Am I out of luck if I did not get an offer the same day?

You're not necessarily out of luck. Offers going out same-day doesn't mean all decisions are final on the spot. Sometimes interviewers take more time with edge cases (people they're unsure about but still seriously considering). Being first of the day can also mean your interview wasn’t directly compared against others yet.

I myself wasn't notified of an offer until the day after, while others that interviewed with me got a response within hours. You’re probably in a hold or borderline bucket. It happens more often than you think. Wait for the official response, and if it doesn’t go your way, use the experience to improve your prep for the next round of applications.

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on going through the entire application process with BCG!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I would strongly advise you not to read anything into it. Until you receive a rejection, you may still very well receive an offer. I will keep my fingers crossed.
• Moreover, please keep in mind that just because you applied to a smaller office, this does not necessarily mean that your chances of success are higher. Consulting firms primarily assess a candidate’s performance, and if it is not sufficient, they will not hand out an offer just to fill a spot.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

You're not necessarily out of luck. While BCG often gives same-day offers, not getting one doesn’t mean rejection. Here’s why:

• Timing varies by office: Smaller offices may take longer to finalize decisions.
• Same-day offer ≠ only offer: The person who got it may have been a clear “yes,” while others (like you) are still being considered.
• Order of interviews doesn’t matter: Being first doesn’t hurt your chances.

If you don’t hear back in a few business days, it’s okay to politely follow up with your recruiter.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.
 

Best, 

Evelina

Hi,

Don't worry for now. Decision are not taken on the same day. If you do not get a response after 1 week, you can contact HR to ask for an update.

Best,

Mattijs

Great question. I cover more about this in my article:
 

What to do if you haven't heard back after your interview

Hi There,

Definitely not! I myself did not get my McKinsey offer the same day and have seen mentees and friends not get their offers same day. Unless you have a definitive answer from them I would not rule it out. Some of it varies from the Partner or recruiter who will notify you as well as how many more interviews they are completing. 

If you don't hear back in about a week I would definitely reach out. Best of luck and hope it works out!

-Ankit A.

I also just wanted to add a more general point to all the great feedback above. These offer processes heavily rely on availability from your interviewers to the internal HR team. Typically, final round interviewers (partners) are incredibly busy which can sometimes delay the process without it having anything to do with your performance.

Hi there, 

If you haven't yet received a formal rejection, try and not read too much into it. 

They might've felt like those candidates were particularly strong and wanted to secure them. And they might still want to provide additional offers, but they are not sure about how many additional ones they can take on. 

Hope you'll hear good things soon!
Best,
Cristian

Not necessarily - hope you get a good outcome! It can take a while.

Hi there,

Q: Am I out of luck if I did not get an offer the same day?

It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have been rejected. In any case, they should let you know within a few days, regardless of the outcome.

Good luck!

Francesco