What is the most effective way to prepare for my upcoming McKinsey & Bain interviews?

Hi there,

Sounds like you’ve already built a solid base – great that you’ve done 30+ cases and already started mocks. With 3–4 weeks left (and part of it being holiday), now’s the time to shift your prep from quantity to quality and refinement.

Here’s what I’d recommend:

1. Prioritize live mock interviews
At this stage, nothing beats high-quality mock interviews with detailed feedback. Ideally, go for 1 mock every 2–3 days, and make sure you work with people who push you – coaches, experienced candidates, or consultants if possible. Focus on top-down communication, case leadership, and business judgment.

2. Go deep on your weak spots
Instead of just doing 2 new cases per day, be deliberate:
– Revisit case types or industries where you struggled (e.g. operations, capacity, pricing).
– Practice the first 5 minutes of a case repeatedly to get sharper on structuring.
– Refine your hypothesis-building and case intuition.

3. Don’t neglect PEI / Fit
Especially for McKinsey, the personal experience part is a big deal. Take time to script, refine, and rehearse your stories – ideally with feedback. Prepare for follow-up questions and pushback.

4. Time management & burnout
3 focused hours per day is a healthy target if you keep intensity high. You don’t need to grind for 6–8 hours daily. During your holiday, aim to keep the momentum with light touch-points: e.g. reviewing your structures, mental math drills, or 30-min fit practice.

Final note: At this point, quality and consistency > volume. Make sure each session adds real value and gets you closer to where you want to be.

If you'd like help with mock interviews or your PEI stories, feel free to reach out!

Kind regards,
Kevin

Hi,

In general, I advise candidates to prepare 50-100 hours before the first interview covering at least 25 qualitative cases. That being said, quality is even more important than quantity. With the roadmap you have in mind, you should be sufficiently prepared for the first interview. I would start focusing on your main points of improvement and be more strict on you performance (e.g., framework, communication, calculations, business sense ...).

Let me know if you would like to do a real mock case interview to assess your current level.

Mattijs

You’re already on a solid track — 30 cases and 2 mocks under your belt is no small feat. At this point, with 3–4 weeks left (and a holiday coming up), it’s less about volume and more about conditioning your mindset, tightening your delivery, and simulating the real thing.

In addition to the great advice you have already received, Here’s how I’d think about it:

Internalise the Case Mindset
 

In addition to the great advice others have likely given (case drills, mock routines, etc.), I’d really encourage you to start thinking like a consultant — all the time.

That doesn’t require pen, paper, or a desk.

You’re at a beach?

Ask yourself, “What would I say if a McKinsey partner asked me how to improve footfall at this beach café?” or “How would I help a logistics company reduce delivery costs to this remote location?”

This builds your mental agility and hypothesis-driven thinking — a muscle you need to develop just like the others. Practice talking through your logic while walking, during a train ride, or even casually chatting with a friend. The goal is to get to a point where you’re not dependent on tools or silence to structure your thoughts.

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitations from McKinsey and Bain!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, I would strongly advise you to stay away from practicing on your own, as it is not effective and doesn't simulate the actual interview situation properly.
• Moreover, considering you have essentially only done two proper case study practices, I would advise you to double down on your case study preparation - either with peers, friends and family, or an experienced coach like me. With only 3-4 weeks left until your interviews, you definitely want to make sure you are interview-ready by then.
• Lastly, contrary to what other coaches have said, without seeing your performance in person, it is impossible to provide an honest answer regarding the ideal number of hours per week - and even then, it would be hard. Instead, I would advise you to listen to your mind and body, and act accordingly.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey and Bain interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

You’re in a strong position — 30 self-led cases and 2 mocks is a solid base. With 3–4 weeks left (and a holiday coming up), the goal now is focused, high-impact prep.

Here’s what I’d suggest:

1. Prioritize mocks with a coach or peer interviewer
Aim for 1 mock every 2–3 days with someone who gives tough, structured feedback. These simulate the real pressure and are the fastest way to improve.

2. Target your weak spots
Use solo time to drill specific case types or skills you struggle with — whether that’s structuring, math, or synthesis. Don’t just repeat full cases unless you’re fixing something.

3. Keep your toolkit sharp
Spend 30–60 mins a day on fast math, structuring drills, hypothesis generation, and strong conclusions — the fundamentals that show up in every case.

4. Don’t neglect fit
Both McKinsey and Bain weigh fit heavily. Do 2–3 focused fit sessions per week and practice story delivery even on light prep days.

5. Manage your time wisely
Shoot for 15–20 focused hours/week. During your holiday, scale back but stay warm — light drills, story rehearsals, or 1 casual case every few days.

At this point, smart, quality prep beats volume. Stay consistent, get honest feedback, and focus on what moves the needle.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best,
Evelina

Hi there,

Sounds like you're putting in some good effort.

I definitely wouldn't try and do more than that since it's not sustainable.

What should you focus on?

Generally, quality practice with people who can give you useful feedback.

Specifically, no idea until I can actually see you in a live case. 

Best,
Cristian

As other coaches have said, it sounds like you have already built a solid base.

There's no fixed answer as to how many hours you should put in - but it's certainly worth identifying and drilling down on your weak points.

It may be worth your time to engage a coach for a few sessions. 

Hello there,

Adding to what was stated, remember to work on Bain’s fit and McKinsey’s PEI. For the latest, I recommend hiring a coach, specially if you’re not 100% confident of your stories.

Best,

Mari