How important are grades for medical students applying to consulting?

Grades matter very little. 

Especially so when you are non-traditional hire. 

What matters instead are

1. demonstrated interest in consulting - e.g., consulting internship

2. consulting-like skills e.g., could be demonstrated through being part of a start-up or an internship in a different industry with cross-functional skill development

3. marks of achievement - being at the top of your class even if it's within a specific subject

In short, I'd rather focus on writing a brilliant CV and getting some expert feedback on it. Don't worry too much about the grades at this point. 

You might also find it useful to read this guide to understand what you can control as part of your application strategy:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, grades do play a significant role in the initial screening process in consulting. They serve as an indicator of your academic diligence and capability to manage complex information.
• Moreover, more important than the absolute grade, however, is the relative grade, which is expressed either by the rank within the cohort or by the percentage.
• Lastly, consulting firms typically do look at transcripts to get a detailed view of your academic performance. This scrutiny helps them to ascertain your consistency across subjects and your ability to excel in diverse disciplines.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your applications, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

I've personally seen both cases: 

1. Good grades used well to build a compelling story about ambition, perseverance, overcoming challenges, etc. 

    

2. Less stellar grades not mattering that much, as long as otherwise application is excellent (especially proven interest in consulting & previous relevant experience). 

All in, you'll probably have to do your own cost-benefit analysis on how much it is worth to push for high grades vs. spending your time on other priorities. Of course, all in the context of your mid to long-term goals. 

Good luck! 
Ariadna 

Hi there,

For MBB, excellent grades and consistency matter a lot, in some countries even going back to high school graduation. 

In short: They definitely look at it: You need to add it to the CV + an indication of how you performed vs. the cohort if possible.

That being said, they are just one of many things that matter…

All the best,

Florian

Hi there, 

Q: Does the grade in this matter? Do firms look at transcripts?

Grades can have an impact on the decision to invite candidates for interviews. Most companies will look at transcripts as part of the background check to ensure that what you reported in the application is correct.

Good luck!

Francesco

For the pass/fail thing - you have no choice but to not put any grade. And the firms will consider that.

For your iBSc, if you get a grade - then it wouldn't harm to get the best grade possible. After all, if you are doing it, you gotta do it well.

While generally grades are not of paramount importance at the outset during a recruiting process, but having stellar grades will definitely be helpful in indicating your high-caliber performance. Super-high grades can also count as ‘spikes’ at times and be beneficial.

No, in this case it shouldn't matter much. Given that it is pass/fail… it doesn't matter at all.

Firms do not look your transcripts.

You probably want to think about 2 aspects about breaking into consulting:

1. Getting invited to the interview (getting one foot into the door)
   1. Strong application (CV & CL)
      1. Make sure your application is in tip-top shape and worded in the right and relevant way that showcases the skills that are important
   2. Networking
      1. This is also extremely important as it gives you a higher chance of getting a referral, plus also can help to strengthen your application story
2. Acing the interview
   1. Understand what exactly you are going to be graded on
   2. Understand what good looks like
   3. Develop a strategy and plan to get you to a star candidate

Given your medical background, you can definitely leverage it to make your application strong in terms of a healthcare focus, as well as to network with existing ex-medical professionals who are now in consulting.

There's lots more details and nuances that I go into in my article which talks more about breaking into consulting from a non-traditional background - you can read it for more perspective:

Breaking into consulting from a non-traditional background

All the best!