How to apply to MBB and Big Four consulting

Consulting is one of the most competitive graduate destinations — top firms receive thousands of applications per role, and most expect a 2:1 or first from a strong university. Getting the basics right is the price of entry; timing and signal are what separate candidates.

Apply early — it genuinely matters

Firms review applications and extend interview invitations continuously as they arrive, not in a single batch after the deadline. Interview slots fill weeks before the stated cut-off. The practical rule: apply within the first two weeks of a portal opening.

Deadlines cluster in summer and early autumn for autumn-start schemes — for example, recent McKinsey Business Analyst deadlines have fallen in mid-August, with Bain and BCG in a similar window. Build a tracker and front-load your strongest applications.

What a shortlistable CV shows

• Evidence of structured problem-solving — not just "analytical skills" as a buzzword, but a project, dissertation or competition where you broke a problem down.
• Leadership and teamwork with outcomes — society roles, sports captaincy, a start-up — ideally quantified.
• Commercial curiosity — anything showing you think about how businesses make money.

Beyond the CV

Strong applicants pair the application with case practice from day one and develop real Excel and PowerPoint fluency — the daily tools of the job. Show the firm you've already started thinking like a consultant, and the interview becomes a conversation rather than a test.