What is CDP?
The Consulting Development Program is an opportunity for a select group of Binghamton University students to enroll in an intensive, 12-week training and mentoring program managed by Management Consulting Group’s executive board.
Upon acceptance to the program, students attend weekly sessions to enhance their understanding of the consulting industry and develop the skills necessary to excel in it. These weekly workshops cover a range of topics through hands-on activities to develop each participant’s proficiency in public speaking, PowerPoint, Excel, and cases.
For example, students are taught the McKinsey approach in order to better break down cases and construct high quality solutions. Additionally, students will work with executive board members to practice both their behavioral and case interview skills. They also must complete resume critiques and network calls to prepare them for recruiting.
CDP Capstone
The program revolves around a capstone case, in which students are able to build their skills and then showcase their abilities to industry professionals. In past years, teams of four were tasked with determining a creative, logical, and financially sound solution to a problem and then presented their ideas to professionals in Manhattan.
Students have tackled cases about Barnes & Noble, Delta Airlines, Marriott Hotels, Gucci, and Trader Joe’s. The panel of judges consisted of professionals from EY and PwC.
Following their presentations, students are given the opportunity to network with the professionals in attendance. Opportunities for internships may be facilitated based on the performance and abilities of each team and student.