Pros
The variety of assignments allows a fresh graduate to quickly understand the key drivers of each industry; allowing him to find his specialisation sooner. Peers are helpful and the collegiate environment makes the long hours more bearable. Excellent knowledge network.
Cons
Long hours, low pay - they just dont pay enough for talent. As a result, when all the international banks start poaching employees from the Big 4, the people just left in droves. This further exacerbated the morale of those who stayed. Insufficient recognition of the top performers, blunt and undifferentiated promotion mechanism - top performers maybe get 5% more bonus than the mediocre ones. This meant top performers get pissed off and leave, whilst mediocre ones huddle in the safety of numbers and just coast along.