8: Mercer Internship Program
Vault score: 8.543
Academic level: Undergraduate
Compensation: Paid
Duration: 10 to 12 weeks
With more than 25,000 employees in 44 countries, Mercer is a leading consulting firm in the focus areas of health, wealth and career.
- Health: It is the largest health and benefits broker in the United States.
- Wealth: It is the leading institutional investment advisor with more than $15 trillion in advisory assets and $321 billion management assets.
- Career: Mercer helps human resource teams deliver results through redesigned workforce strategies, adaptation plans for changing market environments, and aligning executive programs to company performance.
About the internship: Students can choose one of five areas of focus: Employee Health and Benefits, Government Human Services Consulting, Retirement Consulting, Talent Consulting, and Mercer Marketplace. Mercer also offers a housing bonus for eligible interns.
“After a week of training, interns take on real clients and fulfilling projects. Students get to experience the actual day to day life and work of a Mercer full time analyst,” says the program description.
7: Blue & Co., LLC Accounting Internship
Vault score: 8.684
Academic level: Sophomores, juniors and seniors
Compensation: Paid
Duration: 10 to 12 weeks
Blue & Co., LLC, has 400 employees in 10 offices in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. It services clients in construction, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, agribusiness, and financial services as well as non-profit agencies. Vault ranked this internship as No. 23 in its Best Internships for Real-Life Experiences and No. 82 in its 100 Best Internships.
About the internship: While most internships are offered only in the summer, Blue & Co. offers opportunities throughout the year.
“Interns are given one-on-one time with directors and senior managers in addition to tasks and responsibilities that help the interns develop critical skills for a future in public accounting. Interns have the same duties and assignments as new staff accountants, preparing them for the fast-paced environment of a top CPA firm,” Firsthand writes of the program.
Typical responsibilities:
- Assistance on audits and reviews.
- Understanding the impact of business transactions on the financial statements and cultivating the “business advisor” perspective.
- Preparation of basic financial statements and schedules for clients.
- Standard and complex tax return preparation (1040, S-Corp, C-Corp, Partnerships, 941, 1099).
- Tax research projects.
- Assistance on Medicaid/Medicare cost reports analysis for health care facilities.
- Analysis related to mergers, acquisitions, litigation, ESOPs, and estate and succession planning.
6: Cornerstone Research Summer Analyst Program
Vault score: 8.689
Academic level: College juniors
Compensation: Paid
Duration: 6 to 12 weeks
Cornerstone Research provides consulting services to law firms and attorneys involved in commercial litigation, working through complex economic and financial issues. It also serves firms in the finance, telecommunications, tech, manufacturing, and energy industries. Vault ranked it as No. 81 in its 100 Best Internships list.
About the Internship: Interns have the opportunity to work in cities across the U.S. as well as London. The summer analyst role closely mirrors the full-time analyst at Cornerstone Research. Working within a case team – including a faculty expert, senior consultants and analysts – interns contribute at all phases of a project.
“Case work has both quantitative and qualitative elements, involving such key responsibilities as conducting financial and economic modeling, examining market and industry behavior and presenting findings to colleagues and clients,” the company writes in its description. “Cornerstone Research values the professional growth of its Summer Analysts and recognizes their contributions to clients and the firm. Consequently, many summer analysts choose to join Cornerstone Research full-time upon graduation.”
5: EY-Parthenon Internship Program
Vault score: 8.753
Academic level: College sophomores
Compensation: Paid
Duration: 6 to 12 weeks
EY-Parthenon is one of the world’s leading strategy consulting firms helping business leaders in areas of growth, strategy and transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. Vault ranked this internship as No. 10 in Best Internships For Employment Prospects and No. 72 in its 100 Best Internships.
About the internship: With opportunities in summer and winter, EY’s client-serving internship gives students the chance to work directly with the company’s clients under the guidance and coaching of EY professionals. It also offers a Launch Internship program that allows students to “personalize your internship like you do your playlists.”
“Your exceptional internship experience will culminate with Futures, a global EY milestone event that celebrates the now, next and beyond in your career journey. It’s yours to build. It’s all of ours to celebrate,” reads the company website.
Opportunities are available in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and several other major U.S. cities.
Next page: The Best Consulting Internships, Nos. 4-1
