Help: less than 2 weeks for an MBB interview and have never cased before
Just got an email that I was selected for an R1 at one of the MBB offices on the West Coast. Genuinely don't know how I passed the screening lol (I just shot the app for fun tbh). I go to a nontarget and do not have a single alumnus at the company, nor have I prepped or practiced for a case ever.
I understand the odds are heavily stacked against me, but what should my timeline be for practicing/prepping, and what resources should I use?
Feels kind of overwhelming with all the resources online (Management Consulted, Cosentino, Victor Cheng, Rocket Blocks), but I have a friend who recommended Crafting Cases.
Ready to put my head down and grind for the next two weeks and would appreciate any guidance, resources, and tips.
Thanks!
I would start by watching a handful of cases on YouTube to get a feel for their structure and flow. RocketBlocks has the best mock case videos imo. Try to understanding the main components of cases (prompt, recap, clarifying questions, framework, quant/qual questions, recommendation). Ultimately, even though every case is different, they all have each of these sections. If needed, you can supplement this part of prep with Victor Cheng’s videos.
The biggest factor will be getting live reps. Somehow you need to get 1 on 1 casing in. If you have anyone in your network that you think you could case with, take advantage of that. If not, i recommend getting a RocketBlocks subscription on their website. It gives you access to a massive chat with other people in your same situation looking to case in addition to tons of helpful prep materials for everything you’d need. It’s definitely worth it. If you end up getting the subscription I’d read all the info they have for each case section and then use their drills to improve areas you need help the most.
If you want to spend the money, you can always use one of the popular casing sites and buy sessions with ex-consultants to help you progress faster.
Once you’ve gotten a full understanding of casing, there’s no blanket answer for how many cases you need to run to be prepared. Just do what you can in the time available and give yourself the best chance.
There’s also the behavioral portion of interviews (“tell me about a time…” questions). These should definitely come secondary to casing unless you have McK PEI which is a whole other can of worms. You should be fine with them as long as you have put together (mentally or physically) a list of 5+ stories/experiences you can harp on and tailor slightly to answer questions.
All in all, it’s a lot but it can absolutely be done. I have friend at an MBB who was in the exact same shoes as you. Control what you can control and even if you don’t get the offer you’ll be able to say you gave it your best shot.
Didn't get a chance to reply earlier, but I ended up getting the offer! I ended up doing Rocketblocks and then Crafting Cases and just casing every day to get those live reps like you said. I think the behaviorals made the biggest difference--the partners I interviewed with said they loved my stories. Really big shot out to you, OP, for the help!
Congratulations on the offer! I am currently in your shoes and would love to seek any advice from you!
I think OP’s advice here and the one below are pretty solid. I’ll give you a run down of exactly what I did on a 2.5 week timeline to my first round.
Week 1: Understanding how a case works and the parts of it
I think this is really the hardest week because you’re gonna feel really overwhelmed and totally lost. What I did was I bought the rocket blocks membership and did all the learning concepts and went through the Crafting Cases 7 day crash course. I think this is really the most solid foundation (in respect to time) you will get and I feel like it definitely made cases click for me. Also make sure to watch a lot of cases to see how they flow and even do some cases. In terms of casing—dive right into it after. It’s gonna be a crash and burn the first few times but you’ll need it.
Week 2 & 3: Case and Drill!
These two weeks are the weeks where you will need to see the most improvement. I did 1-2 cases everyday along with Rocket Blocks drills. Make sure you are casing with solid people who will give you great feedback. Try to find something to improve on after each case. Last but not least, behavioral. Your stories need to be authentic and genuine. Partners/managers can smell bs a mile away.
Good luck! If I can do it (I’m dumb), you can too :)
That’s awesome, congrats!! So glad I could help!
I was in this situation last year and actually passed all the interviews and am currently working full time at MBB, so it can be done. My thoughts
Drop everything go to Crafting Cases right now, watch all the free videos, THEN do what the above comments suggested. If you've legitimately never cased before, diving headfirst into cases without first learning how to think like a consultant from the fundamentals, is a recipe for disaster.
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