Although quantifying a school’s profile certainly does not tell you everything, it can sometimes be helpful in simplifying the many differences between the various MBA programs. Each week, we bring you a chart to help you decide which of the schools’ strengths speak to you. Business school may be the decisive factor in advancing your career as a consultant. The typical consulting firm—such as McKinsey & Company, BCG, and Bain & Company—has an analyst/associate structure similar to that of financial services firms. More often than not, consultants must first earn an MBA to move into higher-level associate positions, and virtually anyone seeking to transition into the industry at the associate level requires the educational and recruiting resources afforded by business school. But how do you decide which program is your best bet? 
One initial factor to consider is the percentage of the graduating class that enters the industry each year. Although consulting tends to be a popular industry across all programs, looking at this data point may provide a rough idea of which schools are most successful at placing their MBAs. At the top, Kellogg places nearly 40% of its class into positions within the consulting industry each year, and even though UCLA Anderson sends the fewest graduates into this field of all the top-ranked programs, consulting still accounted for 18% of its job placements in 2012. Available career specializations, case studies, hands-on project opportunities, consulting competitions and extracurricular offerings are all important considerations in researching programs. In addition, you may want to find out where the top firms are recruiting, especially if you aspire to join a specific company. | 
