APD McK final round - how bad was it?

Question

I just had my final round at McK as an APD hire and I’m feeling pretty awful. I know nothing I do now can influence the outcome, but just wanted to gather some thoughts from others. My feedback from R1 was extremely positive, highlighted my creativity, and pointed out no clear flaws.

Partner 1: standard PEI + case, went okay. Nothing majorly stood out to me as being great or terrible. Got to ask a couple questions.

Partner 2: seemed short on time. The PEI got cut off and the case ended after a framework and exhibit interpretation. I felt she was time pressuring me on purpose, so I rolled with it and didn’t let it phase me. Again, got to ask a few questions. We only took about half the time.

Partner 3: This is where shit hit the metaphorical fan. PEI + full case. PEI was again solid, and the case was going okay until the last question, which was math. I struggled a lot and had to be guided. I was extremely fatigued and frustrated by this point but tried not to show it. I did eventually get to the right answer and offered an insight, but there wasn’t any time for questions. My math up to this point across the previous 4 interviews had been solid (or at least good enough that no one pointed it out), but interview 5 was really bad.

I’m pretty sure it’ll be a rejection at this point because the last case was so weak, but again, just wanted to collect some more experienced opinions.

Answer 1

Hi there,

Q: Just wanted to collect some more experienced opinions.

It is difficult to comment, as the only one who has the full picture is the interviewer. Overall, even if you make a mistake, you can still pass. Hopefully they will consider the rest of the performance solid enough. In some cases, at McKinsey they might also offer an additional interview if they are not sure about your performance as a final check.

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 2

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far!

Unfortunately, it is impossible to properly assess your performance without having attended the interviews. However, from your description, it seems to be a mediocre performance.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 3

Hi there,

Generally, one issue in one case would not lead to a rejection.

The full picture/the right profile counts as well as how coachable you were in the difficult situation. Did you follow the interviewer's lead, fix the issue, and move on?

That being said, from the outside it's almost impossible to comment on your performance across 5 interviews without having seen it first-hand.

Fingers crossed for a positive outcome!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 4

Hello there,

Sorry to hear about the situation - bad days happen to the best of us.

It is impossible to tell which way it will go definitively but it's highly unlikely math lapses in a single interview will be the sole reason for a rejection. But it is also worth noting that if the interviewer felt very strongly that you were simply incapable of handling the exercise or not present enough in the moment, that could lead to a rejection.

In some cases, there might be an additional interview as a final check which is usually a make or break.

Wishing you all the best! Try to stay positive till you hear back.

Fathu

Answer 5

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McK thus far! I would be happ... (read entire answer)

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McK thus far! I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question: First of all, while... (read entire answer)

Answer 6

Hi there, For BAs and ASCs it can happen sometimes, however, these would just be ice-breaker questions and don't real... (read entire answer)

Hi there, For BAs and ASCs it can happen sometimes, however, these would just be ice-breaker questions and don't really influence your evaluation (given the weight of the case a... (read entire answer)

Answer 7

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far! I would be... (read entire answer)

Hi there, First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far! I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation: First of all,... (read entire answer)