First-Gen Student Prepping for Bain/McKinsey Assessments on a Budget

Practice makes perfect. Having enough preparation will help you better manage stress. In case you fail, make sure that you don’t blame yourself, but focus on the things you learned 

Hi Lucia,

I’ve been in your exact shoes: an absolutely first-gen student, no budget (I invested time but no money in my interview prep), and still made it to BCG and stayed for 10 years. So let me be clear: you don’t need money or a special background to get in.

Right now, with one week left, keep it simple and consistent. There are several free resources on the internet to improve your logic and mental math: daily drills are important, but you don’t need anything fancy, just repetition and timing.

For the case prep, I’d focus on what actually moves the needle. Do a lot of practice with other people. Once you know the basics, improvement comes from exposure: different partners, different styles, different mistakes. That’s what builds real instinct.

And on the confidence side: the feedback you got from BCG matters. You’re closer than you think; you just need sharper execution under pressure.

If you want, DM me and I can point you to a few free resources.

Regards,
Franco

Hey!

Thanks for sharing your doubts. First-gen might indeed have a tougher time in the MBB recruiting process. I sent you a DM with my honest perspective and with further questions on what help you feel you need -- I'd love to support you. 

For other folks: I'd like to demystify the idea that you HAVE to spend 500$ to get into MBB. Of course, money helps for everything, but most folks get into MBB after spending 0 to 100$ (e.g., many spend absolutely nothing and prep with peers and ChatGPT math drills, others get only PrepLounge Premium, others Premium and a single session coach).

Best,
Tom

Ciao Lucia, the feedback you got from the BCG Project Leader is a very strong signal. People don’t say “come back, I see potential” lightly.

So don’t let one setback turn into a story about being “average.” That’s just not what the evidence says.

Second: you do not need expensive prep courses to prepare for Bain or McKinsey & Company assessments.

A few practical things I’d do with one week:

1. Focus on fundamentals, not everything
For McKinsey Solve / Bain tests, I’d prioritize:

• numerical reasoning (percentages, ratios, quick calculations)
• chart/data interpretation
• logic / pattern recognition

Don’t try to cover the universe.

2. Use what you already have
Don’t passively read — simulate under time pressure.

3. Practice under pressure
A lot of “freezing” is nerves, not lack of ability.

Do timed drills.
Train staying calm.

Confidence often comes from repetition.

4. For math — simplify
Most candidates don’t fail because the math is hard.
They fail because they panic.

Write things down.
Break problems into steps.
Talk yourself through the logic.

5. Don’t let the first-gen narrative become self-doubt
I’ve seen many candidates from non-traditional backgrounds make it. What matters is preparation and resilience.

And honestly — the fact that you got through BCG Round 1 already means you are much closer than you think.

One last thing I’ll say, because I believe it strongly:
self-confidence is a skill, and it comes from training.

The more you practice, the calmer you’ll be. And that calm is not just important for passing interviews — it’s a core consulting skill.

So this week:

• keep it focused
• practice daily
• don’t overconsume material
• build confidence through reps

And keep going. You’re much more in the game than you think.

Good luck! 

hey Lucia! 

First‑gen here too, and I just want to say this upfront: you’re not “aiming too high.” Plenty of us started with weak math, zero prep budget, and no family guidance, and still made it through. Your BCG interviewer literally told you to come back, which means you do have the potential.

For Bain and McKinsey assessments, you don’t need expensive courses. What matters is focused practice in the right format.

For McKinsey: Use  PST‑style drills, GMAT‑style logic questions, and practice reading charts quickly. The test is more about calm pattern recognition than advanced math.

For Bain: Practice mental math, fast estimation, and simple business logic. Their assessment rewards speed and clean thinking, not perfection.

With less than a week, keep it simple: Do 1–2 timed drills per day, review your mistakes immediately, and repeat the same question types until they feel familiar. Consistency beats volume.

And please don’t let one rejection convince you you’re “average.” You’re competing in one of the toughest recruiting funnels out there, and you’re still standing. That alone says a lot.

You can absolutely do this. Alessa :)

Hi there,

Let's start with the most important thing you wrote: a Project Leader told you she wants you to come back as an Associate. That is not a consolation prize. That is a real signal from someone who sees something in you. Take it seriously.

Now, your friends. Ignore them. Completely.

On the math freeze: that is fixable. Practice timed math every single day. I recommend mathdrills dot com — print the sheets, time yourself, and repeat. Then apply that speed in cases. The freeze happens because the pressure is unfamiliar. Make the pressure familiar.

On the assessments: Bain and McKinsey tests are fundamentally similar to BCG's chatbot — time management, business judgment, data interpretation, critical thinking. The principles carry across all of them. For the BCG chatbot specifically, I have 10 of the past real tests. Feel free to message me.

On budget: the 360 Course covers the full recruiting journey and is the best value resource out there: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/prep-guide/consulting_recruiting_course

The podcast is completely free: "The Consulting Offer Blueprint" on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Keep going. You've got this — fingers crossed!

First, take a breath. You are not average, and your friends are wrong. A BCG Project Leader telling you to come back for Associate is a real signal. That does not happen to average candidates.

With less than a week, focus is everything. Do not try to do everything.

For McKinsey Solve, the format is game-based. Ecosystem, plant defence, and a few others. The skills are pattern recognition, fast decisions, and basic data reading, not traditional case math. Watch every free walkthrough on YouTube. Search "McKinsey Solve walkthrough" and "ecosystem game". Two to three hours of gameplay puts you ahead of most candidates.

For Bain SOVA or HireVue, it is mostly numerical, logical, and situational judgement. Free practice tests are everywhere online. Do 4 to 5 timed tests in the next few days.

On math, since you froze, the fix is mental math drills under time pressure. 30 minutes a day on multiplication, division, percentages, and growth rates. Speed comes from reps. You will see real progress in 5 to 7 days.

Sleep matters more than one extra hour of prep. Tests reward calm, not exhaustion. Read every question twice before answering. Most freezes come from rushing.

If you do not pass this round, it is not the end. You already have a door open at BCG.

Being first-gen is a strength. You figured everything out on your own. That resilience is exactly what consulting wants.

You can do this. Good luck.

That Project Leader's comment isn't just a kind send-off — it's a genuine data point that you have the potential they're looking for. Hold onto that when the self-doubt creeps in. You're not average; average doesn't get a "come back for Associate" invite.

For the crunch with a week left, here's the reality: these assessments are speed and accuracy gauntlets, not business knowledge tests. You can't learn everything, but you can drill reflexes. Use your CaseCoach sub to hammer mental math — percentage changes, ratios, simplifying large numbers. Do 20 minutes of timed practice daily. For the pattern recognition sections, find free practice tests online (JobTestPrep or similar) to train your eye for rotations and combinations.

Focus on volume, not perfection. Your first-gen grit already got you in the room. Trust that the patterns will click after a few timed drills. You've got this — all the best.

Lucia, 

Sorry to hear about this. Sounds like you have high ambitions but are operating with some constraints. 

You will find lots of free resources online (youtube and coaching platforms / website and also here in the Q&A section). Try to make the most out of what's already there. 

Then, you might consider also investing even in just one coaching session to assess your readiness for the interviews and give you a sense of what to focus on. 

Best,
Cristian