When should I expect to hear back from BCG London?

Question

Hello! I submitted my application for BCG's summer internship about ten days ago. While I understand it's still early, I'm slightly concerned because in my previous application, I received an invitation to the numerical reasoning test within a week.

I'm aware that first round invitations have been rolling out since the application opened on January 1st (with a deadline of January 27th). BCG London sends out interview invites until they reach their maximum capacity, meaning late applicants might face tougher competition for fewer spots.

Could you shed some light on the typical waiting period between stages? As far as I know, it usually goes: Application (potentially with a CV screen) → Numerical test → CV screening → 1st round → 2nd round → Decision.

Additionally, it might be helpful to note that BCG opens applications from beginning of January to end of January annually for their summer internships in the U.K. There's no on-campus recruiting, and everyone must go through the entire application process. Referrals, while appreciated, don't provide a significant advantage like they do in the U.S., as applicants still need to complete all stages.

Answer 1

Hi there,

I would say a typical timeline from submitting your application to ultimately receiving an offer (if that were to happen) is often between 6-8 weeks.

If you apply in Q4, the process tends to be slower on average as you have year-end shutdowns in December at many firms across various geographies. If companies are experiencing a general slowdown in hiring activity, the process will also likely take longer.

It is not uncommon that it might take 2-3 weeks after submitting your application before you hear back. It could even take longer. Many candidates also had to wait several weeks for feedback after they had already taken their online aptitude tests.

Given you specific case where the position in question is an internship for the summer of 2024 (presumably) and the application deadline was at the end of January already, you should likely see some movement there soon and receive some feedback.

Fingers crossed

Answer 2

Hi there,

You can check how the recruiting process works from an internal MBB perspective here:

MBB Hiring Hacks - Behind the Curtain Secrets

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Answer 3

MBA student who will be joining the BCG London office this summer for my internship. In terms of process, ours was like this (structured recruiting from EU MBA program):

Submit CV > Shortlist for R1 (2x Zoom interviews) and Casey a month later > Round 2 (2x interviews in-person or Zoom depending on preference)> Offer

Submission deadline to Invites/Rejections: 14 day gap
Invite to R1/Casey: 30 day gap over December
R1 to R2: 5 day gap (but we found out if through to the next round same day as the interviews)
R2 to Offer: 24 hours

Answer 4

Hi there,

Don't be worried! That's because the odds are that you won't get the interview. Those were always the odds. Those are the odds for everyone. And that's why you apply to lots of firms and never hang your hopes on just 1.

Assume you have the interview and make sure you're case prepping.

Assume you don't have the interview and apply to lots of other firms - and stop thinking about that which you cannot control (easier said than done, I know).

Referrals: Referrals + networking 100% still play a huge role in the UK.

Waiting Periods: Typical waiting period is 1-3 days to 3-6 weeks between stages. It all depends.

Answer 5

Hi there,

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

First of all, it's important to understand that the waiting period can vary based on numerous factors such as the volume of applications received and the internal processes of the firm. BCG London is a highly sought-after office, which can lead to a longer waiting time. Patience here is key.
Moreover, since you've applied towards the end of the application window, it's possible that the volume of applications to process is higher. Therefore, it might take a bit longer to hear back compared to early applicants.
Lastly, I would advise you to use this time to prepare for potential interviews and apply to other firms.

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

Best,

Hagen

Answer 6

I'd really want to help, but realistically, the timelines that I have are also isolated data points.

Realistically there is no ‘standard’ time aside from a gross average of 1-4 weeks (as you see, a very gross average).

My recommendation would be to not read too much into this situation and instead focus on what you can control. For instance, send out more applications or do more case / personal fit prep.

All the best and hope you hear back from them soon!
Cristian

Answer 7

University processes tend to take 3-4 weeks after the 1st round. Probably another 3-4 weeks from receiving the applications + an initial screening test and respective result. However, sometimes the screening test result itself may take a whole month.