Im a first year undergraduate student looking to getting into Strategy or Technology consulting when I graduate. Just wondering what I can do at this point to improve my chances of getting into the top firms in the field when I eventually apply to them. Also is there any particular degree that is valued the most by the top consulting firms. Thanks

It's a good time to be asking that question. I wish I'd thought about where I'd end up during my first year.Get top marks in whatever academic field you enjoy most - it doesn't really matter which one it is, they just want to see that you've got a head on your shoulders. Get involved in a few extracurricular activities that you enjoy and that will provide some metric for just how excellent you are. At least some of those activities should be "different" - you don't want to be the 100th applicant who does debating.Try and make sure that this track record also reflects the qualities that MBB are most interested in, like leadership and innovation. You could trawl their websites for a list of these. The nice thing about the above strategy is that, if you change your mind about what you want to do, you're well positioned to do almost anything else and you've only spent time doing the things you enjoy.Note: you don't have to be particularly exceptional at any one thing if you can keep yourself in the top 5 - 10% of several fields at once. I got first class honours, ran two prestigious clubs, volunteered for a bunch of worthy causes and started a successful non-profit organisation. If you put those things together, they make me sound like I'll be a good employee. But none of these things is particularly hard to achieve.

I completely agree about doing some extracurricular activities that are interesting. Decent academic results won't get all the way, if you get a first but the furthest you went from your study was your library you will look pretty one dimensional, you really do need to do something that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Thanks for the advice folks, just wondering how much extra circs done at secondary school count, obviously won't bank on just these but I've got some great stuff there that "shows leadership" I also wanted to know about work experience, how much, where, when etc...It seems to me that consulting is no kids field I assume they wont be putting youngsters out in front of top executives, so are there real prospects for some one straight out of university with just an undergrad. degree? Thanks

my god... you're in your first year?! go out and get pissed and have $ex with as many drunken girls as possible! forget career focus until at least next year!

In reply to hmm...Forget it, uni and the job market doesn't work like that any more.If you want an internship in consulting (highly valuable when seeking employment after uni) you need to be predicted a 1.1 at the end of your first year so you can put this on internship applications you will be filling around September the second year. Flunk the first year and you can kiss this and you intership applications goodbye!You can combine work and fun, though getting drunk only some nights and doing some constructive stuff the others e.g. societies and sport will take you much further and is a lot more fun IMHO.

Believe me, I did. So much so that I screwed up my first year so badly I am having to redo it. But with regard to this summer (2008) what types of work experence are highly regarded in the consulting field. I think I think know what the answer is but I am hoping for some alternatives too.

Better to screw up your first year than your last. If you can get good marks from here on in, you've got a good chance. But you'll need to make yourself different from the other candidates in some way, because if they've got a choice between two otherwise equal people and one of them screwed up their first year, they need some sort of reason to pick the one who screwed up.Extracurriculars are a good way of providing that reason. Good 'fit' in the interview can do the trick just as well. Make sure you keep spending time at the pub and learning to socialise with a wide range of people.

Well to be honest I dont know if they would know, seeing as I am resiting the year its as if my previous scores/etc never happened. Academically I don't think I will be disadvantaged, because my track record thus far is fairly good and assuming I get the needed degree grade I should be sitting in-line with the other applicants.But what kind of work exp. should I undertake in the summer following this year since I cant jump on to the MC internships till the penultimate year.

In regard to work experience I would suggest the following:- Something that is project based with a tangible outcome e.g. sorting a specific problem for a company such as outstanding invoices- Make sure your second year work experience is heavily consulting focused either via an internship or a similar kind of role the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) can be very good for this as a it places you in a SME where you undertake a 'mini' consulting assignment.The added bonus of the later is you have to write up and present your work to a board of judges, and if sucessful you can progress to a regional and then national final. It certainly gave me an edge in my final year interviews.

Fantastic, thanks for the advice. I am presently working for a risk managment/safety classification firm, however due to the nature of the work anything I do has to be essentially re-done before certification. I am thinking of I-Bank internships for the summer, would it be of more value, or should I stick to my current employer?

It's not true about needing a 1st in first year to get an internship. I got a low 2.2 and have 1 interview so far.

Robyn, have you considered that it might be because they want a bit of totty to brighten up the office?

"It's not true about needing a 1st in first year to get an internship. I got a low 2.2 and have 1 interview so far"So presumably the place you are applying to has entry criteria of a 2.2 or better?! Truely competitive internships tend to demand higher academics.