Is ULMS a Target School?

Hi there,

Liverpool is not a target school.

Please read these tips on how to increase your chances: How to Get a Consulting Internship

Instead of spending $100k to increase your chances, why not spend 1% to 2% of that on a coach... They'll honestly increase your chances by more than a Masters and in far less time.

This type of decision making from people continues to blow my mind! Get a coach. Seriously.

To improve your chances, you need to:

• Network effectively
• Have the strongest resume possible
• Have a good application strategy (office selection etc.)
• Have a strong cover letter
• Get a coach to increase your chances across the board.

Try to get into consulting now. If you fail, THEN spend $100k in an advanced degree.

My Applications Course covers resume, cover letter, networking, and office selection in full.

And for the broader mindset on breaking in, search The Consulting Offer Blueprint on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Liverpool is not a target school for MBB. McKinsey, BCG, and Bain recruit heavily from a small list of schools, mainly Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial, LBS, and a handful of top European and US programs. Liverpool does not feature on that list.

Big 4 is more open. Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG recruit more broadly and Liverpool candidates do get in, especially into audit, advisory, and technology tracks. Management consulting within Big 4 is more competitive but not out of reach.

The harder issue is the part-time format. Firms recruiting for internships want full-time students they can pull into summer programs. Part-time status will create friction in the application process, not impossible to work around but worth knowing upfront.

If MBB is the real goal, your path is more likely through work experience, a strong GMAT, and a full-time MBA at a target school later. That is the realistic route from where you are.

It's great you're thinking strategically about your career path even before starting your MSc at ULMS. Understanding how firms recruit is a smart first step.

MBB and the Big 4 have a very defined set of target universities for their core management consulting roles, especially for internships and graduate programs. These schools typically receive dedicated on-campus recruiting teams, early access to candidates, and often a higher interview conversion rate. While the University of Liverpool Management School is a respected institution, it generally isn't on that top-tier target list for core management consulting at MBB or the Big 4 in the same way as some other universities in the UK. This means you won't have the same structured, dedicated recruitment funnel that a student at an Oxbridge or LSE might. Your part-time MSc also adds another layer, as most consulting internships are full-time and align with specific academic calendars.

This doesn't mean it's impossible, but it does shift your strategy significantly. You'll need to be much more proactive with networking – actively reaching out to consultants at these firms, especially any ULMS alumni, for informational interviews. Your application will typically go through the general online portal, where it competes in a much larger, often blind-reviewed pool. You'll also need to meticulously craft your resume and cover letter to highlight transferable skills from your finance background that clearly demonstrate a consulting mindset – problem-solving, analytical ability, and any client-facing potential. Consider exploring a wider range of consulting firms beyond just MBB/Big 4, or even specialist roles within the Big 4 that directly leverage your finance background.

Hope this provides a clear picture. All the best with your studies and career journey!

hey Sindiso :)

short answer: University of Liverpool Management School is not a core “target school” for MBB like McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group or Bain & Company, but it’s still absolutely possible

for Big 4 it’s much more realistic, they recruit broadly and you’ll have solid chances

for MBB, you’ll need to compensate a bit with strong grades, internships, networking and referrals, but people do make it from non-targets

so overall: not target, but definitely not a blocker if you’re proactive

happy to help you plan a path into consulting from there

best,
Alessa :)

Sindiso, 

I rather believe it might not be, but cannot confirm for sure. 

But that in and of itself is not a problem. Most candidates overestimate elements such as these, and underestimate others which are more within their control (e.g., how professionally written is their CV). 

You might also want to have a look at this guide that gives you a sense of how to build a great application strategy:

• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian