Community Forum
Ask anything about cases, applications and recruiting. Members and coaches answer.
Can a humanities student realistically get into Bain, BCG, or McKinsey?
- Undergrad
I am studying humanities and keep wondering whether I am at a disadvantage versus business / economics / engineering students for MBB. Do firms actually hire people from humanities, or is that mostly marketing?
Yes, humanities students can be competitive. MBB firms hire across disciplines because the job requires problem solving, communication, judgment, and learning quickly rather than one specific major.
Magna cum laude or a double major: what matters more for consulting?
- Undergrad
If doing a second major could pull down my GPA and make it harder to graduate with honors, which one is more useful for MBB recruiting? The second major is interesting but not necessary for my career.
Do not add a second major purely as a consulting signal. Firms are much more interested in strong overall academic performance and what you accomplished outside the classroom.
Rising sophomore trying for consulting: what should I focus on now?
- Undergrad
I am a rising sophomore and interested in MBB long term. I know junior-year recruiting is still a while away, so what is actually worth doing now versus way too early?
Focus on building a strong base rather than trying to simulate senior-year recruiting two years early.
Should I switch to a business major for consulting recruiting?
- Undergrad
I am in a non-business major but interested in consulting. Would switching into business make MBB recruiting materially easier, or should I stay in the subject I actually like and just learn the business basics separately?
Stay in the major that fits your interests and where you can perform strongly unless you have a separate reason to switch.
Low freshman GPA. Is MBB already unrealistic?
- Undergrad
My freshman GPA is rough and I am worried I already damaged my chances for MBB internships later. I still have plenty of semesters left, but the first-year grades are going to sit on the transcript forever. What should I actually do from here? Is the goal just to raise the cumulative GPA as much as possible, or can internships / leadership offset a weak start?
A weak freshman year is not ideal, but it is far too early to self-reject. An upward academic trend can materially change how the record looks by the time you recruit.
What undergraduate schools are best for MBB recruiting?
- Undergrad
If your goal is MBB after undergrad, which schools actually give you the strongest recruiting access? I know the obvious Ivy / top-school names, but is there a better way to judge a school than just prestige rankings?
Look at recruiting access rather than prestige in isolation. The useful signals are whether MBB firms recruit on campus, how many students they hire, the strength of the alumni network, and which offices those graduates typically enter.
What should I do the summer before junior-year consulting recruiting?
- Undergrad
I am heading into the summer before junior year and MBB recruiting feels like it is suddenly getting close. What should I prioritize over the summer so I am not scrambling when applications open?
First, confirm the recruiting calendar for your school and target offices. Some deadlines arrive earlier than students expect.