Hi, Im thinkingof applying to consulting firms next year, and wondering if any undergrads/recent grads who have been through the interviews this christmas could give me an insight into their experiences, especially how they think their university has impacted on their chances. Is is all really about Oxbridge, or have people from other unis been also getting into the top firms? What type of work experience have people had? Many final rounds/rejections? I'm sure the info would be helpful to loads others in my position. Thanks.

No, it's not all about Oxbridge but if you're not in say the top 10-15 unis then you will struggle to get interviews at the top strategy houses. Likes of Accenture, PA etc. take from a wider selection, but still has to be fairly reputable. You should ideally have 2+ short internships or volunteer initiatives on your application (or 1 if it was a full year placement), most applicants do and competition is fierce. Outstanding candidates will get say about a 70% hit rate on being invited to interview (contrary to belief, they do get turned down quite often for being too cocky), most reasonable candidates will get about 30% hit rate. From there, it's how you do on the day(s) that determine if you get the job.

Non Oxbridge undergrad, two interships and a fair deal of extracurricular activities.13 applications7 first round interviews4 final round interiews3 offers

Would you mind letting us know WHERE these final rounds/offers are? I think the point is to see how non oxbridge undergrads got on with the top tier firms, or whether they have had more sucess with tier 2/3 or big 4.