Sitting 2024 on-cycle out (coming from MBB)

We all have that hesitation and nervousness , completely natural!! Prepare as best you can and go for it this year . There isn’t much of a need to stay an extra year in consulting if you know what you want to do, and with prep on the side you can be in top shape (especially given you are more recently removed from case prep for the job).

MBB here as well. Would recommend you wait a year so you have diligences your can speak to. Otherwise you will literally not have a single thing to talk about in these interviews, given that you didn’t even intern in consulting and you haven’t been staffed yet. They won’t have anything to ask about and it could potentially be quite embarrassing. 

Participation is going to be extremely low in on cycle this year given how expedited it feels. Don’t feel pressured to participate, will be plenty of opportunity year round bc funds won’t be able to fill their spots since no one is prepared.

Sit out - most consultants sit out the first time around and only recruit after finishing their first year.

Thanks all! Consensus here seems to be stick to the norm for consultants and sit it out. How can I best communicate that to my HHs to preserve the relationship for next year or off-cycle?

For anyone not ready to participate - don't. MF and other funds are not going to fill their classes because participation in the next week or so is going to be incredibly low. Thus, they are missing out on so much talent. Take the time to continue studying and practicing paper LBOs. If you're not prepared (to do any technical), then you won't do well and you'll be draining yourself (this process is a time commitment, coffee chats and interviewing is exhausting as is hearing no). Just because it may kick off any day now doesn't mean these opportunities won't exist in the next 3 or so weeks. Or this fall, or in the spring. 

Thanks for letting the world know

Pulled the trigger and it worked out. Got the offer this past weekend. For any first-year consultants contemplating PE recruiting next year, sit out of the formal on-cycle process unless you've mastered simple LBO modeling. The additional ~week of preparation makes a difference (and comes at no real cost to your opportunity set).