Which Bain App Deadline?

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm a rising junior at a target school, having transferred here this past spring. I'm applying for the 2025 Junior Internships and am unsure whether I should aim for the July 7th deadline or the September deadline.

I feel prepared for the interview and case process. So far, I've completed about 10-15 cases and received positive feedback from other students who are also applying for consulting internships or full-time positions. Additionally, I've had my resume and cover letter reviewed and edited by my school's career services.

However, I don't have any connections at the MBB firms, and I'm concerned about my lack of referrals. If I apply for the September deadline, I'll have more time to network and potentially build connections with consultants at each MBB firm. But I'm not sure if these connections will be strong enough in such a short period. Moreover, I've heard that the July deadline is the preferred deadline, and many intern spots are filled by those applicants.

Any advice on whether to apply now or wait would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I'm applying to an office like DC, LA, Dallas, and Houston, as my top two, and NYC as my school is in NYC.

TLDR: Should I apply to Bain by the recommended July intern deadline, or apply in September as I might know a few more people in the firm?

Answer 1

Hi Thomas,

any company usually has a finite number of internship positions and if they already fill them with high quality candidates during the early deadline 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.

It sounds like you could manage getting prepared for the early interviews based on the preparation you've already done - in case you do receive an interview invite. It also sounds like that the only doubt you are having now is whether you should use the additional time to get a referral. In principal a valid idea but I guess time might be of the essence at this point.

Here is why I think that:

If you haven't gotten any referrals by now and you are not in active talks with people who could get you a referral, then you'd be betting on one hell of a conversion rate in a relatively short amount of time that remains until the second deadline. Plus July and August are usually a slower months in consulting with a lot of people taking vacations. I'm not sure by how much you could really boost your network to make it worth the wait. But hey, you make the ultimate decision of course.

Good luck

Answer 2

Hello,

If July is the preferred deadline, then go for it. Making connections won't help in the selection process.
Make sure that you are well prepared. Feedback from peers is not always accurate. Better to test your skills with a coach.

Reach out if you need help.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Hi there,

Already too late but my advice if someone else is reading this:

If the recruiting market is in a bad shape as it is currently, it's always better to apply at an earlier deadline to avoid a rejection purely based on a full recruiting pipeline.

All the best for your application!

Florian

Answer 4

Currently recruiting situation is not great. You want to make sure you get the chance to interview. You'd rather apply early.

Answer 5

Hi there, there have been a lot of reports that processes seem to be running more slowly and people are waiting for a... (read entire answer)

Hi there, there have been a lot of reports that processes seem to be running more slowly and people are waiting for a while to receive feedback. If you have now already waited f... (read entire answer)

Answer 6

Hi there, Exciting times! You’ve ask a couple of good questions. Let me try to answer them together. At some po... (read entire answer)

Hi there, Exciting times! You’ve ask a couple of good questions. Let me try to answer them together. At some point, the firm needs to take N number of applicants and disti... (read entire answer)

Answer 7

Hi there, I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation: First of all, I would advise you to explicitly ask... (read entire answer)

Hi there, I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation: First of all, I would advise you to explicitly ask for the referral at the end of your conversation. It's impo... (read entire answer)