When is the right time to apply MBB?

Question

Hi

I’m a recent graduate looking to start a career in consulting. I’m particularly interested in MBB and Tier 2 firms. While I have a business degree and strong academic credentials, I’m starting completely from scratch when it comes to case prep—I haven’t practiced any cases yet.

Now that I’ve finished university, I can dedicate myself full-time to interview preparation. In your opinion, should I start applying right away and continue preparing throughout the process? Or would it be better to wait around 3–4 weeks to reach a solid level of readiness (say, around 80%) before submitting applications?

I’d love to hear your thoughts—do you think there’s a “right” moment to apply?

Thanks in advance for your time and help!

Answer 1

It depends on you, but generally it takes 6 weeks+ of practice for people to be MBB offer-ready.

You could do 3-4 weeks of prep and then apply, and that way you’ll be ready by the time of your first interviews.

Which region are you in? In many regions, the big hiring windows are Sep-Oct (post university/MBA graduation) and then Jan-Mar, so you should schedule your prep to be aligned with those timings.

Answer 2

Great question and a very mature approach to the process!

Basically, you should first figure out when you can apply. In the sense that if the application deadline is now, then you should just apply now and try to make the most out of the process.

If you can apply at any point, then my recommendation to my candidates is to apply when they are 70-80% done with the prep.

That's because once the process gets going, it typically moves rather fast. And you don't want to go through the stress of trying to postpone the interviews.

You might also find this guide helpful:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

Hi there,

Great that you’re aiming for MBB and Tier 2—having strong academics and full-time availability for prep puts you in a solid position.

If you’re starting from scratch on casing, I’d recommend holding off on applying for a few weeks—ideally 3 to 4—until you’ve built a good foundation. You don’t need to be perfect, but you should feel confident walking through a full case under timed conditions and have solid frameworks, mental math, and business judgment in place. Most firms have a reapplication wait period (often 12–18 months), so it’s smart to apply once you’re truly ready to perform at your best.

That said, if a deadline is coming up or a recruiter reaches out, don’t ignore the opportunity—just accelerate your prep accordingly.

In short: aim for ~80% readiness, not 100%, but definitely more than 0. Happy to help you prep when you’re ready—feel free to reach out!

Best,

Evelina

Answer 4

Hi Anonymous😃

With that much time to invest, I think you can do more than just prep for case interviews. I’d focus on setting yourself up to be a great entry-level consultant, especially on communication and logical structuring fronts. Those two things make up most of your case prep effort either way. Followed a similar summer plan with a friend going into the McK London office

Then you can apply about 6-12 weeks before you intend to start your career.

Let’s have a 15min intro call next week if this needs more unpacking. Otherwise, all the best!🙌

Answer 5

Hi there,

1) check for the deadlines from the different batches across semesters. If you miss this one, will you be able to join the next one? Something worth checking with HR.

2) Case prep from zero may take 2-4 months depending on your ability to learn and time available. So if you can postpone, do it.

Good luck!!

Best,

Mari