I am in North America and currently attempting to recruit for MBB 2026 summer analyst roles, however, if I do not get an MBB role what consulting firms and other strategy roles should I apply for the will give me the best background for a possible MBB full time job.

Hi there, 

The other firms you can consider usually are the tier-2s, such as Kearney, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, LEK etc. 

For strategy roles outside of consulting, you can try corporate strategy functions in the big corporates. 

Best,

Emily

Hi!

Great Question! Emily gave a pretty good list! I would also suggest looking at Deloitte Strategy & Analytics practice. Generally speaking, consulting internships tend to be a bit limited in spots, so I would recommend casting a fairly wide net and look at other firms like PWC, Strategy& (Strategy arm at PWC), EY, Parthenon and even KPMG. Another avenue you could go down is Strategy, Product, Ops, or Finance Internships at a reputable Fortune 500.

There is no one singular path to getting into MBB, but having an internship at a well-known consulting firm or even in Industry can be looked at extremely favorably. 

I would urge you to do some more research on the consulting landscape so you better understand the type of work you are interested and what type of clients/functions some firms operate in. This could also help you prioritize the type of consulting and firms you may want to pursue.

Hope this helps!

-Ankit A

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, please have a look at the Vault Consulting Rankings to explore more interesting consulting firms.
• Moreover, I would strongly advise you to treat other consulting firms not merely as a stepping stone, but as a valid path in their own right. Many consultants from these firms have amazing careers, and the day-to-day work is usually quite similar. The differences people often talk about have more to do with the size of the consulting firm, rather than the level of expertise or other meaningful factors.

You can find more on this topic here: Boutique consulting companies.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there, 

Great that you're thinking ahead. 

Basically, to give you the best chances of getting into MBB later on (assuming you wouldn't get an MBB internship now), you should aim for the next highest ranked consulting firms, and if you don't get into consulting, then other internships where you can demonstrate that you've developed consulting-like skills (for istance, even with IB you can demonstrate that you're comfortable with data analytics, etc.)

Even so, all rankings aside, when you go into a recruitment process, despite all your prep, you can never know what works out. It's best if you see the entire process as a portfolio that you optimise. You might find this guide useful:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hey there :)

If MBB doesn’t work out for the 2026 internship (which is super common!), there are great firms that can still set you up perfectly for a full-time MBB offer later. Look into Tier 2 consultancies like LEK, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, Strategy&, and Kearney, they’re respected and often seen as great feeders into MBB. Also explore Big 4 strategy arms (Deloitte Monitor, EY-Parthenon, KPMG Strategy, PwC Strategy& US). Boutique firms like Simon-Kucher (pricing), Altman Solon (TMT), and EY-Parthenon (private equity/due diligence) are also strong prep grounds.

Focus on firms that offer real casework exposure, even if they’re smaller, brand helps, but experience matters more when reapplying to MBB full time. Happy to chat if you want to map out a full strategy :)

Best,
Alessa :)