Advice on strengthening my profile for MBB Milan - Jan 2027

Question

I'm planning to apply to Bain/BCG/McKinsey Milan around January 2027 for the Associate Consultant in Bain (or BA in MCK), and I’d really value your advice on how to strengthen my profile for screening and interviews.

Context

~3+ years’ experience by Jan 2027 as an International Project Manager in renewables/energy (client- and stakeholder-heavy; measurable delivery outcomes).
MSc Finance at EDHEC (online), GPA 3.8/4.0 while working full-time.
Bachelor GPA 3.2/4.0 from a non-target, also while working full-time.
Languages: Italian (native), English (fluent).
Extras: ex semi-professional rugby + a few entrepreneurial side projects.

My main questions

Bachelor GPA: How would you compensate for a lower bachelor GPA during screening? I was considering the GMAT Focus and aiming for 85th percentile+ also as a way to train speed/accuracy for assessment tests and case math. Does that make sense in your view (and is there any threshold that actually helps)?
No consulting experience: What’s the best way to offset this gap? At EDHEC online we have a consulting project with companies, I was thinking of focusing it on energy / data centers (and potentially an analytics/AI angle).
Screening levers: In your experience, what else tends to move the needle most for getting past screening in Milan at this level (referrals, specific achievements, competition results, specific formatting/storytelling on the CV, etc.)?

My view is that once I’m past screening, it’s execution: behavioural + cases, trained properly in advance.

Answer 1

Hi there,

You’re thinking about this the right way, and your profile is already quite competitive for Milan — the work now is about positioning and de-risking screening.

Here’s how I’d think about each of your questions.

Bachelor GPA
A 3.2 from a non-target isn’t ideal, but it’s not fatal given everything else. What helps most is showing a clear upward trajectory, which you already have with a 3.8 at EDHEC while working full-time. A GMAT Focus can help if you score well — think 85th percentile+, ideally higher. Below that, it doesn’t really move the needle. Used well, it also helps you build speed and accuracy for tests and case math, which is a real bonus.

No consulting experience
This is very common at Associate / BA level in Milan. The key is translating your experience into consulting language: structured problem solving, stakeholder management, trade-offs, and impact. The EDHEC consulting project is a good lever — I’d absolutely steer it toward energy / infrastructure / data centers, ideally with a strategic or analytics angle. What matters is that you can show you’ve worked on ambiguous problems and produced recommendations, not just execution.

Screening levers that matter most in Milan
From experience, the biggest movers are:

Referrals, especially from the Milan office — these matter a lot
A clean, impact-driven CV with quantified results (no fluff)
A strong local story: Italian language, commitment to Milan, understanding of local industries
Clear progression and responsibility in your role (your PM experience helps here)

Case competitions and side projects can help at the margin, but they’re secondary to the above.

Your instinct is right: once you’re past screening, it’s execution. The work now is about making sure recruiters see a low-risk, high-upside candidate on paper.

If you want, I’m happy to help you pressure-test your CV positioning or map a concrete 12–18 month plan to maximize your odds by Jan 2027 - feel free to reach out!

Best,

Evelina