Waitlisted for 1st rounds at BCG? What does this mean?

I got a rejection email for BCG and then an email saying I was on the wait list for the North American offices. This is for junior internships at a target.

Does anybody know what this means or appx. how many applicants at a target get put on the waitlist? Do ppl ever get off?

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Also wondering if this is something new BCG started, because I have yet to find any information online about there being a waitlist for 1st rounds.

 

Not sure how common it is in general, but as a as a single data point: I was also WL for SA interviews (target), and got off a couple days later.

 

My school's deadline was about a week ago so not unusual at all. Another friend at a semi-target got a first round invite for BCG under thirty-six hours after the deadline.

 
Most Helpful

First off, chill - it will be okay. Every firm has interview waitlists. Typically the waitlist has 4 to 8 people on it (assuming a closed list of 40 to 60 people). The purpose of the waitlist is so the firm can identify who they should choose next to interview if someone who was selected to interview back out.

It is impossible to know whether you will make it off the waitlist because you don't know what number you are on the waitlist and more importantly, how many (if any) people will back out. People generally back out when they receive offers from competing firms and no longer wish to interview or change their mind about wanting to potentially work for BCG or in consulting.

It certainly happens but there is always a lot of variability from year to year and campus to campus. With that being said, there is no cost in staying on the waitlist so constructively, just keep prepping and hope for the best. I suppose you can always withdraw from the waitlist but not sure why you would do that. Hope this helps.

 

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