When do McKinsey, BCG, and Bain open undergrad internships?

Which of these firms are open right now?

The table below reads each firm's own careers site. Open means we have seen the live posting there, Expected means last cycle's public record says it is coming, and No data yet means neither is true.

The group here is the three firms students call MBB (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) plus three firms that recruit on a similar clock: Oliver Wyman, L.E.K. Consulting, and Kearney.

• McKinsey & CompanyOpen3 open now
• Boston Consulting GroupOpen1 open now
• Bain & CompanyOpen, unverified3 open now
• Oliver WymanWatching
• L.E.K. ConsultingOpen1 open now
• KearneyWatching

How is consulting timing different from banking?

Two differences matter. First, consulting opens later than banking for the same summer: the summer before junior year, not the winter of sophomore year. Second, deadlines are usually fixed. A firm collects applications until a date, then invites first rounds together, so applying on day one does not give you the edge it does at a rolling bank. Applying a polished file before the deadline does.

Last cycle's public dates for these firms, where there is a record, are in the table below with sources. Expect each firm to set its own deadline, sometimes more than one, and expect some schools to have their own.

Why does the office you pick matter so much?

These firms staff and hire by office or region. You usually choose an office, or rank a few, when you apply, and the people who decide are mostly from that office. A smaller office that is close to your school or home can be a better bet than New York or San Francisco, and it is a believable answer to why this office.

Talk to someone in the office you pick before the deadline. One conversation that tells you how that office staffs projects is worth more than three generic chats at headquarters.

• Pick offices you would live in for years, not just a summer.
• Use your school's career office to see whether a firm runs a school-specific deadline.
• Check whether the firm lets you apply to one office or several in a cycle.
• Connect with at least one consultant in your chosen office before applying.

What happens after you apply?

Many of these firms screen with an online assessment before the case interviews. McKinsey and BCG both describe digital assessments publicly on their sites. Then come case interviews, where you work through a business problem out loud with a consultant, plus questions about your experience. Expect two rounds, sometimes with several interviews each.

Because deadlines are fixed, first rounds for a whole office can land in the same few weeks. Practice cases in the summer so you are not learning the format while interviews are being scheduled.

What should the summer before junior year look like?

Here is a plan that starts in May, at the end of sophomore year, and assumes deadlines fall in the June to September window. Shift it if your school's deadline is earlier.

1. May: track all six firms on the calendar and note which offices you will apply to.
2. May to June: do twenty or more practice cases with a partner, half as the candidate and half as the interviewer.
3. June: talk to one consultant in each office you will apply to. Ask how projects are staffed there.
4. June: write the resume and cover letter for consulting, with leadership and impact first.
5. July to August: take a practice version of any online assessment the firm offers, and keep doing cases twice a week.
6. Before each deadline: submit a finished application, a few days early, not in the last hour.

Questions students ask

Is consulting recruiting rolling?

Mostly not at these firms. They usually set fixed deadlines and invite candidates to interview together, so apply early enough to be safe, but you are not racing a rolling clock.

Can sophomores apply to MBB?

The main internship is for the junior summer. Some of these firms run early identification and diversity programs for sophomores, which open earlier and lead into the junior process.

Can I recruit for consulting and banking at the same time?

Yes. Banking decisions for the junior summer often come in sophomore spring and consulting deadlines come after, so many students do both. Know which you would take before you accept.

Should I apply to Oliver Wyman, L.E.K., and Kearney too?

Yes, if you want consulting. They recruit on a similar schedule, the work is closely related, and spreading applications across firms reduces the risk of one bad case day.

Does networking matter in consulting?

It helps you choose an office and answer why this firm, and a referral can help your file get read. The case interview decides most offers.