Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
Washington University in St. Louis offers undergraduates several routes into consulting, from competitive student organizations and client-based projects to career coaching and firm-specific recruiting events. Consulting is open to students across majors, and WashU’s Center for Career Engagement provides a dedicated consulting resource hub with recruiting guidance, case-interview preparation, and information about early-career programs.
Consulting placement
Olin Business School publishes separate employment information for its undergraduate BSBA program. Its current career-prospects page lists consulting as an employment industry and names consulting firms among employers that hire Olin graduates, including Accenture, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, KPMG, and McKinsey & Company.
Consulting clubs and project experience
WashU’s consulting organizations provide opportunities to practice cases, compete in business challenges, and work on real client problems.
Arch Consulting is a competitive student group that trains members for case competitions hosted by business schools and consults for businesses nationally and internationally. It is a strong option for students who want structured practice in case solving and teamwork.
Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) offers for-credit, hands-on projects in which students work in teams with real organizations. Projects involve research, analysis, strategy development, and presenting recommendations to clients. Opportunities span areas such as marketing, operations, entrepreneurship, and social impact.
Consult Your Community (CYC) connects students with semester-long consulting projects for local startups, small businesses, and student-run businesses. It is a way to gain client-facing experience while applying business concepts to practical challenges.
Bear Studios is an undergraduate-led enterprise that provides services to real-world clients through strategy, design, and technology. Students interested in consulting can explore its strategy work alongside its other service lines.
180 Degrees Consulting WashU provides consulting services to nonprofits and organizations focused on social impact.
TAMID Group includes student consulting teams working with organizations connected to the Israeli economy.
The university’s consulting page is the central official directory for these groups. Confirm each organization’s current recruitment process, membership eligibility, and project openings before planning around a particular opportunity.
Career services support for consulting
WashU’s Center for Career Engagement maintains a dedicated consulting resource page. It includes consulting-industry guidance, case-interview resources, résumé templates, employer-specific information for firms such as Bain, McKinsey, and BCG, and advice on networking with alumni and employers.
Students can use the consulting channel in Microsoft Teams and Handshake to find firm events and the university’s Consulting Series. The career center also recommends practicing with business career coaches, peer coaches, consulting organizations, fellow students, and alumni. Its guidance suggests aiming for three to five case interviews a week during active preparation.
Olin students can also explore CEL practicums, which provide project-based experience and opportunities to build problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills. These are valuable ways to discuss real client work in interviews, but they complement rather than replace case preparation and firm applications.
Olin students also have access to Management Consulted, a comprehensive, high-touch coaching and training platform. It features live 1:1 coaching with former MBB consultants, structured prep programs, extensive math/chart drills, resume editing, and an active job board. Students should use their school email to gain access to the platform.
Recruiting timeline
WashU’s official guidance says consulting recruiting typically runs from late spring through late fall, with many firms recruiting roughly a year ahead of the start date. This means students pursuing junior-summer internships should prepare well before the summer they hope to work. The university recommends starting case preparation three to six months before applying and beginning networking as early as possible.
First-year students should watch for sophomore leadership rotations, diversity recruiting, and early-access programs. These opportunities can offer exposure to firms before the standard internship cycle, although eligibility and timing vary by employer.
During recruiting season, monitor Handshake, the consulting channel in Microsoft Teams, and each target firm’s official careers site. WashU’s guidance describes common windows for major firms and other consulting employers, but those dates can change from year to year. Confirm deadlines directly rather than relying on a general timeline.