How much time do I have usually for case prep after receiving a pass from PSG solving?

Congratulations, Deepika, on completing the PSG! Wishing you the best for the next steps.

You should typically receive your result email within 1-2 weeks of completing your PSG. If you pass, your interviews are generally scheduled 1-2 weeks after receiving the result.

While you can request more time from the recruiter, their ability to accommodate will depend on the firm's hiring needs and scheduling flexibility.

If you are applying to other consulting firms, I recommend starting your case interview preparation now. This will benefit you across all your interviews, regardless of the outcome with McKinsey.

Thanks Ashwin

Hi Deepika,

Q: What are the expected timelines after PSG?

Most candidates hear back within a couple of weeks. Then, once you hear back, usually they propose a slot within a couple of weeks. 

Thus overall I would expect around 1 month between the day of the game and the interview day. This might be different in some offices if there are specific recruiting deadlines.

Assuming you have other interviews/applications in pipeline, I would recommend starting to prepare now for the case interview, as you will need to prepare for the other interviews regardless of the outcome with McKinsey.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

You need to prepare for the interview already before you take the Solve. The ideal timeline is to be 80% ready before sending out the applications even.

Nowadays, it might take a bit longer but usually, you should expect interview invites anywhere from 1-3 weeks after passing the game.

Check out the following articles on McKinsey to help with your prep:

• McKinsey Case Interview
• Personal Experience Interview

All the best,

Florian

Deepika, 

Great question.

Anywhere from a week to a month. 

That's the typical range.

But it can also take longer.

Bear in mind that you can discuss the timeline with them and ask for more time if necessary.

Generally, I tell candidates to actually apply once they are 70-80% ready with the prep. This ensures that you are not stressed and cramming in the weeks right before the interview. Plus, if you're applying to several firms, it's a guarantee that you'll interview with some, which means it makes sense to do the prep ahead of time. 

Sharing with you also a guide on the application process, in case you are considering sending other applications as well:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi Deepika,

I would assume a 3-4 week timeframe for a first interview in case you get one. 

If you want to land a consulting offer, it is likely not enough to only apply to one firm. Since you would have to apply to many consulting firms, it makes absolute sense to start preparing for case interviews now. As a matter of fact, I usually recommend for candidates to be 80% ready for interviews before even submitting an application.

So I think you are looking at it the wrong way by considering case prep a waste of time unless you receive an interview invite. Sometimes you get offered interview slots on very short notice and it would be a shame to not convert on such a chance just because you were not well prepared.

Best

Sorry for the bad news… you have to prepare BEFORE you know the result of the PSG solving. So you probably have a couple of weeks. But you need more time than that to be ready… 

Hi Deepika,

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, typically, once candidates receive a pass from the McKinsey Solve, they schedule interviews within a few weeks to a month.
• Moreover, I would advise you to start preparing for your interviews immediately. Even if the interviews are scheduled later than expected, you should be in a near-perfect state of preparation by now, to be honest.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

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

Best,

Hagen