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McKinsey and Bain internship applications close as early as March of sophomore year. If you miss that window, your next shot is a full year away.
How many hours a week does prep really take? And does it matter whether you start now or after winter break?
Katie and Mark Di Giorgio – a non-target grad who went on to McKinsey – answer both, and walk through the 3 mistakes Mark has watched sophomores make before these deadlines, including the one that costs them the most time.
If you’re ready to start practicing, here’s where to begin.
Resources:
Start my free Case Foundations course – it gets your case prep started on the right foot
Ambitious but not sure where to start? See how Black Belt coaching works – you get paired with an MBB coach who helps you find your gap areas and close them before applications and interviews
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Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
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If you lead an operations practice or want to work in one, the 2027 ranking has a surprise at the top: Kearney beat McKinsey.
What put Kearney on top starts with what clients are paying for.
Firms told us the biggest misconception about operations consulting is that it’s all about cost cutting. But those same firms said cost is one of their top two sources of demand. So which is it?
Namaan shares what our research with firm leaders found, and what those findings mean for you. If you lead a firm, you’ll see what operations clients now expect to pay for. If you’re a candidate, you’ll see which firms are growing.
Hit play to find out what put Kearney on top, then see where all 10 firms landed in the full ranking.
Resources:
Read the 2027 operations consulting ranking – who leads each of the 10 operations segments, plus what each top firm is best for
Find my next role on the MC Job Board – thousands of openings at hundreds of top firms
Lead a consulting firm? Book time with Namaan – see how to get your firm’s perspective featured in MC’s rankings, podcasts, and research
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Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
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Quince pays for retargeting ads to reach customers it already has.
That’s the retargeting problem 50 teams of graduate students took on in the Case Competition World Cup, presented by Adobe. 5 made the final round, which you're listening to now.
Each finalist had 5 minutes to pitch a fix using Adobe Customer Journey Analytics. And the answers went in very different directions.
Judges scored how clearly each team told its story and how well the numbers backed it up. The best story won – and the finals show you what that sounds like.
Resources:
Start learning Adobe Customer Journey Analytics for free – the platform every team used. Students get 50% off certification exams with a student email
Save my spot on the early list – be first to hear about the next Case Competition World Cup
Want a case competition on your campus – a one-day event where MC coaches and judges mentor students as they compete? Book a free consultation with MC
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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“I’ll start casing once I get an interview invite. No point prepping for an interview I might not get.”
Katie hears some version of this from candidates on her calls, and it’s easy to see why. The invite is uncertain, interviews feel far off, and your schedule is already packed with classes, club events, and coffee chats.
So in this episode of Case Busters, Katie puts it to the test. Should you really hold off on casing until the interview invite lands? And what if the invite never comes?
Myth or fact? Hit play to find out.
Resources:
Not sure what’s holding back your interview chances? See how Black Belt coaching works – 1:1 with coaches who’ve been through MBB recruiting, who find your gap areas and help you close them
Not sure if MC support is right for you? Book 15 minutes with Katie – you’ll find out if Black Belt is the right fit
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Whether you’re targeting McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or Tier 2 / Big 4 strategy firms, your evaluation can start before interview invites even go out.
Many firms bring MBA candidates in for a group case or a 1-on-1 session first – the sessions are evaluative.
Maile Dyer, a former Bain manager and Chicago Booth MBA, went through one of these sessions as a first-year and later helped decide who got interviewed.
She joins the podcast to share how to prep for an evaluation that happens before the invite, and the mistakes she sees first-year MBAs make all the time.
Hit play to get the full plan. If you want help running it, check out the resources below.
Resources:
Check the free consulting deadlines tracker – MBA internship dates for MBB, Big 4, and boutique firms in one place
Practicing cases but can’t tell what an interviewer would catch? See how Black Belt coaching works – you get 1-on-1 coaching with an ex-MBB coach who finds your gap areas and helps you close them
Not sure if MC support is right for you? Book 15 minutes with Katie – you’ll find out if Black Belt is the right fit
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more