Hi all, I am a 3rd year mechanical engineering student at the university of birmingham and am looking at securing an internship within strategy consulting. Here is some insight on my CV.My work experience ranges from a part time job a small management consulting company last year to 2 summer internships in a big gas and chemical company. I am fluent in french, english and speak very good spanish., have recieved a few awards, including an academic scholarship and a leadership award. finally, I am studying abroad in the US.I have been looking at company websites over the past few days and to my dismay, all their intake seems to come from oxbridge. so, my question is, do I still stand a chance to have a job offer with a degree from Birmingham?Would really appreciate any replies! thanks!

as of now, not a chance in hell. sorry kiddo - lots of people in the same pool.the only chance is for you to go to US top 5 b - schools or LBS. good luck

Dont worry about the weird and misguiding info provided by some members of this forum. I work as a consultant and have been working with ppl who graduated with sort of universities incl ex polys. and foreign degrees.Univ of Birmingham is a good university (if i remember right its in Russel group) and you seem to have all the potential, what it takes for a junior/Trainee position at an MC. Just make sure that you finish ur degree with min 2:1, which is normally the official criteria for most companies.good LuckACC boy

I'm sure it will depend very much on your UCAS points - anything les than AAB and you will probably find is very difficult indeed

Thanks a lot for your reply. Which consultancy firm do you work for if you don't mind me asking?

...

Definitely not, I did Engineering at Bristol... (got the leadership award too!) internship at R-R, and three years non-relevant work after graduating and I am now starting with OC&C.

YES YES YES YES... OXBRIDGE IS THE ONLY KEY- at least for the top 5 firms-lets Be honest- lets not lie to each other

Decent background, shame about the Birmingham degee. You're not going to get into MBBB or strat houses such as Marakon, Mercer, Monitor, Roland Berger with that background but should easily get interviews for BAS, Accenture, Deloitte, PA.....

That's not quite right - I went to Glasgow Uni, got a 1st and have an interview with Mercer.

McKinsey is pretty open to non-traditional and non-Oxbridge degrees. Much more so than Marakon (for example), even though McKinsey is much the better consultancy. Firms with sound selection procedures can afford to look for talent at non-Oxbridge universities - it's the ones who don't have rigorous or reliable interview procedures who have to set very narrow criteria in order to reduce their risk exposure.

I got an interview with Mckinsey and I went to Leeds Uni - it's possible! Interesting to note that although I didn't get a place at Mckinsey I'm now on the grad scheme of a large MC firm and i can't think of any Oxbridge students in my intake at all.

I have just started at a firm and there isn't anyone BUT oxbridge... not that I am complaining, it is nice to be finally rubbing shoulders with the 'chosen' 8 years after being rejected...

Finally Equal,With your mentality, you will continue being dependent on being "chosen". Hence I think you are a follower and I would personally not have hired you.If I was in you shoes, I would be gagging to show that I am the one to do the choosing rather than be excited about someone else's approval. I am a leader not a follower or a disciple.

Anon, I think your comments to 'Equal' are a touch off base and smack of arrogance.'I am a leader'?! In my experience, you don't proclaim yourself a leader. You only get that accolade from others who are willing to follow you.

Pectin,Call it arrogance if you want.Yes, I am confident enough to call myself a leader because I have been in numerous situations were people have been confortable enough to allow me to take a leading role based on my strengths. And those people are very likely to tell you that they will give me the accollade as a good leader. I am also comfortable with other people taking the lead as long as my analysis shows that they are the best choice from the bunch and their goals and principles are aligned to mine.So, by just taking my word for it, are you satisfied that I am entitled to label myself a leader and let's cut this English humble-pie bulls because it is not the only right and one-cap-fits-all-situations approach.

<yawn>

Yawn.....

Anon,I think you also failed to get the sarcasm...Finally understood?

Finally Equal,If it was sarcasm, I am afraid I failed miserably in getting it.My apologies.

Admittadly text isn&apos;t the best medium...

Maybe we should all get together over a cappucino and chat about this....

Mine&apos;s a white chocolate moccha :)

ok..ok.. lets chat about this- say- at the Ritz tea room????? sounds soo bloddy gay- but if you have tried the cucumber sandwich- you&apos;ll forget all the taunts-But I am an oxbridge twat- so whose side am i on ??