***SPOILER ALERT*** once I got in to Trayus' academy, it started to get difficult as it does for everyone.

I recently (today) beat the game for the 7th time as a dark side sentinal, sith marauder. My favorite for the beginning is sentinal, because it gives you the skills you will need later on in the game, as well as the beginning. Guardian is not too bad, considering if you go all your attributes strength, and you are a guardian, then you can easily destroy droids or humans for that matter early on, and it foes well with any other prestige class. Anyways, in my experience, consular is my least favorite starting class, you don't have enough force powers or force points for it to be effective in the beginning, which is what it is meant for.