal decision later on. With an internship at Deloitte Consulting under your belt, you’ll be in high demand during the internship recruiting cycle for next year, so this could be a perfect time to get a different experience, such as general or technology strategy. Once you’ve completed that position, you can compare the types of work you’ve done and make an informed decision for full-time based on which you find more interesting and enjoyable.

Also, while the reputation of each firm is important, I’d argue that the most important differentiator is the potential for you to fit into the company’s culture. Of course, you’ll want to pursue the “best” firm possible, but you should also focus on finding the best firm for YOU. Trust me…Fit is a HUGE issue when choosing a firm, so you should over-invest in learning about the culture at the firms you consider. I would encourage you to select a firm that “feels right” to you rather than basing your choice on which firm will get you into a particular business school. This may make for a tougher decision on your part, but you’ll likely enjoy your experience more and perform better if you’re happier with your overall work environment.

OK, so let’s get to the second question about whether strategy versus implementation work matters…in terms of business school admissions, I’m not really sure. I can’t see how it would as long as you do well and can leverage it to get some great essays and recommendations. A better question to ask is whether strategy or implementation work matters as far as reaching your overall career goals. Remember…you’ve got to play the “long game” here and not just think about the short-term goal of getting into business school. You should think about what you want to be doing in 10, 15, and 20 years and ask yourself whether focusing on strategy or implementation work in consulting will get you closer to those goals. Otherwise, you might miss out on some potentially beneficial experiences for your future in order to get an MBA acceptance letter now.

In terms of other types of experiences, I’ve heard of many people going from consulting analyst positions into other jobs that might address perceived short-comings in their profiles. For example, a consultant who had a non-finance/quant undergrad degree choosing to do a couple of years in investment banking before business school. Or, a quant jock consultant moving into a non-profit role after finishing up their time as a consulting analyst. As I’ve mentioned in past entries, people from a wide range of backgrounds end up in great business schools, so I’d recommend considering alternative positions in areas that truly interest you. You could make a move based on trying to get yourself into B-school, but, if you’re doing something you like, you’ll probably do so well that it could serve as a great platform for an admit letter from a top school. So, think about what kind of work would make you happen and then do what you feel would be truly rewarding and enjoyable to you.

Good luck as you map out your career path from now through your college graduation. Again, I want you to know how impressed I am with the forethought you’re putting into your career choices this early on. Take care.

-Marquis