PA Consulting NEED ADVICE

Hey there ?,

Congrats on your PA Consulting placement and your real estate investments internship—both are strong experiences that can be leveraged for MBB/Tier 2 strategy consulting in the future! Here’s a breakdown of your situation and how to maximize your chances:

1️⃣ What Does PA Consulting Do? How Good Are They?

• PA Consulting is a well-regarded consulting firm, particularly in innovation, technology, and digital transformation rather than pure strategy.
• They are not a direct MBB/Tier 2 competitor but are respected in their niche, and they do some strategy work, though it’s not their core focus.
• The firm has a strong UK presence and is growing in healthcare, public sector, energy, and digital consulting.
• Not as strong a name as OW, LEK, or RB for MBB exits, but still decent brand recognition within consulting.

Can it be leveraged? → Yes! Even if it’s not a pure strategy role, you’re still in consulting, gaining problem-solving and client-facing experience, which MBB/Tier 2 firms will value.

2️⃣ Should You Do Another Summer Internship Before Final Year?

✅ YES—if your goal is MBB/Tier 2, getting another consulting internship at a stronger strategy firm (e.g., OW, LEK, RB, Big 4 Strategy, boutique consulting) would be a great move.
✅ If you don’t secure another internship, you can still apply for MBB/Tier 2 full-time roles after PA, but it might be a bit tougher since PA isn’t as strategy-focused.
✅ Your real estate investment internship adds value but is not a direct feeder to strategy consulting.

3️⃣ PA Consulting vs. North Highland—Which is Better?

? PA Consulting:

• More well-known than North Highland in the UK
• More tech/digital transformation focused, with some strategy work
• Better brand recognition for consulting exits

? North Highland:

• More focused on operations & business transformation, less strategy-driven
• Smaller brand compared to PA
• Less exposure to strategy-related work

Verdict? → PA Consulting is the better choice if you want to position yourself for MBB/Tier 2 later.

4️⃣ Next Steps to Break Into MBB/Tier 2

✅ Leverage your PA experience for problem-solving & consulting skills—work on strategy-related projects whenever possible.
✅ Network aggressively—connect with consultants from MBB, OW, RB, and Tier 2 firms on LinkedIn.
✅ Try to land a final-year summer internship in strategy consulting—that would greatly boost your chances for full-time MBB applications.
✅ Prepare early for consulting applications—case prep, behavioral interviews, and referrals will be key.

5️⃣ Final Thoughts

• PA Consulting is a good stepping stone for MBB/Tier 2, but if you can get another strategy-focused summer internship before your final year, that will help massively.
• PA > North Highland for brand strength, consulting exits, and future MBB applications.
• You can apply directly for MBB full-time after PA, but another summer internship would make it easier.

Let me know if you need help strategizing your next moves! Best, Alessa ?

Hi there, 

Given you are still a student, the strategy consulting firms wouldn't be too demanding on your internship company name on the resume. As long as you can show that you've done something relevant to consulting, and that you have the analytical skills, logic thinking etc., that's good enough.  It is more about the role, the what-you-did. 

Best,

Emily

Hello there,

I wanted to know what PA Consulting does in bit more detail, how good are they? Can this experience be leveraged? I want to apply for another summer internship after I am done PA before I enter my final year as an undergrad or is this experience enough for me to apply for grads?

1. I don’t personally know this consulting, but you may find the answer to that in their website/linkedin page and Glassdoor. 2. Check on LinkedIn where their current alumni are placed, that will give you the reality. 3. After checking these alumni, you’ll be able to have the third answer. Also, reach out to these people to get a better glance of the company, culture and exit opportunities.

Best,

Mari

I am not sure that experience can be directly leveraged, but it is a reasonable brand name so definitely doesn't hurt. Of course, another good internship adds up to your current resume, so if you can get it, it would be great.