Australian undergraduate student looking for help

Hi, good profile and good timing with January still a few months out. On the coach question, here is how I would think about it.

1. A coach is not necessary, but it is the highest-leverage thing you can buy if used correctly Self-prep gets you to 70% of the way. The last 30% (pressure handling, structure quality under stress, communication polish) is hard to self-diagnose because the gap is invisible to you. That is what a coach fixes. With January as your target, you have the runway to use one well

2. Use a coach for diagnosis first, not volume Do not buy 10 sessions upfront. Buy 1 to 2 sessions with an ex-MBB coach for a full mock + structured feedback. Ask them to rank your gaps (structure, math, synthesis, communication, presence). Then decide if you need more. Most candidates need 4 to 6 sessions total, not 15

3. Before the first paid session, do this

• 15 to 20 cases with peers on PrepLounge (free, and partner quality is high enough at this stage)
• Record yourself on 3 cases and rewatch. You will spot 50% of your issues without paying anyone
• Drill mental math daily (Rocket Blocks or similar), 15 minutes, non-negotiable This way your paid sessions go to fixing real gaps, not basics you can fix alone

4. On the EY-PS rejection, do a post-mortem Write down every question they asked, your answer, and what you would do differently. That document is worth more than 2 coaching sessions. Pattern recognition from your own failures is the cheapest improvement available

5. BCG chatbot prep is different from case prep The Casey/Pymetrics style assessment tests structured thinking under digital constraints, not live case skill. Practice on the official BCG sample and Casey replicas. Do not over-prepare, it is a screen, not the bar

Net: peer prep + self-recording + 2 diagnostic coach sessions in November, then decide. With your GPA and timeline, you are well positioned

Happy to answer follow-ups

Hi,

My perspective may be biased because I am a coach, but I’d at least try one session if budget isn’t a constraint. The first session usually has the highest ROI; a good coach will quickly pinpoint your gaps, give you concrete fixes, and help you structure a clear prep plan. After that, the marginal value drops, so you don’t necessarily need many sessions.

It’s also a good way to test whether coaching actually adds value for you before committing further. This applies to both the chatbot and cases, but even more for cases, where self-assessment is tricky.

If you don’t go for coaching, the next best option is doing a high volume of live cases with partners, not just reading alone. You need the pressure, the interaction, and to get used to verbalizing your thinking.

Hope this helps.
If you want to discuss the pros and cons of a coaching session together, feel free to DM me.

Regards,
Franco

Hi, you’re already doing a lot of the right things — good GPA, early prep, some interview exposure. That puts you ahead of many.

On your question: a coach is not “mandatory,” but it can make a big difference, especially at your stage.

The reason is simple. After a few months of prep, most candidates hit a plateau:

• they keep practicing
• but don’t really know what exactly is holding them back
• and end up reinforcing the same mistakes

That’s where a coach helps. Not by replacing your prep, but by:

• identifying very quickly what you need to fix (structure, communication, fit, etc.)
• giving targeted feedback instead of generic “do more cases”
• helping you avoid bad habits early

Given you already interviewed at EY-P and didn’t pass, that’s actually a strong signal that you’re close, but missing a few key things. That’s exactly the situation where coaching is most useful.

Also keep in mind: for MBB, small differences matter a lot.
The gap between a rejection and an offer is often not huge — but you need to close it.

That said, you don’t need 20 sessions.
A good approach is:

• a few targeted sessions to diagnose gaps
• then go back to practicing on your own
• maybe a couple more sessions closer to interviews

So think of it as accelerating your prep, not replacing it.

If you want, happy to help you assess where you stand and how to structure the next steps.

Hi,

Completely agree with what everyone has said - one session will help significantly.

If you want any advice specific to BCG ANZ and what they will look for in the scholarship process, please let me know and I am happy to help as I have worked there the last two years. I am currently running a promotion here 

Drummond50-Coaching-OML

hey! 

On the coaching question: a coach isn’t necessary, but can be useful depending on what you need. If you’re already doing consistent drills, casing with partners, and improving steadily, you can absolutely get there without one. A coach mainly accelerates the process, helps you fix blind spots faster, and gives you exposure to interviewer‑led styles (which matter for McKinsey and BCG ANZ).

Since you’ve already interviewed at EY‑Parthenon and have the BCG chatbot coming up, you’re clearly on the right track. The key now is to keep building structure, math speed, and business intuition, and to get as many high‑quality mock interviews as possible. If you feel your progress has plateaued or you’re unsure what exactly is holding you back, that’s when a coach becomes worth it.

In short: not mandatory, but potentially helpful. Plenty of people get offers without one, and plenty get offers with one. What matters most is consistent, targeted practice and honest feedback.

Good luck with the scholarship and the upcoming cycle, you’re positioned well.

Best, Alessa

Hi there,

Yes. Get a coach.

You have already been rejected once (EY-PS). You have BCG's chatbot coming up and MBB applications in January. You are not in a position where you can afford to keep learning on the job.

I coach a lot of ANZ candidates (I'm based in Australia). The market there is competitive. A coach will get you further, faster.

Feel free to message me: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/coaching-packages-5/31

Good luck — fingers crossed!

Hey,

Echoing what other folks are sharing: 

• You don't really know whether you need a coach until you have spoken with someone with 2+ years of MBB experience. If you have a friend in MBB, just ask them to case you, and they'll be able to tell you! :)
• The ROI for a first session is typically very high, and a good coach will be honest in telling you whether you need more classes or not.  I personally tend to often propose fewer sessions than my coachees would initially want :)

Best,

Tom

PS: For you and for anyone else, feel free to use this discount code (Tommaso50-Coaching-Shz) to get 50% off on your first session with me. It's likely my last available discount code for April since PrepLounge gives us a limited quantity, so it might not last long :)

A coach is necessary at least to get a realistic, objective sense of your readiness. 

Whether you then decide you want to work on your own afterwards or get structured help is a different thing. But I would at least get a great coach to take you through a baselining case and assess where you are. 

If you need help, reach out. I've worked with multiple Australian candidates before. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi,

You are actually in a strong position — good GPA, some case prep, and interview experience already. That’s a solid base.

On your question: no, you don’t need a coach to get into MBB in Australia. Many people make it with peer practice.

Where coaching helps is when you’re not sure what exactly is holding you back. In that case, 1–2 targeted sessions (e.g., a diagnostic + one follow-up) can save you a lot of time.

Right now, the key is not doing more cases, but being more focused. After a few months of prep, you should be able to answer:

• what are my main gaps (structuring, communication, fit, etc.)?
• what went wrong in my EY-PS interview?

If that’s unclear, that’s where coaching adds value.

For Australia, the bar is high but timelines are predictable — you have enough time until January to get ready if you’re structured.

If I had to summarize:
you don’t need a coach, but a few targeted sessions can accelerate you
focus on fixing specific weaknesses, not just doing more cases

You are already on track — now it’s about sharpening execution.

Best,

Soheil

A coach is not strictly necessary, but it almost always shortens the path.

A few things to think through:

• Your profile is solid. 6.4/7 at an Australian law school puts you in the running for MBB ANZ. The hard part is not access, it is interview performance.
• The EY-PS rejection is the signal to listen to. It usually means a specific gap, structuring, math, communication, or fit. A coach helps you find it fast. Without one, you risk doing 50 more cases the wrong way.
• A coach is most useful at two points. Early on to set up your approach, and in the final 4 to 6 weeks before interviews for high-pressure mocks.
• ANZ MBB weighs fit and PEI heavily. A coach who knows ANZ recruiting sharpens that.

What I would do:

• Book 2 to 3 sessions now to find your gaps.
• Drill structuring, math, and exhibits on your own for 4 to 5 months.
• Closer to January, do 4 to 6 mock sessions with a coach.

For the BCG chatbot, practice on Casey, time yourself, treat MCQs as pattern recognition.

Good luck.