Why not join a company to get a few years experience and get an idea of the type of behavior that clients typically want.

You'll be surprised by how much it is personal relationships that are important, and not necessarily results, though obviously everything counts.

There's a huge business in consulting, and domain specific knowledge is something that can be hard to pick up unless you go in with an existing outfit.

I think the best advice I could give a new graduate is to do your best to join a big consulting company. You'll learn a bunch of things. The money can be pretty good, and the lifestyle can be fun if you are young enough.