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What courses/classes are the most useful for MBB

MBB Preparing for consulting work
New answer on Sep 30, 2020
3 Answers
3.3 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Sep 07, 2018

What classes that we are taught at school/university did you find to be more useful for MBB consulting job? What would you say are top 5?

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Benjamin
Expert
updated an answer on Sep 07, 2018
ex-Manager - Natural and challenging teacher - Taylor case solving, no framework

Hi,

I assume your question is about the skills that are usefull once you're in the job on a day to day, not the skills specially looked for by the recruiter on your CV.

Here is a personal list of the skills I have developped at school and that were usefull for my consulting experience. I am sure other will find additional class usefull, it actually depends on the types of engagement you will work on :

Hard skills :

  • Supply Chain / industrial engineering : helps a lot to understand the process and organisation of the different industries
  • Basic corportate / project finance : learn P&L, valorisation, principlesof accounting
  • excel modeling : any class involving intense usage of excel and allowing you to develop your skills will for sure be usefull when starting the job

Soft skills :

  • project management : will help you on a daily basis. This is a must have skill, but doesn't necesseraly require a special class
  • Oral communication : will help you presenting your work with impact
  • Strategy : will teach you the basics, but honestly I found the interest limited since it's to theoretical

Hope this helps

Best

Benjamin

(edited)

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Guennael
Expert
replied on Sep 07, 2018
Ex-MBB, Experienced Hire; I will teach you not only the how, but also the why of case interviews

MBB wants to hire the best people (brains), not specifically folks coming from specific paths. This is how you find music or litterature undergrads and JDs, MDs, PhDs of all areas in consulting. If they are interested in your profile, they will train you in whatever you need.

When we look at someone's profile, we pay more attention to your school name, grades, leadership positions, internships.... than to what you have actually studied. Yes, we will adjust your grades based on perceived difficulty - but that's about it (I exagerate only slightly).

For argument's sake, let's assume you are a business major. I would then encourage you to do advanced statistics, finance, marketing, even accounting... all the usual suspects. My recommendation would be different if you were a STEM major. Early on in your career, an outsized part of your time will be spent getting data and making sense of it.

Bigger picture and longer term however, I believe everyone should spend more time learning about human psychology, communication, negociation and sales. These would be relevant in non-consulting roles as well btw.

Hope this helps; let me know if I misunderstood your request.

Best,

Guennael -

ex-BCG Dallas

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Anonymous replied on Sep 30, 2020

Hi A,

From my side I would add strategy, management conslting, finance, analysis.

Best,
André

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