Masters at Nova

Hey Anonymous,

First of all: you are not alone, I remember how complicated it seems to face these choices at a very young age. And, from your story, it seems like you have already done a lot and are an incredibly proactive person -- kudos!

However, answering to your question is almost impossible: you are comparing two institutions (Nova and UW) that frankly tend to be very similar. Both are very prestigious, they have similar rankings, they probably send a good number of students to MBB every year. Even Marketing and Management are not that different!

The reality is that many other things in your life will co-determine what kind of job you will get. Getting a specific job is not a deterministic process where you can confidently say "I need to go to Uni X vs. Uni Y, because I will get a 30-50% higher change of working for McKinsey". There are too many factors (your internship, your interests, the specific needs of the office, the economic cycle, etc.) to control for. A Management program might be more aligned, but also more people will apply to MBB and so you might be less likely to stand out.

The only good advice that I can give you is making a choice that you think will make you generally happier. Here, *generally* means in the average outcome, and not only in the xx% outcome where you land an MBB job straight out of undergrad.  

If you want to do more Strategy than Marketing/Analytics in your life, then switching might make sense if that's driven by genuine passion, maybe less so if driven by an unproven y% in improvement in your job prospects. And are you sure that your current degree gives you statistically significant lower chances of getting the work you need? When I was facing a similar choice, what helped me a ton was speaking with alumni. I was worried that my "favorite" MSc. program could have limited career opportunities, but speaking with five Alums showed me my assumption was totally baseless :)

Good luck on your endeavors!

Tom

PS: Fwiw, keep in mind that my colleagues at McKinsey had every kind of degree: Management or Finance for sure, but also Marketing, Humanities, Design, Engineering, Biotech, etc. Also, many of them joined McKinsey much later in their life, so any choice you make you'll have more than a few opportunities to do strategy consulting.

Hi, good question — and honestly, you’re already in a better position than you think.

On the university point: the difference between WU, NOVA and Católica is not that big for consulting. They’re all good schools. None of them will “unlock” consulting on their own.

What really matters is:

• internships
• experience
• how you tell your story

And from what you wrote, you’re already doing well there. You’ve got relevant experience, good grades, and you’re already getting positive signals from boutiques. That’s usually the hardest part.

So I wouldn’t take a €30k decision thinking it will massively change your recruiting chances — it probably won’t.

The only real argument for NOVA is that you’re not happy at WU. That’s fair, but I’d try to be honest with yourself on why. If it’s just that the program isn’t perfect or the exchange didn’t work out, I’m not sure it’s enough to justify quitting everything and starting over somewhere else.

On the London point: NOVA might give you a slightly more international environment, but it won’t solve visas or suddenly make recruiting there easy. You’ll still need strong internships and good interviews.

Also, you’re 23 — this is not your only chance to do something international. You can still:

• do an internship abroad
• move after your first job
• switch later

My honest take: you don’t need to switch to reach your goal. You’re already on track.

So:

• if you really want the experience and are okay with the cost → go for NOVA
• if you’re doing it mainly for recruiting → I’d stay, get a good internship, and build from there

You’re actually closer to consulting than you think.

hey there :)

you’re actually in a very strong position already, your profile with internships, analytics, consulting exposure and initiatives is more important for recruiting than the exact master brand

between WU, NOVA School of Business and Economics and Católica, the difference for consulting recruiting is not huge, both are seen as solid European targets, but NOVA has a slightly stronger international consulting signal especially for strategy roles and mobility toward places like London, though visa success will still depend much more on experience and networking than the university name

the bigger question is really ROI vs clarity, 30k is a meaningful investment, so it only makes sense if you are genuinely unhappy at WU and believe NOVA will significantly improve your motivation, network and access to internships, which it likely can but it is not a guaranteed step change in outcomes

honestly, based on your experience already, you are already competitive for boutiques and even MBB adjacent roles if you convert internships well, so the master is more of a “facilitator” than a requirement

if I were you, I would choose NOVA only if you feel excited by the move and the environment, not because you feel you “need” it for consulting, otherwise staying and focusing on top internships could be equally strong

if you want, happy to sanity check your exact London plan too

best,
Alessa :)

Congrats on both admits. That is not easy.

WU is fine for DACH consulting but it is not a strong name for London recruiting. NOVA travels better internationally. If London is genuinely the goal, NOVA is the better bet.

That said, school name matters less than you think at early career stage. What gets you into consulting is case performance, your story, and networking. Frankfurt boutiques already gave you positive signals with your current profile. The brand is not holding you back as much as you fear.

Ask yourself honestly: are you unhappy at WU because of the program itself, or because of the exchange rejection? If it is the program, that is a valid reason to leave. If it is mainly the rejection frustrating you, NOVA might not fix that feeling.

On the money, 30k at 23 with parental support is manageable. It is not reckless.

My recommendation: if you have 1 or 2 semesters left at WU, finish it. Use the time to do cases, build your story, and network into London firms directly. If you have 3 semesters left, NOVA starts making more sense.

How many semesters do you have left at WU?

Hi there, 

That's a lot to think through. 

I'll try to simplify it. 

If you want to get into consulting, two things will be important

1 The brands on your CV that signal you're a high potential candidate

2 The consulting or consulting-like professional experiences which you've accumulated which signal you have the skills for this sort of work

So that's where I'd start from. 

When choosing a program, if you want to be strategic, choose the program that is highest ranked by consulting firms.

And try to get into as much consulting related work (paid or unpaid) as possible to consolidate your profile.

You might also find this guide useful:

• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

At a critical juncture in your career where the decision impacts your future, why not invest in a professional to help you make the right decision?

Honestly, a Q&A will not do justice to a serious career decision like this!

We don't know you and we haven't worked with you, so none of us are well positioned to tell you what to do. Just like you pay someone to do your taxes or manage your wealth (because it's a big deal)... consider paying a career coach. This isn't something to go "free" on.

I highly recommend investing in 1 to 2 sessions with a career coach to make sure you make the right choice!

Feel free to reach out: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/coaching-packages-5/31

Worth reading before you decide: https://www.preplounge.com/en/blog/consulting/career/pros-and-cons-of-working-at-a-top-consulting-firm

And for the broader career strategy thinking: search The Consulting Offer Blueprint on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.