Community Forum
Ask anything about cases, applications and recruiting. Members and coaches answer.
Which MBB offices are actually more competitive?
- Office Selection
People always say New York, London, San Francisco, etc. are more competitive, but how much should that affect where you apply? I would genuinely be happy in a few different offices. Is there any smart way to balance office preference with recruiting odds without obviously trying to game the system?
Some large and highly desirable offices receive more applicants, but you should not assume there is a clean public ranking of admission difficulty.
Can you apply to multiple MBB offices at the same firm?
- Office Selection
If I am flexible geographically, can I submit applications to multiple offices at the same MBB firm, or do they expect you to choose one primary office? I do not want duplicate applications to create a mess.
Office selection rules differ by firm and recruiting channel. Some applications let you rank multiple preferences; others route you through a primary office.
Office fit vs better recruiting odds: which should matter more?
- Office Selection
If you really like one MBB office but think another might be less competitive, is it dumb to apply to the first one anyway? I am torn between optimizing for the office I actually want and just maximizing the chance of getting in somewhere.
If you would clearly prefer one office and have a credible reason for it, that should carry substantial weight. You are choosing where you may actually live and build relationships for years.
Does a referral from another office still help your MBB application?
- Office Selection
If someone refers you from a different office than the one you are applying to, does that referral still carry weight? I have a good relationship with a consultant in another city, but basically no contacts in my target office.
A credible referral can still be useful even when the person sits in another office, because they are vouching for you as a candidate rather than simply providing local access.