Quitting Masters, Gap Year

Question

Hey!

I am currently in a bit of a struggle phase.

I finished my first (out of four) semester of my Masters in a well regarded European university, but I mainly started it to go for a semester abroad again and to obviously have a Masters degree, but also because a Masters abroad in London was not possible due to the high costs of tuition that I do not have to pay here in my home country.

Now they rejected me 2x for an exchange semester because of my GPA (even though my current GPA is 1,5 next to working parttime, which was not considered on purpose).

The thing is, my Masters is not making me happy, as well as the city I'm living in is not. I applied for consulting summer internships to smaller boutiques in Germany and also OW & got interviews so even without much prep or a CEMS/Strategy Msc. I'm not doing that bad on the job market.

So now I'm questioning if - from a consulting perspective - it is smarter to quit the masters, get an internship in another country, do a Gap Year & reapply for a different Msc. abroad or just push through, stay in my current job (project management/marketing working student) & be forced to stay in my city until June 2027.

(Sidenote: I am 23 & my parents always push the safe route so they are not very willing to let me quit.)

Thank you & I'm curious to hear your insights!

Answer 1

I think you are overcomplicating it. You are really asking for permission to make a change that feels risky.

From a consulting hiring perspective, firms care about your degree, experience, and interview performance. They don't care if your Masters took an extra year or you switched programs. What hurts is no degree, a pattern of quitting, or a gap you cannot explain.

Quitting to do nothing is risky. Quitting to do something better is not.

If you are serious about leaving, secure something first. Internship, job, or confirmed admission elsewhere. Don't quit into nothing.

If you are not sure, finish this semester while recruiting. If you land something great, then decide.

On your parents

They want safety because they care. But you are 23. This is the time for calculated risks. The key word is calculated.

Feel free to reach out if you want help thinking through the plan.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're in a tough spot, and it's completely understandable to question a path that isn't making you happy, especially when you're already demonstrating strong potential in recruiting. This isn't just about career choices; it's about making a decision that aligns with your well-being and long-term goals.

From a consulting perspective, firms care about a compelling narrative and tangible experience. While a Master's degree is often a tick-box, which Master's and what you do with it matters significantly more. Simply pushing through a program you dislike, staying in a city you don't enjoy, and accumulating a degree without enthusiasm can actually weaken your story. Your current strong GPA (1.5 is excellent in Europe, by the way) and interview success at boutiques and even OW without specific prep are strong signals that you have the raw talent.

Taking a strategic gap year to pursue a meaningful internship abroad, especially in a sector or function that aligns with your consulting aspirations, could be a much stronger move for your career profile than enduring an unhappy Master's. It demonstrates initiative, resourcefulness, and a clear sense of direction – qualities highly valued in consulting. If you use that year to build a fantastic internship experience and then pivot to a more targeted Master's (abroad, if that's what you want), you'll present a much more coherent and impressive profile. Don't underestimate the power of a proactive, well-narrated career move.

Hope this helps you think it through! All the best.