Seeking Advice: BCG Associate vs. Experienced Associate Application

Background

• Education: Master’s, Carnegie Mellon University (Dec 2024)
• Current role: Associate, KPMG — Bay Area (6 months full‑time)
• Past BCG experience: Reached the final round for Bay Area Associate recruiting last year
• Goal: Join BCG in San Francisco or Silicon Valley

My Question

Given I’ve been working full-time for 6 months and hold a non-MBA Master's, should I:

1. Apply to the campus Full-Time Associate position (even if I’ve graduated and am working), or
2. Wait for a Bay Area opening and apply via the Experienced Hire path?

If I pursue the experienced hire path, should I wait until BCG’s Bay Area office posts a specific opening, or should I apply 3 months before my intended start date, even if it’s not listed yet?

1. Job description: BCG Associate position:

Undergraduate and non-MBA Master's students from all fields of study and backgrounds with graduation dates between December 2025 – August 2026 are welcome to apply.

My concern:
Does this mean that recent graduates who have already started working full-time (like me) are no longer encouraged to apply for this campus track?

2. Job description: Experienced Hire Associate position:

We hire Experienced Hires for Associate and Consultant positions.
Associates typically have 0–4 years of full-time work experience, while Consultants generally have 4+ years of experience and/or an advanced degree (e.g., MBA, PhD).

Additional Info:

• This role appears to be open year-round, depending on office needs
• BCG notes: “For experienced hire roles, it’s generally recommended to apply about three months before you’re available to join.”
• Currently, only Boston is listed as recruiting for the Experienced Hire – Associate position

Would love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar position or has insight into how BCG views recent grads with 6–12 months of full-time experience. Any thoughts?