Chance at MBB Summer with a 3.4 GPA?
Math & CS major at a top target with a 3.4 GPA (rounded). Will take summer classes and can potentially reach a 3.5 or even 3.6 (rounded) by the fall, but that’s still below the usual MBB standards. Internships, extracurriculars, and consulting-specific preparation are solid.
Should I submit now for the early deadlines, wait for the late-August / early-September cycle once my GPA is higher, or skip SA recruiting altogether and focus on full-time next year?
As an international student, sponsorship limits me mostly to MBB. I’ve heard McKinsey puts little weight on networking, while Bain and BCG value it more—any advice on how best to prepare? Thanks in advance.
Wait and go for FT
Would Hong Kong/Singapore/Dubai or Tier 2 US offices worth a shot?
Damn is the AI hype that real that you wouldn't want to go into SWE with a CS degree from a top target?
Didn’t enjoy SDE, but still considering product roles. Will take a shot at buyside quant given graduate-level stat courses taken, though I know how competitive it is. Generally gravitate to people business roles over pure technical positions.
You're a junior so you have time. My two cents. McKinsey and BCG both value networking minimally. Bain a little moreso. Networking is for your benefit only, or if you can get on shortlists for full-time. I got on the BCG shortlist by getting a internship final round last year, but it's just some emails. I got on the McKinsey shortlist bc a student advisor at the career service office was working there full-time, I built a relationship, and she added me. That's some zoom calls, private coffee chats, a dinner, some in-person events.
Bain also has a shortlist (they did a private dinner that some people I know were invited to), but I'm not on that. I think they do school recruiting, so no point focusing in on an office. A group of school alums review your resume, and then distribute to offices. McKinsey recruiter reviews your resume, not alums. No idea what BCG does.
T2 (OW, LEK, EYP, Deloitte S&A, S& etc.) might be more loose with resumes and def value recruiting more -- but that's just what I've heard. I know somoene at OW who got an offer with a 3.3 with a lot of networking. I know Roland Berger has a networking tracker they ask associates to log when they have a coffee chat.
IMO 3.5 will still be hard unless you're a shortlist or have a name-brand internship. This could all be wrong -- I'm just a senior, nothing special. Just things I've picked up on. Good luck!
Super informative and helpful, thank you so much!
At BCG, networking can be helpful in getting you past the first screen if you can get a call with someone on the recruiting team and make a good impression. Reach out to friends/acquaintances at BCG, and they can most likely set you up.
Applications are pretty holistic, and it's not like you're an auto-fail with a 3.4. You've just got to focus on squeezing the most out of the rest of your application (work experience, leadership experience, diversity, and networking) to make up for the GPA. Also helps if you have really good quantitative scores on the SAT/ACT (which I'm guessing you do).
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