Earlier vs later deadline for Bain/BCG internship

From my experience, it would be best if you can apply early if you can already do your case prep. If you start now you could be ready by the time they invite you to interviews.

Because it is highly competitive, submitting early can give you the advantage of recruiters reviewing your application when no position has been filled and maybe help demonstrate to them your enthusiasm about it. Also, if they are already saying so I would do as they recommend.

However, please ensure you have done your due diligence and are capable of providing a high quality resume and cover letter tailored to the firm. A well-prepared application is likely to be more effective than a hastily submitted one.

Regarding case prep, if you can put in a greater effort the sooner the better. Once you have the skillset you can maintain it through practice. That way you can make sure you will be ready in case they call you for interviews soon. It is common for firms to review applications as they come in and extend invitations on a rolling basis. Applying early could position you to be part of this initial review so yes, you run the risk of an “earlier” interview. 
 
Best of luck!

Hi there,

if they prefer you to apply by the earlier deadline, then you could assume that choosing the later deadline might have some downside. They usually have a finite number of internship positions and if they already fill them with high quality candidates during the first part of the process, then there will be fewer or no spots left for the second part. So in general, you want to be earlier rather than later in the recruiting process.

However, I'm not sure as to where you stand with your application documents and interview preparation. If you feel like you need additional time to make it work from your end, you might have to apply later. But if you can manage to meet the earlier deadline, I would go for that.

Good luck

Based on my experience shortlisting and interviewing candidates from US schools for the US and Middle East offices, there is a clear advantage to applying early. More positions are available at the start, and there's often a tendency to hire more from the initial cohorts, making competition tougher later on.

However, ensure your resume and cover letter are high quality. Start your case prep early so you're ready if interviews are scheduled soon.

Regards 

Ashwin 

Here's what you have to weight:

1. How strong your application is (are you sure to get an interview?)
2. Likelihood of getting an invite
3. How well you are prepared

If you have a strong application, most likely you get the interview anyway. If you don't, it's better to apply earlier (unless, of course, you believe you will be able to get a referral).

But if you are not able to complete your preparation, then you'll get the interview, but not at the best time… So you have to manage this tradeoff. 

In short, if you are confident to get an interview, you can postpone a bit. If you are not, then you should not postpone.

Given that you seem to already be preparing, probably sooner makes more sense than later.

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, I would advise you to prioritize applying by the earlier deadline if it is mentioned as preferred.
• Moreover, however, if you are sure that you will not be well prepared by the time of the interviews, there is no point in applying by the earlier deadline and knowingly failing in the interviews.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen