I have two weeks left until my interview, and I am underprepared. My final exams are two days before the interview, which is why I haven't had - and don't have - that much time to prepare. Should I cancel or try to prepare 1hr per day and see how it goes?
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I wouldn’t rush to cancel.
Two weeks with 1 focused hour per day can be enough to reach a solid level — especially for R1. What matters is how structured and intentional that hour is.
Before deciding, ask yourself three things:
1. What’s your baseline?
If you already understand basic case structure and have done a few live cases, you’re likely closer than you think.
2. What’s the downside of trying?
Even if you don’t pass, a real interview is extremely valuable experience. Many candidates perform better in R2 simply because R1 removed the fear factor.
3. Can you prepare smart, not long?
In limited time, prioritize:
- Core structuring drills
- 4–5 high-quality live cases
- Clear communication and math accuracy
- Strong personal fit stories
What I wouldn’t recommend is canceling purely out of fear. Cancel only if you genuinely have zero foundation and no time to build one.
In most cases, it’s better to prepare efficiently, show up, and treat it as an opportunity — not a verdict.
You might surprise yourself.
Let me know if you want support or talk it through — happy to help!
Hi!
In this situation, I would seriously consider rescheduling.
Two weeks with final exams two days before the interview is not an ideal setup, especially if you already feel underprepared. Case interviews are very performance-sensitive; going in half-ready isn’t great for you, and it doesn’t help the firm either.
Reach out to the recruiter:
- Explain briefly that you have final exams just before the interview
- Propose a specific alternative date when you know you can be properly prepared (don’t ask an open-ended “can we move it?”)
- Keep the tone professional and appreciative
From BCG’s perspective (and most consulting firms), it’s actually better if candidates come well prepared. In most, if not all, cases, recruiters are understanding and willing to shift the interview.
If this is an important opportunity for you, give yourself the best chance to perform at your level.
All the best! Reach out if you need help preparing!
That is an absolutely brutal timing conflict. Trying to manage final exams and a high-stakes BCG interview back-to-back is setting yourself up for failure, and you need to get a clear reality check on the consequences.
The single biggest mistake you can make right now is going into that R1 interview grossly underprepared. Consulting recruiting is a funnel, and R1 is a hard stop. If you fail, you don't just get to apply next month; you usually face a formal 12 to 18-month cooling period. A poorly executed R1 interview effectively burns your shot at BCG for the next year and a half.
Do not attempt the 1-hour-a-day approach. That level of preparation is insufficient for a top-tier firm, especially with the stress of finals looming.
Here is the strategic pivot: Do not cancel yet. Immediately contact your recruiter and explain the unavoidable conflict with your final exams. Frame it professionally, emphasizing that the academic commitment prevents you from dedicating the necessary preparation time, and ask if rescheduling is possible, even if it’s just by one week. If they accommodate you, fantastic. If they are firm and cannot reschedule, then strategically withdraw your application now rather than failing in two weeks. Withdrawing is always better than failing, as it keeps the door open for you to re-engage with them formally when you have a clear 4-6 week runway to prepare properly after finals are over.
All the best!
Hey!
What you could do is try to move the interview! Sometimes this works when talking to HR! :) Then you will have time after your exam to prepare!
If there isn't an option to move the interview to a later point in time - then I would try to prepare 1h/day if that's possible - don't just cancel :)
Let me know if you want support / talk! Happy to help :)
BR Alessa
Hi there,
I wouldn’t cancel. If you’re genuinely feeling underprepared, it’s completely reasonable to ask whether a slight reschedule is possible — especially with final exams just two days before. Firms like BCG understand academic commitments, and asking politely for a short extension (even 1–2 weeks) won’t hurt your chances.
If moving it isn’t possible, two weeks with about an hour a day can still be meaningful if you focus on quality over quantity — structured thinking, solid math practice, and a handful of good live cases.
There’s no need to panic or withdraw. Either reschedule thoughtfully or prepare in a focused way — both are better than canceling outright.
Happy to help you think through a simple prep plan if that helps
Best
Evelina
Get a diagnostic. Reach out to me and I'll explain how I run this with my candidates.
Then you'll know where you are, what the gap is, the likelihood of passing the interview, the most important 2-3 things to change to close the gap, and whether or not you should try to push the interview to increase the likelihood of passing.
Otherwise, I wouldn't push by default or keep by default.
Best,
Cristian
I would say email the recruitment team asap and see if there is availability for them to move the interview. Companies want you to put your best foot forward so it is typical that they should move it.
Do not cancel. Getting a BCG interview is the hardest part. Most people never get past the resume screen. If you cancel, there is no guarantee you get another invite. You are giving up a confirmed seat for a hypothetical future one.
One hour a day for two weeks is 14 hours. Not ideal, but I have seen candidates with less prep time get offers because they focused on the right things.
What to do with limited time:
- Skip full cases. Focus every session on structuring only. Read a prompt, build a structure in two minutes, evaluate, repeat.
- Do five to six mental math drills. Percentages, growth rates, estimation. This is where underprepared candidates fall apart visibly.
- Prepare two strong behavioral stories. One on leadership, one on impact. Under two minutes each.
The worst case if you go underprepared? You do not pass. Same outcome as cancelling, except you gain real BCG interview experience. That is invaluable if you apply again.
The worst case if you cancel? You may never get another shot.
Go. Prep smart with what you have. A learning experience at minimum, a real opportunity at best.
Hi there,
You should have a transparent discussion with the HR and request to delay your interview if possible, maybe even delay to next round of recruitment. They are usually really understanding about this.
