I'm a former MBB consultant with some unconventional experiences. While at MBB, I tried to do a startup on the side that was a cool experience but ultimately didn't land commercially. Then, I found an interesting opportunity at a late-stage startup and I thought it could be a cool way to test out ownership in a more formalized startup setting. I liked MBB a lot but thought it would be a good way to test out my career. However, I am considering going back to MBB after half a year given the role being a really poor fit (lots of bureaucracy, cross-functional collab with limited agency / authority, not very startup-like), and renewed realization of how well I enjoyed consulting. How weird / bad is this 5-6 month stint on a resume for a future MBA application?
Boomeranging to consulting after short late-stage startup stint - bad look for MBA?
Hey there,
Short answer: this is far less “weird” than it feels and it’s very manageable for MBA applications.
A few important points:
1) MBB already anchors your profile very strongly.
Having MBB on your CV is a huge positive for any top MBA program. Admissions committees are very familiar with MBB, explore & return paths and generally view them as high-caliber signals, not red flags.
2) A 5–6 month startup stint is not a dealbreaker, it’s a story ;)
Short stints matter much less than why they happened and what you learned. Late-stage startups can look very different on paper vs. in reality, and trying it out to test ownership and autonomy is a rational career experiment.
3) Framing is everything.
The narrative here is:
- you deliberately explored entrepreneurship / ownership,
- you learned what type of environment you thrive in
- you realized consulting is where you perform best at this stage,
- and you acted decisively rather than drifting.
That shows self-awareness, courage to take risk, and mature reflection, all things MBA programs value.
4) “Failure” isn’t a problem if it’s thoughtful.
Trying something that doesn’t work out, incl. entrepreneurship, is often viewed positively when framed well. Many candidates talk about wanting to take risks but few actually do. You did, learned from it, and adjusted.
5) School context matters, but not as much as you think.
Yes, some schools (e.g., more traditional Ivy League programs) can be slightly more conservative. Even there, this profile is not problematic if the story is coherent and confident. At most schools, this would be seen as exploration, not instability.
Bottom line:
This won’t hurt your MBA chances if you own the story. If anything, it can strengthen your application by making it more differentiated.
If you want, I’m happy to help you pressure-test the narrative you’d use in essays or interviews.
