A good student cold email is short: who you are, why you chose that person and a small request for a brief conversation. The recipient should understand the relevance within a few seconds.

Use one specific connection when possible, such as the same university, office, practice or extracurricular background. Avoid generic compliments about the firm's prestige because they make the message feel copied.

Do not ask for a referral in the first line or attach a long personal story. A 15-minute conversation is a much easier request for a busy consultant to accept.

A simple example: "Hi Maya - I am a second-year student at Northwestern studying economics and saw that you also moved from the university into Bain Chicago. I am exploring consulting and would really value 15 minutes to hear what surprised you about the transition. I am happy to work around your schedule. Best, Alex." Keep it brief, specific and easy to answer; do not attach a resume or ask for a referral in the first message. For more detail, see the consulting cold-email guide.

A concise message could be: "Hi Maya - I am a second-year student at Northwestern studying economics and saw that you also moved from the university into Bain Chicago. I would value 15 minutes to hear what surprised you about the transition. I am happy to work around your schedule."

Would you suggest a specific time in the first email, or just ask if they are open to a short chat?