Allie Waxman’s diverse interests brought her from entertainment to tech, until she found herself curious about the strategic decisions that were impacting the companies she was working for. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Allie talks about how NYU’s Stern School of Business prepared her for problem solving for clients and attaining success at BCG.
Allie Waxman, NYU Stern MBA ’23, Project Leader at BCG
Age: 31
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Undergraduate Institution and Major: NYU Tisch School of the Arts – Acting
Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration: NYU Stern School of Business, 2023, Strategy, Sustainable Business & Innovation
Pre-MBA Work Experience: HBO: 2016-2019 – Associate Manager, Digital Marketing & Content (Entertainment); Grubhub: 2019-2021 – Senior Associate, Content Strategy (Tech)
Post-MBA Work Experience: BCG (2023-present), Consultant – 2023-2025, Project Leader – 2025-present
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I’ve always had really diverse interests, and at a certain point in my career I realized I wanted a stronger foundation to tie them all together. I started in entertainment – first as an actor, then in entertainment marketing – moved into tech, and found myself increasingly curious about the strategic decisions that were impacting the companies where I worked. Both of my pre-MBA employers went through significant public acquisitions, and I wanted to know more about the conversations that were driving that higher-level strategy. When I decided to recruit for consulting, it was important to me that I went to a school with a structured and supportive recruiting environment in the city where I wanted to live.
Why NYU Stern? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Stern felt like a no-brainer for me for a few reasons. I’ve been in New York City since 2012, and I wanted business school to be something I added to my life — not something that uprooted it.
I was also really excited about Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business and the opportunities it offered, from coursework to case competitions to recruiting support. Sustainability wasn’t just a buzzword at Stern; it felt embedded in the curriculum and community in a real way.
Finally, the smaller class size and my familiarity with NYU from undergrad were big selling points. I wanted to walk around and know most of my classmates — and that was absolutely true at Stern. The community felt tight-knit, collaborative, and very “New York” in the best way.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career? How do you feel that your MBA has been an asset when it comes to navigating new challenges, such as AI?
So much of my MBA experience shows up in my day-to-day as a consultant. One of the most practical ways I built consulting skills was through case interview prep with the Management Consulting Association. I still think about the frameworks and brainstorming techniques we practiced when I’m facing a sticky client problem.
I also participated in (and won!) a Center for Sustainable Business case competition focused on ESG in real estate. That experience ended up being more impactful than I could’ve predicted — it helped me land one of my first cases at BCG which sat at the intersection of social impact and the mortgage industry.
And on the AI front, the first time I ever used ChatGPT was actually in a Stern data analysis class. It was brand new, and we were experimenting with it in real time. That mindset — being curious, testing emerging tools, staying open to change — has been incredibly helpful in consulting, where technology is evolving so quickly.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
My summer internship in consulting confirmed that it was the right path for me. I loved the pace, the structured problem-solving, and the opportunity to work closely with senior clients on strategic questions.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I was excited about BCG for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one was the people. During recruiting, I felt like I made genuine, authentic connections with BCGers. I never felt like I had to be anyone other than myself.
The New Jersey office reminds me a lot of Stern — strong sense of community, collaborative culture, and opportunities to get involved beyond client work. I like that I can go to the office on a Friday and know the majority of the people in the office. Jersey has a lot of pride and fun traditions — just like Stern.
I also wanted the flexibility to explore both public sector and commercial work, and BCG’s generalist model gave me the opportunity to do that. It felt like the place where I could grow the most while still feeling supported.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Keep an incredibly open mind. I interviewed for both consulting and non-consulting roles and genuinely considered all the possibilities when evaluating my offers. I even kept an Excel tracker to compare opportunities objectively, but once I narrowed things down, I trusted my gut.
Talk to people you trust who will give you honest, unfiltered feedback (MBA alumni are amazing for this). But also remember: one person’s experience is not universal. You have to make the decision that feels right for you.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
I would take better care of myself. I let the stress of recruiting get to me and sacrificed sleep, social time, and some perspective in the process.
Build healthy habits early, because it only gets harder once you’re working full time. And remember: a job is just a job. It doesn’t define you. Your first post-MBA role definitely doesn’t define your entire career. Take it seriously — but not so seriously that you lose yourself in the process.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
One of the things I loved about BCG was how straightforward the recruiting process felt. I knew what to expect on interview day, felt supported by the recruiting team, and genuinely felt like my interviewers wanted me to succeed.
The biggest surprise was how conversational casing felt. I expected it to feel intimidating and nerve-wracking, but instead it felt like I had a real problem-solving partner in the room. That collaborative tone has absolutely carried over into the job itself.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
I wish someone had told me how nonlinear careers really are — and how that’s a good thing.
Coming from a non-traditional background, I sometimes felt pressure to tell a perfectly polished story about how every step connected. In reality, the most interesting careers are built from curiosity, experimentation, and a few unexpected turns.
Your MBA is not about locking yourself into one identity. It’s about expanding your options. Take classes outside your comfort zone. Meet people who think differently than you do. Try things that feel slightly scary. You’re not supposed to have it all figured out, and that’s ok!
