Students

Learn with us in CTP

Join the Consultant Training Program and gain insights from consulting professionals, practice valuable skills, work with other students and more. 

 

The Consultant Training Program (CTP) is a student program run by members of the Nittany Lion Consulting Group (NLCG). Members of CTP can attend weekly lessons, develop a network with fellow CTP members, engage with NLCG members through a mentoring program, and more. 

The CTP Fall'24 Information Session will be held on September 3rd, 2024.
CTP Sessions are held every Tuesday from 6:30pm - 8:00pm at the Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Building - 001.

Community of Motivated Students

Members of CTP can meet students with backgrounds from engineering to accounting, which helps them to develop their professional network and expand their social circle. Through multiple channels and menorship, CTP students can interact with NLCG members and learn what it is like to be an NLCG consultant.

Career-Applicable Curriculum

The mission of the Consultant Training Program is to educate students in the fundamentals of consulting through weekly class sessions. Taught with relevant and up-to-date material, CTP is run by the VP of Talent & Acquisition along with tenured members of NLCG. 

David Lenze

Faculty Advisor

"Regardless of which College someone is in at Penn State, CTP helps them develop skills and knowledge for the real world. In addition to exploring consulting as an industry and career path, members learn tools and techniques for creative, collaborative, data-driven problem-solving that are at the core of consulting and incredibly useful in most other career paths.

The NLCG Pathway

CTP serves to expose interested students to the Nittany Lion Consulting Group and teaches relevant skills integral to success for the consulting & recruiting process. Members will complete mock interviews, a team case, an individual case, and more. Further, successful completion of CTP results in the ability to interview for NLCG at the end of the semester. 

Learn more & join

Meet the NLCG team at the Fall’ 24 CTP Information Session on Sept. 3rd for learning more.  Sign up details would be updated here soon.

FAQs

How can I join CTP for Fall'24?

Enrollment for CTP for Fall'24 has begun. Click on "Sign Up" and enroll in the CTP Canvas page. Follow us on Instagram @nlcgpsu for important reminders regarding CTP enrollment, NLCG and more!

What is the Consultant Training Program (CTP)? What are the pre-requisites for joining?

Run by members of the Nittany Lion Consulting Group, the Consultant Training Program (CTP) seeks to create a consulting community at Penn State by teaching students the fundamentals of consulting and making students aware of related career opportunities. Participation in CTP’s semester-long training program gives students the opportunity to interview for the Nittany Lion Consulting Group (NLCG). The CTP class consists of weekly lessons taught by NLCG members and alumni, interactive sessions with group work, individual and team-based case preparation, mentorship with NLCG members, and preparation for NLCG membership. Also, CTP is a co-curricular (i.e., no credits are earned) offering and there are no pre-requisites, all majors are welcome.

What is NLCG?
The Nittany Lion Consulting Group (NLCG) is a student-managed, faculty-supported experiential learning program offered by Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. NLCG’s members engage with real clients to solve real-world business problems, all while earning academic credit. NLCG also focuses on preparing students for consulting related careers through a mentorship program, networking events, and case competitions.
How do I interview for NLCG?

In order to interview for NLCG, you must complete the CTP semester-long class, complete the individual and team cases in the CTP class, and practice at least 4 mock interviews with current NLCG members. After this process, students will have one behavioral interview and one case interview.

Can I go to CTP if I don’t want to join NLCG?

Yes, some students in CTP are just looking to learn about consulting and acquire knowledge and skills that can help them in their job search. The vast majority of CTP content will be valuable to anyone exploring consulting as a career field, but there will some content that speaks directly to preparing for the NLCG application process.

How is NLCG different from a typical student organization?

To begin, NLCG is not a club or a student org. It is an experiential learning program centered around a series of practicum courses that combine to form a student led, faculty supported consulting firm. Students are both running the business and working with clients to solve real problems. That means the expectations and rigor found in NLCG are significantly greater than that of a typical student org or most traditional academic courses. And the result – NLCG delivers a truly impactful learning experience, exceptional professional opportunities, and the chance to be part of very special community.

Whom should I contact regarding questions about CTP?

Please contact the VP of Talent Acquistion, John Papadopoulos at jvp6207@psu.edu for any queries.

Contact us

Become a corporate partner, attend an information session, or just inquire to learn more.