I know it's an important part of the application and the only chance to present your personality. But, how are cover letters actually rated at M/B/B? Is it a standardized process and multiple people give it a score (from one to 10 let's say) or is it more like someone looks at your letter once and makes a binary decision (good enough/not good enough let's say)?
I assume it's a mix of both but I'd be curious to hear from the people who know exactly how the process works in reality.
I can tell you that at Bain, cover letter is looked at briefly and basically given a binary score (1 or 0) which accounts for <10% of your overall application score. At McKinsey London, Cover Letters aren't even read at all (and don't have to be submitted).
Hi,
The short answer is no. You just need to have a standard good looking cover letter, but it can not make a change if you have a poor resume.
Best
We've discussed this a lot recently here - the general consensus is that letters aren't even read sometimes, and at best would have a very limited influence BUT you still should do them even if 'optional'
Dear A,
Actually you just have to have a good CV and cover letter. It willn't make the big difference, but you might get rejection for a poor CV and Cover letter.
If you nedd I have an example of a good CV and Cover letter, so feel free to PM
Best,
André
Crafting Your Entry-Level Cover Letter by Udayan 
