Applied to McKinsey ME office, status is "under review" but no Solve invite yet, is this normal?

Hi,

Taking your three questions in order, based on my experience:

1. This is the normal flow as McK does not send the Solve invitation automatically on application; the recruiter reviews your CV first, and the assessment invite follows once you clear that step.

2. Your past score is unlikely to be taken into consideration. A score from taking Solve on your own is not tied to Mck's formal process, so if you pass the CV screen, you will receive a fresh official invite and take it through their system.

3. Things may run a bit slower at the moment given the current situation in the region, but I would not expect a significant difference from the US or UK offices. That said, better to reach out to your recruiter directly if you don't hear back from them soon.

Hope it helps and good luck with the process!

Federico

Hi there,

Good set of questions, and your instinct to check the sequence is reasonable, but you're reading more into it than is there. Taking them in order.

1. "Under review" before a Solve invite. This is a normal waypoint, not a warning sign. There's a persistent myth that Solve always fires off automatically and instantly on application, but the order actually varies by region, role and channel. The common flow is: you apply, a recruiter runs an initial CV screen, and the Solve invite follows once you clear it. A recruiter screening first is a very typical pattern - and it's often reported specifically for the ME/ Dubai region. So "under review" preceding the invite is exactly consistent with normal processing. Neutral status, not a soft rejection.

2. Your independent Solve score. Assume it doesn't carry into their pipeline. A score you generated outside McKinsey's official recruiting process isn't something the office ingests, so if they want it you'll get a fresh official invite and take it through their system. Reuse of a prior result is governed by internal policy and result-validity windows anyway. Practical move: you can ask the recruiter directly whether a prior result applies or a new sitting is needed - but either way, prep to retake it. Given your prior 10th-decile score, that's low-risk for you.

3. ME-specific timelines. There's no single published ME timeline - exact dates vary by office and some review on a rolling basis, so expect variance, and things may run slightly slower depending on the current situation in the region. Candidate reports from Dubai specifically suggest the region sometimes screens CVs and can take several weeks, so a multi-week "under review" stretch isn't unusual there. If you don't hear back within a reasonable window, a short, polite recruiter note is the right step.

The more useful point for you, though, is where to put your energy while you wait. Your background - JPMC credit risk, ING project finance, current Founder's Associate - is strong for a BA application, so don't let the wait turn into passive portal-refreshing. Build your PEI stories with real rigour: for McKinsey the personal experience interview is half of each interview and scored as hard as the case, so develop tight, specific stories on personal impact, entrepreneurial drive and leadership - your founder's-associate and finance roles are rich material for exactly those. Drill cases in parallel.

Net: nothing about your status suggests a problem. Send one short recruiter email to confirm the Solve question, then spend the "under review" window prepping PEI and cases rather than reading into the timeline.

Best, 

Leo

Yes, it's completely normal.

"Under review" simply means your application is still being assessed. Different offices don't necessarily follow the exact same sequence, and the timing of the Solve invite can vary depending on recruiting volume and how the office is managing its pipeline.

If you've already taken Solve and have a strong score, there's a good chance McKinsey already has that result on file. Whether you need to take it again depends on factors such as when you took it and the office's recruiting process, so I wouldn't assume you'll automatically receive a new invitation.

I also wouldn't read too much into the timeline. The Middle East offices can have different recruiting rhythms from the US or UK, and it's not unusual for candidates to wait a few weeks before hearing the next step.

At this stage, the best thing you can do is be patient and continue preparing for interviews so you're ready if the invitation comes. There's no negative signal in seeing "under review" without an immediate Solve invite.

Hi there,

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

• First of all, I would strongly advise you not to overthink it. The status in the application portal does not matter - as long as you haven't received the invitation for the McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment, you're not yet officially in the selection process.
• Moreover, unfortunately a score from an independent attempt normally does not count for a real application. McKinsey wants you to sit the McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment through their own official invite tied to this application, so I would expect a fresh invite will still be required regardless.
• Lastly, contrary to what other coaches have said, Middle East offices do not have a timeline like the US or the UK, and hiring works on a rolling basis.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment and/or McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

You have nothing to worry about. "Under review" preceding a Solve invite is normal. Recruiters screen applications in batches before issuing test invites. The Middle East office in particular operates on fluctuating timelines depending on active project staffing and volume.

Regarding your previous Solve test, McKinsey maintains a strict 12-month score validity window. If you took it independently within the past year, the system automatically pulls that score once your file moves forward. You will not get a new invite to retake it.

Your profile with JPMC, ING, and startup experience is strong. Focus on live case prep now while HR clears the pipeline.