From my experience (Ross undergrad):

Tons of people get interviews for MBB at Michigan, across both Ross and engineering, LSA, etc. That said, if you're also looking at trading and more finance-based jobs, then Ross is where you need to be. Given you seem to be unsure what path to take, I'd suggest double majoring. In doing so, you'll leave yourself access to the Ross recruiting while also having a different background / skillset that can make you more interesting as a risk / trading quant type. I would assume it would also put you in a good position if you wanted to do something at a Google, MSFT, Facebook type of place, who definitely recruit at Ross (although moreso at the MBA level).

As for mathematics, I don't know a ton abuot it as a major, but I would assume that at some point there are diminishing returns (i.e., once you get in to heavy theory, it's not going to translate to a skill in consulting or finance). So I think your CS degree, which would require a fair bit of math anyway, would be a better differentiator.

Summary: Dual degree is the way to go. Caveat: don't do it unless you're smart enough to handle it (e.g., think you can be 3.5+ GPA)

I'd do CS. I think in the long run, its a more valuable degree. Why do you really want to do MBB? Software is more lucrative, its exciting, and it isn't going anywhere. The US has a serious shortage of good developer talent, and a degree in CS with Math is an incredible advantage.

Wow... I feel like a piece of shit with my Econ degree. I knew that I needed to go into CS to make big bucks, but I got scared away from it, because one of my ex roommates switched into CS from Econ and he failed out of college.

You can NOT use 3 of the most highly regarded entrepreneurs as a "case in point". The odds of you being the next zuckerberg is less than you winning the 180 million dollar lottery or getting hit by a car tomorrow. Can we please ban SLE's IP Address?

We are getting off point but consulting will give you unbelievable insight into how numerous industries operate and what factors influence a well run business within each industry. Disregard any advice you got above from people who are still undergrads/prospectives.

The more reputable consulting firms have a 98% or greater placement rate into top 10 mbas.

????

What the fuck did I say that would justify me getting banned?

I said working at a consulting firm has no clear relation to becoming a successful business owner/ start-up. That was the point, you fucking retard.

I know many adults from my hometown (including my dad) who operate successful, small family businesses and many of these adults don't even fucking know what 'McKinsey' is. One of my best buddy's dad owns a construction/ real estate business, and that guy didn't even go to college. Guess what, his net worth is over 40 million.

Another example - I have another friend whose dad runs an insurance shop, selling insurance for cars, life insurance, health insurance, etc as a franchise for a reputable company. He made a fucking bank and his family lives in a 7 million dollar mansion, not to mention his family owns 2 Porsches, 1 Ferrari, and 1 Rolls Royce. Yet, he didn't do consulting before starting his business. In fact, he used to be a fitness trainer at a local gym, before jumping into this business.

If you tell him (my buddy's friend) that you need to go into Management Consulting first to become a successful business owner, he would fucking laugh at your stupid dick head.

Here's a little hint: many of successful business owners are innovative in their business and have tremendous sales skills. You can develop these qualities without ever working at a consulting firm.

I think you are the one that needs to be banned for having shitty reading comprehension skills on top of ad hominem attack that is undue.

PS - Dear Prospective Monkey:

you seem to attack my posts in every thread, every chance you get. Get a fucking life, you pansy. I didn't say anything wrong here. If you disagree with my viewpoint, then share your points. No need to suggest I get 'banned' for sharing my thoughts/ opinion, you fucking jackass.

Again, my point had nothing to do with becoming as successful as Mark Zuckerger or Bill Gates. The reason I pulled these guys' names was to provide a short, brief example of notable folks who became successful entrepreneurs without going into consulting.

This retard is saying that I need to get banned for saying Mark Zuckerberg was successful even if he didn't do consulting work...

I think this guy is the one who needs to be banned for discouraging freedom of speech and encouraging hostility.

do a double major, idiot

It's true; consulting doesn't prepare you for entrepreneurship (unless you're specialized in a highly complex industry). It prepares you for F500 management positions.

lol about the reaction to my petition of banning you. Obviously, I don't care. I just think you need to stop speaking with such certainty about every topic on this site.

Just because you have a brother who went to HBS, friends at Duke, Interned at a strategy firm and attend an "low-tier Ivy" (your words) doesn't mean that you know everything. It is okay, we don't blame you for not having all the knowledge in the world. But don't come on here and when a kid is genuinely wanting advice, challenge him saying "if you want to be an entrepreneur it is stupid to do consulting. Steve Jobs, Mark Z and Bill Gate were never consultants!" - those are 3 outliers. For the average joe, it might help to do consulting for a year or two and get your feet wet in the business world, especially if you have student loans or some other obligations. I'm not saying a year or two consulting will make you into an amazing entrepreneur, just that it could help you further develop your ideas and polish your demeanor, etc.

Sexy Like Enrique is possibly the worst poster on this site.

LOL. You are a fucktard.

As another poster above mentioned, consulting prepares you for middle management positions at F500-type of jobs, not start-up.

Don't put words into my mouth, you jackass. I mentioned Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg in my example because those guys are prominent guys that everyone knows about. There are literally THOUSANDS of small business owners who are successful, who didn't do consulting.

I don't claim to know everything. How is saying "You don't need to work in consulting to start your business" implying that I know everything about every topic? You are fucking retarded.

Go brush up on your reading comprehension skills before posting shit on line.

Consulting helps you prepare to become a good EMPLOYEE for someone else. Starting a successful business on your own means that you somehow need to learn to become a good ENTREPRENEUR. Consulting jobs don't teach you how to become an entrepreneur.

Challenge...

...Accepted.

It is very endearing how high of esteem you hold other posters on WSO like Bears1208 and Prospective Monkey to let their comments get you so riled up. This is the internets, it is not serious business.

Don't worry, bro. I took your whole body of work into account when I made that comment.

??

Do you really need to work in consulting for multiple years and start your own business, in order to qualify to say "You don't need to work in consulting to start your business"??

Do you need to work in trading, IB, or whatever the fuck you name it, to say "You don't need to work in IB or Trading to start your business."

These things are called common sense, buddy.

First off I didn't attack you. No need for the "common sense, buddy" we aren't 14, but thanks. Secondly, this isn't about this issue I'm speaking in general to the general tone of your posts it is up to you to listen.

Dude, this isn't fucking little league. Not everyone is a winner. If you make shit posts you're going to get called out for them. Especially if they can possibly lead astray posters who are asking for advice (i'm not saying that's happened ITT). Sack the fuck up you pussy and stop acting like you got your feelings hurt by random internet strangers. I haven't seen a meltdown like this over internet reputation since Ambition freaked out over his HS VC internship.

Two years ago, the Ross advantage was pretty large. Now it is zero. All the consulting firms hire from engineering as well.

I did a dual degree and found it interesting. But honestly, have a GPA >3.8, (>4.0 in Ross) and do some cool stuff and you should get interviews.

I've gotten a few PMs on the issue and I'm open to talking with anyone else about CS. It's logical, and that logic works well in framework application/case interviews as well.

LOL @ your claim that "most" entrepreneurs do consulting before starting business.

Many adults who operate successful business don't even know what consulting is, much less what consultants do at work. Then again, I suppose it depends on what kind of business you are talking about.

It depends on what start up we are talking about here. Do you think working at Deloitte Consulting as an analyst for few years will help you found a successful tech start up? Fuck no. If you want to start a tech start up at SV, you are better off going to a strong school for CS and learn solid programming skills, then work at a top tech firm to build skills, experience, and connections in that field first then start your shop, not study business in college and go into management consulting after college.

Also, you don't need to do consulting to start your business in restaurant management, real estate, insurance, etc etc etc.

Better way into starting your business is you building skill set, experience, and connections relevant to your targeted industry before starting your own shop.

My dad is a successful business owner. He is an accountant and he started his own shop, doing tax returns, etc. He used to work at Big4 accounting, and developed solid skill set in that field, got to know many influential clients, and built solid network in the industry. All these things helped him establish his business well and he now makes very good money. (better money than some partners at accounting firms) My dad couldn't give two shit about management consulting for his business, since the skill sets or the experience you get from working in consulting isn't relevant to his business at all.

It's funny, I have a consulting job offer, but my dad is insisting that I do Macc and become an accountant, so that I will someday inherit his business.

Is consulting a good place to start your business career after college? Yes.

Should you do consulting with the specific intent of starting your own business later, thinking that it will help you become a good entrepreneur? I don't think so.

OP:
CS gives you opportunities any Ross student has and more, *if you are good at it .*

If you can't manage a good gpa in your CS courses,
you might as well join us business drones.

While management consulting does expose you to business best practices, many of the projects you work on are at established companies. You learn to be an entrepreneur by being an entrepreneur. On the flip side, I once had the chance to talk to a BCG guy who became an entrepreneur. He worked at BCG post-MBA for a few years, quit his job, grew dreads, moved to SE Asia, and opened a restaurant that soon failed. Then he put a suit back on and leveraged his b-school/BCG connections to get a job at a F500 company. While at that company (for 10 or so years), he later identified an opportunity, and then marshaled support for a side project that grew into a successful business, which was then spun off with him at the head of it and grew to be larger than the original parent company.

So this story (I hate the word "case") shows that there is merit to both sides of the argument. Most BCG people do not become entrepreneurs. However, BCG did prepare him for a corporate job and let him work (and feed his family) while he identified opportunities. It also helped him navigate the corporate system and use it to incubate his new business. But he did remark that in terms of direct relevance to running a start up, his experience running the failed restaurant helped him more than anything he learned in business school or in consulting.