Stephanie Bendorff Røpcke, MSc in Quantitative Economics (IMSQE), Management Consultant, McKinsey & Company

Why did you choose to enrol in the elite programme in Quantitative Economics?
I love maths - and challenges in general. The elite programme offered me both. I also considered completing a PhD degree, and since several of the courses in the elite programme are PhD level courses, the programme also allowed me to gain insight into the PhD degree programme.

How is the range of courses in the degree programme?
There is a broad range of high-quality courses in the programme. The broad range of advanced-level courses was also a decisive factor when I chose to enrol in the degree programme.

How was the transition from the Bachelor’s programme to the Master’s programme?
It was a smooth and gradual transition; many of the courses in both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s programme focus on quantitative disciplines, but the Master’s programme allows you to concentrate on selected fields. In the Master’s programme, I also had an academic advisor, or mentor, from the corps of faculty associated with the IMSQE and a shared office at the department. All elite students were located in the same building, and this promoted a high degree of solidarity among elite students.

What was the most exciting thing about the elite programme?
There are especially three things that I would like to mention: participation in conferences, participation in summer schools and the close collaboration with my mentor.

Where there any academic activities for you to join at the school – in addition to the teaching?
I was invited to participate in many different events. For instance, I was affiliated with the research centre CREATES as a Junior Fellow, but I also received many invitations for workshops and conferences from other places – and I participated on equal terms with senior faculty. And showing initiative just provides you with even more opportunities.

How was the workload during the degree programme?
I don’t think that the work load in the elite programme is bigger than in the general MSc programme. But you learn things in a different way because you are involved in so many activities in the programme, other than just reading. I was teaching several classes, but at the same time decided to reduce my enrolment period by completing 9th and 10th semester in the same term. And I also had time for a life outside of my studies. 

How did you get your current job?
I work for the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in Copenhagen, and my current job is also my first job. I was hired as a consultant in March 2010, but I noticed the company already during my studies when I attended a recruitment event at Aarhus University, and McKinsey gave me a job offer before I graduated. This was not the reason why I chose to complete the last two semesters in one stroke - I decided to do this long before I got the job offer, partly because I wanted to challenge myself, and partly because I had a strong urge to step into the corporate world.

Could you describe a typical day at work?
No two days are alike when you work as a consultant with McKinsey. Since my work is strongly based on projects, my working day is defined by the type of project that I currently work on. I may work in the office in Copenhagen, outside of town or even in another office in one of 50 countries where McKinsey is currently present. I spend some days on meetings with clients, and other days on data collection or presentation of suggested solutions in companies. Even as a junior associate, you play a vital part on the team – and right from the first day your are expected to actively contribute to finding the best solutions for the clients.
 

Which of the things that you have learned in university do you apply in your job?
My daily work as a consultant requires me to quickly understand and solve complex issues. This ability is the most important in my job. I am convinced that my choice of degree programme and courses have provided me with these skills – even though I did not actually complete courses specifically targeting consultancy.

What is the most exciting thing about your job?
First of all, the people I work with. I am surrounded by inspiring colleagues in both my team and in the companies that I work for; second, the degree of variation in my job; and third, the international element. I am often in contact with experts from other countries, and the composition of the team varies in accordance with the current assignments. This means that I constantly get to meet new people – and this provides a very stimulating environment.

Does your current job correspond to your expectations during the studies?
The assignments are more or less what I expected, but not completely. My initial focus is on analyses and presentation, but the dimension of daily interaction with other people has come as a surprise to me. The university provides you with skills that make you an expert, but when you graduate you are not trained much in sharing your expertise with people outside your field, so I needed to fine-tune my knowledge-sharing skills and also had to get used to involving other people with different expertise domains.

Do you think that the elite degree may lead to other types of jobs than the general MSc?
I believe that you are confronted with many challenges in the elite programme – and of course you can bring along this experience when you graduate. I think that many of the students who choose to enrol in the elite programme are characterized by one distinctive feature: they like challenges. I think that it looks good on your CV to have completed the elite programme, but I don’t think that being an elite graduate automatically opens any doors.

Did you consider completing a PhD degree?
When I first enrolled in the elite programme, I did consider whether to continue in the PhD degree programme or pursue a career in the corporate world. The elite programme is a much focussed programme, and you take courses at PhD level so the transition from the MSc and into the PhD programme is smooth and natural.

Are there any particular skills that you have achieved from the elite programme?
I have definitely achieved very strong analytical skills in quantitative methods, and this is of course outstanding. The programme also fostered a strong network among elite students, and today this provides me with a strong network of contacts.