How the Broad Consulting Club’s casebook is shaping future success for MBA students

Broad’s undergraduate student organizations are renowned for enhancing the college experience, providing valuable opportunities and shaping students’ business acumen. However, this MBA student resource group takes it a step further by offering practical, real-world learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

The importance of student organizations

Broad’s MBA organizations bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional application, allowing students to deeply engage with their interests. Wayne Hutchison, managing director of the MBA program, emphasized this bridge: “One of the biggest reasons these clubs matter is that they provide students the chance to learn and engage in a different, practical way, from their colleagues in the same cohort as well as the second-year MBAs. Those opportunities to connect and share knowledge are invaluable to the student experience at Broad.”

Broad Consulting Club

The Broad Consulting Club stands as a beacon within Broad’s MBA organizations, showcasing the profound impact of student engagement. Aditya Bapat, the organization’s 2023–2024 president, said, “The BCC significantly impacts the college by preparing MBA students for consulting careers through alumni networking and case interview preparation. This puts BCC in a unique position to foster collaboration and skill development. Through initiatives like multidisciplinary workshops, we aim to enhance the learning experience for all Broad students.”

Bapat further expanded on the organization’s impact on the college and the MBA program, emphasizing its pivotal role in his collegiate endeavors.

“The BCC to me is a platform that empowers members to push beyond their perceived limits. Leading the club has been both rewarding and transformative, helping me identify and improve areas I previously thought were maxed out. Through BCC, I aimed to instill a problem-solving mindset in my peers, a skill vital across all industries and functions,” he said.

The casebook: A tool for success

One of BCC’s standout achievements is the development of a comprehensive MBA casebook, specifically designed to prepare students for case interviews — a critical component of the consulting firm hiring process. This casebook serves as a practical guide, offering foundational advice on case interviews, typical case structures, relevant tools and frameworks, behavioral interview questions and practice cases. It helps students showcase their communication, client interaction, creativity and analytical skills during interviews.

Bapat hopes to see the impact of the casebook in three ways: “1) By demonstrating BCC’s commitment to learning, thereby enhancing BCC’s credibility with alumni. 2) Provide a head start in case interview preparation. 3) Encourage multi-dimensional thinking through the challenging exercise of writing cases,” he said. “As this was the first casebook published for Broad, I am proud to say that all the cases included were written by MBA students. This originality showcases the talent and dedication of our students.”

Although the casebook is not shared publicly, its existence is a testament to the club’s commitment to excellence and the high standards of the Broad MBA program. This valuable resource not only benefits current students but also serves as an artifact to enhance Broad’s reputation, attracting more consulting firms to recruit from the program. The casebook is intended to be a lasting legacy for future classes, continuously updated to remain relevant and effective.

Hutchison sums up the importance of the casebook as a resource “to ensure that the next group has a better experience than the following. The casebook is a nice sort of artifact or talisman to allow that,” he said.

The apprenticeship: Mentorship and skill development

In addition to the casebook, the BCC offers a structured apprenticeship program where second-year students train first-year students. This mentorship model ensures continuity and knowledge transfer, providing first-years with the insights and skills they need to excel.

“This mentorship approach has proven highly effective, with many students reporting increased confidence and improved case interview performance. My role as the president of the club was to ensure that we had the necessary resources for these initiatives. This involved reaching out to my peers who interned in consulting and convincing them to be buddy mentors,” Bapat said.

He would like to thank Konica Baveja, Abhishek Edida, Vinay Gundarapu, Gurnoor Chauhan and Anthony Rizzo for being part of the Broad Consulting Club leadership and driving engagement with the students.

Future programming

MBA student organizations play a vital role in fostering a well-rounded MBA experience. They encourage students to engage in meaningful activities beyond the classroom, aiding in the development of professional skills and the creation of valuable networks. The success of the consulting club, through initiatives like the casebook and the apprenticeship program, is indicative of the broader graduate club experience and the overall quality of the Broad MBA program. As students continue to learn, curate and mentor the next generation, the program’s value and impact will only continue to grow.