Haas courtyard picture (Noah Berger, Haas School of Business)
Behind the Scenes at Berkeley’s Consulting Club
Consulting clubs are a keystone at many top universities. They’re often student-run, full of networking and mentoring opportunities, and built to mirror the grind and glamour of real consulting firms.
At UC Berkeley, one consulting club recently received over 1,000 applications — and accepted just a mere seven. That’s a 0.7% acceptance rate for this year’s incoming cohort.
Junior Sarah Elizabeth Goody remembers what it felt like to be on the other side of that process. She was accepted into the club as a freshman. Now, heading into her third year, she’s a proud member of one of Berkeley’s top consulting organizations. “Becoming a part of this exclusive network felt like winning the lottery: wildly competitive and nearly impossible to win,” she says.
WHAT IT TAKES TO JOIN A TOP CONSULTING CLUB
From the moment students arrive on campus, they’re swept into a whirlwind of flyers and pitches for student organizations. “Berkeley has many business clubs, and most of them are dedicated to consulting,” Goody explains. “These organizations promise unparalleled opportunities, including access to real-world projects with blue-chip companies, a direct pipeline to coveted MBB consulting firms, and the kind of prestige that can define an undergraduate’s résumé.”
Getting accepted is usually no small feat. Applicants face résumé screenings, behavioral and case interviews, and invitation-only coffee chats that are all packed into a high-stress week that’s like rushing an elite sorority, says Goody. “We applicants aren’t just evaluated on paper,” she says. “We endure a variety of challenges.”
The exclusivity can be part of the appeal, and for those who make it through, the rewards go far beyond prestige. “On a massive campus like Berkeley’s, it’s all too easy to slip through the cracks and feel anonymous. My consulting club changed that for me,” shares Goody.
This club has helped Goody build friendships, mentorships, and professional skills. “The personal and professional connections I’ve made are priceless,” she says. “Equally important, joining meant being welcomed into a global alumni network and a tight-knit community that genuinely wants to see me succeed.”
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