How elitist are the top firms, outside of MBB? And is a degree from warwick (ceteris paribus) sufficient to reach interview stage at MBB?

You should at least get to interview with the janitor - not sure about second round its tough competition being the best!

Having worked at an MBBB firm and as an Oxbridge grad, it did seem pretty much dominated by 90%+ oxbridge grads, with the odd grad from UCL, Imperial. Depends what your degree is in and what grade you got too, and maybe what grades you got at GCSE...if average and you don't have a 'hard' degree it may be hard to get an MBBB interview.

Definitely make sure you say "ceteris paribus" in the interview... It makes you sound REALLY clever...

'ceteris paribus' is more economical than its translation, and also serves to filter out the illiterati, so it gets my vote..

Thanks for the replies. Does anybody else's experience contradict the general jist i'm getting? @ 'yes-man': correct me if im wrong but i was under the impression that performance following the first face to face interview was judged solely on interview and case study performance...@ WH: Im studying Economics with a year to go, and realistically looking at bringing a 2.1 home. All bravado or arrogance aside, I am confident of impressing come interview stage, but the difficulty comes in being granted such a privelige. Outside of MBBB, I take it my options are somewhat restricted to Deloitte? I hear the likes of Monitor, OC&C and Arthur D Little can be just as exclusive as the top tier

Will,With all due respect it shouldn't take you more than a couple of hours to sort out an application. It's a grad position, it's about filling in boxes. So...why not try?! I realise you may have another year to go and not yet at application stage, in which case try and get yourself an internship at a abank or at a good MC. I was invited for interviews at Bain and McK. I also thought I would impress. I didn't. But I am very happy I wasted the time on the forms/interview, so go for it!

Will,With all due respect it shouldn't take you more than a couple of hours to sort out an application. It's a grad position, it's about filling in boxes. So...why not try?! I realise you may have another year to go and not yet at application stage, in which case try and get yourself an internship at a abank or at a good MC. I was invited for interviews at Bain and McK. I also thought I would impress. I didn't. But I am very happy I wasted the time on the forms/interview, so go for it!

Having been at an MBBB and an OW/MON/ATK/OC&C/ADL it is fair to say that surviving the CV sort will be tough, and after that your ability is down to your interview.Options:(1) Apply in the future. Not really a problem if you do this anyway - no black lists. If you get a first and/or postgrad at Oxbridge it would massively boost your chances.(2) Get in now through alternative routes. Network? There are no easy ways in, but they might not ditch your CV straight off.(3) Apply now, directly, and ace every part of the application:- Academics. Set yourself a target of a first and achieve it.- Work experience. Do you have time to sort this?- Leadership. Run a major uni society and/or several minor ones & make something out of it. Set up your own business and turn a profit. Play a sport for England (tougher...). Do something impressive for charity.- Needless to say structure, spelling, grammar, length of application must be right.Not going to mince my words - it will be tough for you. But set your mind to it, work out precisely how to play the recruiting game, work very hard (get used to it), and I see no reason why you can't get in anywhere!

And when you have gone to all of that trouble you can come and create spreadsheets and map processes for me. I look forward to meeting you.

If you want to achieve something, then do everything you can to achieve it. Don't let issues like elitism get in your way - work out how to play the game and then play it.'MBBB' raises a good point though. You gotta make sure you want to do it. I personally love my consulting role - many of my colleagues do not...

Fully agree!