How, if at all, does academic success translate to success in consulting life?

consultingsuccess
New answer on Aug 14, 2020
4 Answers
1.3 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Sep 19, 2019

(edited)

Overview of answers

Upvotes
  • Upvotes
  • Date ascending
  • Date descending
Best answer
Deniz
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 20, 2019
5+ Years at BCG & Kearney Dubai & Istanbul | 400+ Trainees | Free 15-min Consultation Call

Hi,

There is certainly a correlation, and that is why top companies would require high grades from top schools. However, there are certain skills required in consulting which we are unable to practice too much at school:

  • Interpersonal skills (i.e. being an extraverted person, ability to get the buy-in from different audiences)
  • Communication skills (i.e. being able to tell a story in a concise manner)

Best,

Deniz

Was this answer helpful?
Vlad
Expert
replied on Sep 19, 2019
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

It does not correlate with the overall success in life (I mean grades), but correlates with the consulting work since it's very similar skills:

  • Ability to learn
  • Ability to solve the problems
  • Critical thinking
  • Math

Best

Was this answer helpful?
Anonymous B updated the answer on Sep 19, 2019

I just read this from my research methods book:

Airy academic research may seem disconnected from a world in which so many people labor so hard at getting ahead or keeping others down. But in business and government, in law and medicine, in politics and international diplomacy, no skill is valued more highly than the ability to recognize a problem, then to articulate it in a way that convinces others both to care about it and to believe it can be solved, especially by you. If you can do that in a class on medieval Tibetan rugs, you can do it in an o;ce on Main Street, Wall Street, or on Queen’s Road in Hong Kong.

- Craft of Research by Booth, Colomb, & Williams

(edited)

Was this answer helpful?
1
Anonymous replied on Aug 14, 2020

Dear A!

I totally agree with Vlad. You can use your following academic skills to succeed in consulting:

  • Time Management & Organization.
  • Reading Strategies.
  • Analytical thinking
  • Math- very important
  • Communication skills I wish you good luck. If you need some help just drop me a line!

    Best,

    André

Was this answer helpful?
0
Deniz gave the best answer

Deniz

Content Creator
5+ Years at BCG & Kearney Dubai & Istanbul | 400+ Trainees | Free 15-min Consultation Call
800
Meetings
697
Q&A Upvotes
65
Awards
5.0
122 Reviews
How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or fellow student?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 = Not likely
10 = Very likely