Hello,
I just finished Round 1 with 2 interviews from a Principal and a Partner. Just wondering how long it usually takes to hear back, and in the meantime how best to prepare for Round 2 if I get there? Since round 1 already had a partner, will round 2 differ much?
Thanks
Hey there,
Hearing back: it can take from 24hrs to 7-10 days. I would say the median is around 2-3 working days :). No worries if you don't hear back very early, it might just be because the Partner is travelling for client work.
Prep: R2 interviews have a faster tempo and can have more 'curveball' questions. When you prep with peers, tell them to behave less patiently, interrupting you more often if you don't give the right answer straight away, etc.. Try also to practice on weirder case types (industries you are not aware of, more conceptual prompts, etc.), beyond the standard market sizing of a B2C market :)
Good luck!
Best,
Tom
Hi,
If you are applying to standard positions, you should typically hear back within 3–10 days, in some cases, it can stretch to 2 weeks. For niche or senior roles (when often there is only one spot available) even 3–4 weeks if they’re closing the full interview cycle.
For Round 2, I've done plenty of them myself as an interviewer in BCG. Don’t expect a completely different format. In most cases, it’s very similar to Round 1, just with a higher bar (I used exactly the same cases in both rounds).
That said, with more senior interviewers (e.g., MDPs/Senior MDPs), you might see shorter, more qualitative cases or a heavier focus on fit, especially if your casing was already strong in Round 1.
So preparation-wise, focus on doing the same things, maybe with a higher focus on cleaner structure, sharper insights, and more natural communication rather than trying to learn a new format.
If you want to discuss further feel free to DM me.
Regards,
Franco
