Full-Time MBA Student Profile Pursuing an MBA for Consulting with Elliott T. Raia

Aside from Booth's strong record of placing students at the most impactful consulting firms in the world, the school's investment in consulting recruiting is evident from the outset. The cohesion between Booth's Career Services, Employer Relations, Student Life, and the student-led Management Consulting Group creates a streamlined experience that, while intense during your first quarter, is approachable and organized.

Advice for Applicants

For students interested in consulting, my biggest piece of advice is to trust the process. Whether you are coming from consulting or another industry, with a traditional or non-traditional background, the recruiting track at Booth can help anyone committed to the process put their best foot forward. As a second piece of advice—particularly for those coming from a consulting background—leverage your experience, but don't let it become a crutch. The process rewards preparation and self-awareness over assumed familiarity; and taking the time to genuinely reassess your "why consulting," your networking approach, and your casing technique will always produce better results than coasting on prior experience alone.

I'm currently working on concentrations in Finance, Strategic Management, and Applied AI but have actually found a hidden interest in Accounting as well. A couple of my favorite courses so far have been Financial Statement Analysis with Professor John Hand and Consumer Behavior with Professor Daniel Bartels. The courses could not be more different from each other on the surface, but they speak to the breadth of topics in which Booth excels, with truly standout professors. Each one taught me tangible skills applicable to consulting, and, perhaps even more importantly, had unique life lessons woven throughout. As far as resources outside the classroom, MCG is, of course, the most critical, but leveraging the 2Ys' knowledge (whether they are focused on consulting or not) has been a lifesaver. Academic Services has also been a game-changer, helping me design my course schedule each quarter to grow my skill set, identify new interests, and get the most out of my time in the classroom.

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When it comes to recruiting consulting, joining MCG is table stakes. I can’t imagine recruiting outside of the club. Within the 2026-2027 Co-Chair cohort, we like to say that MCG provides “cradle-to-grave” support, which in other terms means the club leadership and its members (1Y’s: first year MBA students and 2Y’s: second year MBA students) are truly there for each step of the process: from exploring if consulting is something you want to do, all the way to navigating which summer offer to choose. For me personally, even though I came from consulting, I did not recruit consulting out of undergrad so having the structure, connections, and curriculum within MCG really helped me build on and reassess my experience.

Honestly, I’ve found the MCG curriculum around how to network to be incredibly helpful, especially when paired with the structured opportunities to consistently practice these skills, whether with my fellow 2Ys or firm representatives. By the end of the recruiting cycle, you really find yourself being able to genuinely talk to anyone about anything. For a profession that is ultimately so client-facing, these skills end up being just as valuable on the job as they were during the recruiting process.

Importance of Students Joining MCG if Interested in Consulting (On Scale of 1-10)

It’s a 10 for sure. MCG is like your consultant for consulting recruiting. The programming throughout the season is invaluable regardless of your pre-Booth background. Not only does it take you from square one on everything you need to know for interviews, but from a logistical standpoint, it also helps you track timelines, connect with firms, and structure your interview and case practice.