How many cases do you do?

Hi Anonymous,

quality is more important than quantity, but in general most of the candidates who get offers do between 30 and 100 cases. There are several factors influencing the ideal number for a person, including:

1. Type of cases
2. Quality of the feedback
3. Background of the candidate
4. Ability to improve on the weaknesses identified
5. Previous prep material read

Best,

Francesco

I think it depends on how much you want the job, and if you really want it, I would do as many cases as possible. I think cracking the case is all about practice, practice and practice for anyone above an average IQ. 

One tip that I see is not given too regularly is, giving cases to other people is as useful as getting cases from someone else. When you are at the other end of the table (even if it is just for practice) you get a better understanding of "what not to do" and you get a feeling of "what that side of the table is looking for" 

So if you really want the job, from today until your interview, I would recommend practicing at least 1 case a day. It will be worth it once you get the job. Plus, you are planning to do this for a living, you might as well do it everyday starting now to see if you actually like it or not. 

Good luck 

Cheers 

Hi A,

I am a big fan of quality of quantity. If you are able to have cases with people that are experienced, you will be able to get interview ready much quicker.

Some people pass an MBB interview with just 5 cases. Some with 50-100. It all depends on your current level, your learning ability - and who you are practising with.

Good luck with your prep!

Aws

Hi A!

In my experience, practicing 15-20 cases is sufficient, if you do it strategically. My recommendation is as follows:

• Read up on the typical approaches and standard frameworks to get the concept.
• Then, do 5-6 cases to get a practical feeling for what a case is like. Start with easier ones - e.g. market size mini cases, simple profit tree cases, etc. This will help you develop a rudimentary sense for how cases work
• The next 5-6 cases should cover cases from all major types and help you gain the experience and comfort with standard frameworks and the thinking required for solving the cases.
• Lastly, you will want to do 6-7 cases to hone your skills. Practice with people who understand what they are doing - experienced interviewers, coaches, etc. that can give you 1-2 main items of feedback after each case that you can then practice to apply and improve on in the next case. During this time, you should also practice to move away from off-the-shelf frameworks and tailor, or - even better - develop your frameworks specifically during the case.

The further you move towards the final interview, the more important it is to practice with experienced interviewers. While you can easily ask any friend or practice with peers for the first few cases, you should aim for qualified, professional feedback as you approach the finishing line.

However, keep in mind, that this requires a strong plan and strategic approach to the preparation. I regularly see people doing 30-40 or even more cases. While this can also lead to success, in my eyes, it is a bit of a waste of time, especially for experienced hires that often also have a regular job to do while preparing for the consulting interviews.

Let me know if this helps. I'm also happy to elaborate any of the above in more detail. DM me if you like.