Hi Julian,

Q: Which path would you prefer looking at the two alternatives? 

You should be able to find the historical data for the masters as follows:

1. Go to LinkedIn
2. Add each university as "School" one at a time
3. Add each target company as “Company” one at a time
4. Check how many current/former consultants are present in your target regions
5. Normalize the results for the cohort size of the schools

If there are data available, I would also check the combo of work experience and master when evaluating alternative 2.

Assuming the masters of the first alternative have better placement, I would personally go for option 1, fully concentrate on one thing (your master) and leverage the internships to secure a full-time offer early on. 

On the other hand, you mentioned that option 2 suits your personal situation better, so there might be other factors you have not mentioned that could make it the ideal option in your case.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi Julian,

It's hard as it all depends on overall goals and numerous factors.

Since you're asking, I'll just go ahead and say Alternative 2 strikes me as the most logical.

But I also don't have all the info I need to provide solid advice, so please take it with a grain of salt!

Julian, 

I've seen amazing candidates coming from both paths. 

I would suggest you go for whichever feels ‘most’ right to you. 

What matters more is what you do in this time. The advantage of option two is that you can already collect work experience and develop a value proposition (e.g., area of expertise). 

This could then help you transition into a higher tier if this is what you have in mind long term. 

Best of luck with your options and sharing here a guide on how to prepare your application strategy:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Alternative 1 is more traditional. Strategy firms don't give much value to experience in Big4. 

However, I do see value in having more work experience not specifically to getting into Strategy Consulting, but in terms of valuing you as a professional on the long run.