I have been on this forum for some time now. it is a useful source of research for those wanting to make a move into consulting.it became clear very quickly though that the majority of posters here have bitter tongues and are definitely minorities in the grand scheme of things. All the firms which are publicly slain on this forum are successful are will continue to be, so for all its worth, opinions here should be ignored.One thing that has reoccured over and over is the arrogance of some; specifically around academics.I find this to be laughable. The puerile view of some posters is pathetic.I have heard the 2:1's, MBA from top schools, but my school is bigger than yours, MBBB are top of the top creme 95th percentile of the 95th percentile...frankly this comes up in just about every threadTo me it sums up in a bunch of highly successful academics and that is it! this is not post qual research; we are not curing cancer or competing for the nobel prize.we are business people. people with insight, flair, sharp thinking, ingenious and intuitive. these are not skills you learn in books.As for me, I am an average Jo. average grades, from an average uni. you can count me out of the MBBB, PWCs etc of the world but let this be a warning to all of you creme of the crops who take comfort in writing MBA from Harvard in bold letters on their CV. MBAs and 2:1s don't deliver results and they don't win clients either.So next time you lose a client or miss out on a promotion; remember me...

So what's your point? What are you warning against? Should we be aiming for mediocrity, just in case too many qualifications detract from our ability to "deliver results" and "win clients"?In my view, best education --> best qualifications --> best consulting jobs. At the entry level and post-MBA. Once you get there, it's all a wash. But you have to get there in the first place.You are correct that anyone can be 'good at business', but you can't demonstrate this unless someone gives you a chance, at least in consulting, and this is a consulting forum.There are plenty of MBAs and 2:1s that don't deliver, and plenty that do. The point is that the qualifications offer you a broader range of opportunities in which to deliver.

I cannot disagree with any of what you are saying. There is a subtle difference between those that aim for the best to hope the best (e.g. to your point) and those who feel they can slay others who have not achieved the same level of academic excellence or those who feel MBA's from top schools earns them automatic right of passage over others.I would hire anyone who display strong judgement and flair over top MBA graduate.Now with that said, if you have both academic success and business know how, then you cannot go wrong. a bit of humility however is always a plus...

Aren't academic credentials the primary mechanism through which you can identify who is clever and who is less clever?After all, everyone likes to say that they're clever (and dammit these people are ALWAYS absolutely 100% rock-solid CERTAIN that they're the most capable person you've EVER met), but not everyone can produce a Harvard MBA to back up the claim.

Dave, your last post is very depressing. Are you saying that I'm stupid? Oh sh1t!