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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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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
