what to major in to be a consultant
Equally consulting has get more popular (frantically so), we receive dozens of emails per month from undergrads – and even high schoolers – asking us what they should major in and which majors are deal-breakers if they desire to break into consulting. Understanding the majors that are the top feeders into consulting can assistance you lot become a head commencement on landing your dream career.
Here at MC, nosotros're always looking for new ways to help y'all land your dream consulting internship (and job!).
Today, we're continuing our new series on pinnacle undergrad majors, specialized Master's programs, and U.S. and Global MBA programs for consulting by looking at undergrads. If y'all've got your heart set on consulting, this article is for you lot.
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Top Undergrad Consulting Majors
- Economics
- Engineering science
- Finance
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Informatics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Honorable Mention
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Economics
Let's confront it – consulting work is heavily quant-focused. You won't succeed without having a firm grasp on numbers, markets, analytics, economies of scale and much, much more. If you lot're an undergrad with a desire to break in to consulting, an economics degree is one of the best consulting majors to train your mind to tackle problems and brand you an attractive prospect for internships and Masters' programs. More importantly, however, an economics major is a flag that y'all accept an active and genuine interest in business – and the sheer number of Econ majors who end upwards in consulting make this major a winner.
The problem with Econ majors? Econ majors get jacked up on nasty jargon like "economies of scale" and "opportunity cost", phrases they oft don't really empathize. Dropping these terms in interviews can be adept, merely only as a Master's student, and only when appropriately applied.
In addition, Economics degrees are highly theoretical – which often doesn't equate to the very specific, actionable and information-driven consulting civilisation. In add-on, everyone and their grandma (and frat brother) has an Econ caste, so it tin can be hard to differentiate yourself. You'll need a sexy small-scale, some unique leadership experience or a bully summer internship to stand up out.
A fun fact – Jenny Rae was an economic science major at UVA, but famously decided to shave her caput and travel the world later graduation (yeah, her parents were really proud). Her biggest hangup in example interviews was "de-jargonizing" her language and really agreement the fundamentals of business – which an Econ degree had non taught her.
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Engineering (Mechanical Engineering science is the most operationally focused)
With an Engineering science caste, more than than anything else, yous are proving that you accept a "math heed". The amount of math and science problem solving required of yous is good training for the problem solving you'll have to do in consulting, where every 1 of your findings has to be broken downwardly for the customer and backed by empirical data.
Engineering majors are known every bit beasts at Excel, which is fundamentally the most of import hard skill you volition need for consulting (on day ane, the all-time analysts at Bain were absolutely the engineers – until the remainder of us could catch up). As an engineer, you'll also get more and more familiar with a wide range of industries, including medical, energy and automated manufacturing, which yous'll undoubtedly consult for one day.
Most engineering majors starting time with applied physics, where you are using the established laws of nature to create items with practical uses. Now granted, non all engineering degrees are created equal. Mechanical Engineering is the most operationally focused, in contrast to say Civil Engineering, where you are more focused on ideas such as land apply instead of metrics and modeling. This emphasis on practicality will serve you well in consulting.
The knock on technology? No law-breaking, just some of you engineers aren't exactly known as the social blazon. This doesn't hateful consulting is an extrovert-only endeavor, merely just that yous must know how to be warm, endearing and personable with clients and co-workers alike. Having an impressive leadership particular on your resume or showing membership in a fraternity or sorority will become a long way in dispelling whatsoever stereotypes about your social skills.
In improver, engineering is known every bit a particular-oriented field. There is aught incorrect with this, but engineers are known for getting lost in the weeds from time to fourth dimension instead of being able to focus on the large picture. As a consultant, keeping the big picture show in mind is a must. The whole reason they have hired you lot is because you have a bird's eye view of the situation; engineers can be more susceptible to lose this perspective.
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Finance
A Finance degree not only shows that you're adept in math, just too implies yous're inquisitive and like to get to the root of problems. To exist specific, a degree in finance shows that you not only know the numbers, merely can communicate them in a way that is easy to sympathise. To exist successful in Finance and consulting, yous don't need simply intelligence, but personality too.
However, Finance is mostly a pipeline in to investment banking. If you are a Finance major, y'all must show that consulting isn't your second love and a career pick yous simply settled for. We recommend showing your dear for business (which is what volition really prepare you apart from the contest) by taking a leadership part in a business organization club or organization on campus, also as interning for a brand-proper name visitor (call back Google, Facebook. P&Grand, Coca Cola etc.). If all yous have is trading, investment, and financial feel on your resume, the firms will wonder how interested yous are in business operations.
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Psychology
Some may recollect that because of our focus in the Elevation 3 of heavily quantitative majors, a Math major might be next on the list. At a base of operations level, the previous degrees are specialized programs with specific applications all based on math. But Psychology? In that location is a common misconception that psychology is more an art than science, but this is simply non true. Psychology is quickly gaining acceptance as a STEM degree considering information technology immerses y'all in an array of dissimilar topics such as statistics and neuroscience. The insight in to problematic behaviors gained hither will exist a big asset to you in your consulting career equally you diagnose issues and call back of means to nowadays solutions in diplomatic terms.
Psychology is a great theoretical major, simply is non as "hands-on" and practical every bit some of the others on this list. At its very core, consulting is about assessing a situation objectively and devising a solution that can be practical practically. Majoring in Psych can show you prefer abstruse ideas to physical implementation, and this tin can touch on the style you will be perceived in the interview process. If you are a Psych major, make certain you have 1-three concrete examples of the positive change you have brought in to a workplace, especially in a consulting or brand-name internship.
And why not math? Bluntly, math geeks highly, highly theoretical equations are not considered applied enough to understand the fundamentals of business.
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Political Science
Political Science is really about the study of systems. In this major, yous learn how systems are influenced and operate, about how individuals discover a place in the prevailing organization, and about how systems are transformed over time. This is invaluable insight in consulting, equally you will have to be astute enough to understand the "question behind the question" that a client or your manager is asking you, and how that fits in to the big flick in a complex organization. In every organization y'all will work for and work at, you will be a political actor. It is imperative that you know how people in the organisation y'all are in that location to help will perceive your presence (hint: usually, not well!) and how to bring factions together, build consensus and implement positive solutions.
By now, you should be able to quickly tell what the large weakness with a Poli Sci degree is. That's correct, little to no quant work. If you are pursuing a degree in Poli Sci, we highly recommend that yous minor in a heavy quant major such equally Econ, Finance, or Physics. We besides recommend taking a leadership position in your math club on campus. In this case, you want to be known as an extracurricular math nerd! Brushing up on your math skills (or at to the lowest degree Excel or other analytical tools) is a must to land that internship you want between your junior and senior years.
Ready for another fun fact? Our COO Namaan was a political science major, showing y'all really tin go and run a business from any academic background.
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Computer science
At its very core, programming is about communicating with computers, and permit's face up it, all of united states of america wish nosotros spoke their language. Majoring in Computer science shows that you have the necessary math building blocks that will get you started in consulting, also as the drive to trouble-solve (troubleshoot) finer. Also, IT consulting as a field is growing exponentially, as firms in every industry need to know how to manage their networks. A background in Figurer Science can help you country a position consulting firms on creating and optimizing IT systems.
As with engineering, CS majors can be known to be more on the anti-social side. Again, to dispel this notion, make certain you have an agile leadership part in an organization on campus. The more than you can bear witness that you lot know how to bulldoze positive alter within an organization, the better. The other downside of a CS degree is that while information technology is very Stalk-focused, it is also a narrowly-focused program. You don't get the sociological preparation that you'll discover in Psych or Poly Sci, or the more large-picture show strategic thinking that is emphasized more than in Econ. Minoring in i of these other degrees will become a long mode to making you a more than well-rounded candidate.
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Physics
Surprise, surprise…another quant-focused major on our list! Physics is one of those majors that combines theoretical quant work with an eye toward real-globe applied awarding. Along with the quant and numerical modeling skills you'll begin to learn, an appreciation of Physics shows you accept a natural marvel and an innate desire to answer questions you lot take about the globe effectually you. Examining the principles of the laws of nature can be skilful practice for going in to a client firm and recognizing the overarching principles that guide the firm and its people (hint: these are usually dissimilar than the idealized ones you will run into plastered all over the walls!).
The problem with an undergrad Physics degree is that it is simply recognized as a full general liberal arts degree, and not 1 where you picked up any real-earth skills. Specializing in a particular field of Physics and obtaining an advanced professional degree volition give you lot claim to being an expert, and a numerical modeling primary. More than importantly, we highly recommend minoring in a degree that is business-related and being an active participant (hopefully, leader) in a business arrangement on campus. Again, this not so much nearly skilling up every bit information technology is about showing yous take an interest in and a love for business and are willing to commit at to the lowest degree part of your career to information technology.
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Chemistry
Chemical science is like to Physics in that you will go a chance to better your math skills (anyone else remember stoichiometry?). Equally with Physics, having a scientific discipline background shows that y'all know how to move methodically through a problem or formula to run into it through to completion. In fact, the scientific method is a pretty skilful film of how you would piece of work through a problem in consulting. In improver, a lot of top candidates for consulting firms started out as Pre-Med majors, simply transitioned over midway through undergrad. That'south not all bad, because healthcare consulting is the fastest growing strategy field worldwide.
In scientific degrees, an emphasis on artistic thinking and problem solving can sometimes be missing. In that location are no formulas in the consulting world, and sometimes those with Chem backgrounds are known to be a lilliputian uncomfortable having to construct answers without the benefit of a formula. Again, nosotros recommend showing you besides accept had a dear for business during your undergrad years, every bit well every bit some familiarity with business concepts. An undergraduate STEM degree can form a potent duo when combined with an MBA, as firms are always looking for candidates with science backgrounds to work with clients from those industries.
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention goes to History. You may be thinking – really? Well, yes. Consulting firms recruit from many pinnacle liberal arts schools, and there is such a matter as consulting fallout – people who were passionate about the idealized course of something (i.e., teaching) but detest it in practicality. Thank heavens for internships that help you discover what you lot might and might non like – for real! If y'all are a History major, just make sure you get some sexy real-earth experience from a brand-name company!
Do yous concord? Did we miss anything? Write to us and let us know what you call back the elevation consulting majors might be – and stay tuned for the upcoming installments in our series!
Related Articles:
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- Top 10 Global MBA Programs for Management Consulting
- PhD or Advanced Degree to Consulting
- Best Consulting Firms for Undergrad Bacon
- 5 Tips for Undergrads Wanting to State a Consulting Internship
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