Hey,

Here is my view, as someone who studied in France, got recruited in Paris and in Dubai:

1. As Sara said, don't worry it will be the same for everyone. Campus event however were later than September (typically October, early November), and the recruitment process for last-year graduates spreads from November to February I would say. This gives you still enough time to prepare for interviews once you start your Master. Regarding your GPA, I don't think it matters that much if you apply in France / Dubai, I wasn't asked for mine when I was recruited.
2. Note that in France a MSc is not worth the same as the Grande Ecole diploma (this is for students who did preparatory classes and went through the national exams to get accepted in HEC, ESSEC, etc.). MSc are typically not screened by consulting firms in Paris (unless huge recruitment needs, or specific talent e.g., language) and they focus on students that when through preparatory classes. I know that you plan to apply in Dubai / Singapore but bear in mind that usually they ask for French consultants to support on-campus recruiting, and screening CVs, so they will probably have the bias I mentioned earlier. (Maybe you will have more chance applying online and getting your application reviewed by HR)
3. Not sure what you mean by switch through the program. a 2-year program could be a good way to strengthen your CV and add a good experience there, and don't worry too much about your age. Most French starts their consulting job at 24/25 (2 or 3 years of preparatory classes, 3 years of Master in a Grande Ecole, plus a gap year) - age is just a number and all relative!

Hi there,

I'm honestly highly confused by your Q&A. I don't understand why you're looking to jump into a master's when you haven't even started your role at the Big4 firm. Big 4 as a first job is fantastic for your resume!

Honestly, I don't agree with your logic and think 1) You're thinking through this problem improperly and 2) Asking completely the wrong questions.

From what I understand of your situation (caveat: understanding is limited), you should not be applying to any program right now.

Don't go into more debt when you can get 3-4 years experience at this big 4 firm, get promoted, “erase” the GPA through this job, AND get paid a bunch of $ AND get them to pay for your MBA. Patience…

Dear candidate,

great thoughts. The work experience at a big four company will likely count much more than doing a prestigious master right now. Try to work there for long enough a time, then rather aim to do a top MBA and go into strategy consulting later. That is of course, if you are ok to put in some years. But this process would much up your chances and you would not have to take on debt right now.

Best regards

Hi there,

1. I intend to use the master's degree to fix my low GPA and non-business background, would applying just one month into the program kill my chances?

No. But you won’t be able to compensate for the previous GPA for obvious reasons. If your current GPA is low, you could avoid to report any GPA and try to improve your CV based on the brand name of the new school plus any extra activities you could do between now and the time of the application.

2. Is on-campus recruiting different for MSc in Strategic Management? I see more than half the class going into consulting, and I wonder how they do it.

They likely have preferential channels given the track record you mentioned.

3. I will have one year of experience in non-strategy consulting pre-masters but bad educational background - is it possible to switch through the program? Should I go for the two-year Masters in Management, with the summer internship/gap year, instead? (I don't want to go this route if possible; I'll already be 24 at the start of my first job post-undergrad)

Whether you can switch is something you should verify with the school career service. Having a 2-year master can double the opportunities to land into consulting (one for summer internship, one for full time). From that point of view could be helpful, although you should weigh if it is worth the extra money and time.

Best,

Francesco

1. They will weight more your acceptance into the Masters (and GMAT) than your prior GPA, particularly given the field of study. If a target school thought your previous background was good, they tend to trust that decision (although not blindly). 
2. This means the school is a target school for the recruiting firms - and probably students do some self selection (people who want to go to consulting chose that school) and also practice hard in order to pass the case interviews