BCG Launch is a virtual learning series for undergraduate and non-MBA Masters students to hear from BCG leaders as they share their experiences working in consulting. It is a great opportunity for students interested in consulting to hear firsthand from BCG consultants on what life as a consultant is like.

 

If you’re thinking about registering for BCG Launch, then this article is for you. We’ll cover everything you need to know, including what is BCG launch, what to expect in the program, and recommended next steps after registering.

 

What is BCG Launch?

 

BCG Launch is a series of online learning sessions with BCG leaders to provide undergraduate and non-MBA Masters students with more information on a career in consulting and life at BCG.

 

The program is run twice each year. One series runs from June to July and another series runs from January to March.

 Participants in BCG Launch can expect to:

 

• Connect with BCGers as they share stories about their projects and work

 

• Learn how BCG helps Associates learn, grow, and succeed

 

• Hear about what life and culture is like at BCG

 

• Receive important recruiting details and case prep resources

 

• Receive tips and advice on choosing the right BCG office to apply to

 

• Have the opportunity to ask questions about consulting and BCG

 

Recently, BCG has been improving the programming for students in Liberal Arts, Humanities, and STEM areas of study in addition to students that identify as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latin, and Indigenous/Native American/Alaska Native.

 

All events in the BCG Launch program are completely optional. You may attend as many or as few events as you’d like, depending on your schedule. The BCG Launch program has no impact on your candidacy for BCG’s other programs and job openings.

 

Upon registering for BCG Launch, you’ll receive emails sent at the beginning of each week with details on how to join the virtual live sessions. Most sessions will be recorded and available to watch online through the BCG Launch portal.

 

For further questions on BCG Launch, you can email [email protected].

 

Why Participate in BCG Launch?

 

The main reasons to participate in BCG Launch are to determine if consulting is the right fit for you, determine if BCG is the right fit for you, get insider information on BCG recruiting, and network with BCG colleagues.

 

Determine if consulting is the right fit for you

 

Through interactive sessions and real world case studies presented by BCG leaders, you can experience firsthand the types of problems consultants tackle daily. You'll also get a sense of the skills and mindset required to succeed, allowing you to make an informed decision about pursuing a career in this field.

 

Determine if BCG is the right fit for you

 

Through presentations with current employees and leaders, you can learn about BCG’s commitment to professional growth, innovation, and social impact. You’ll also learn about the diverse career paths and professional development opportunities available. This will help you evaluate if BCG is the place where you can thrive and grow.

 

Get insider information on BCG recruiting

 

During the BCG Launch program, you'll receive tips and advice on how to prepare your application, what BCG looks for in candidates, and how to stand out in interviews. Understanding the nuances of BCG’s recruitment process can give you a competitive advantage and confidence when it comes time to apply.

 

Network with BCG colleagues

 

Throughout BCG Launch, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with a broad range of BCG consultants, from recent hires to senior partners. Building relationships with BCGers early can potentially lead to a referral, which will significantly improve your chances of receiving an interview.

 

BCG Launch Eligibility and Requirements

 

All undergraduate and non-MBA Masters students that are attending a college or university in the US or Canada are welcome to register and participate in BCG Launch. All fields of study and backgrounds are welcomed. You do not need to have a business background or any consulting experience.

 

Previous participants of BCG Launch are welcome to register and attend. The programming for BCG Launch changes each year, so expect new content.

 

BCG Launch Deadline

 

Undergraduate and non-MBA Masters students can begin registering for BCG Launch on June 10. The first virtual session begins on June 24.

 

There is another series of BCG Launch that starts registration in January with the first virtual session beginning in mid-January.

 

After registering for BCG Launch, participants will receive an email confirming their registration. Information on key dates and supplemental information will be sent out regularly.

Make sure to check out our comprehensive list of all BCG application deadlines for internships, full-time roles, and other programs.

 

Next Steps After Applying to BCG Launch

 

After registering for BCG launch and attending its events, we highly recommend that you start preparing for the upcoming BCG recruiting cycle. As next steps, you should: perfect your consulting resume, prepare for case interviews, prepare for behavioral and fit interviews, and network with BCG recruiters and consultants.

 

Perfect your consulting resume

 

Your consulting resume is the single most important component that will determine if you receive internship and full-time job interviews for BCG.

 

Therefore, you’ll want to dedicate at least a few days perfecting your resume while also getting feedback from peers, your school’s career center, or even consultants that you know.

 

Make sure to follow the tips below to perfect your consulting resume.

 

• Keep your resume to one page only. If it is longer, you’ll need to make your resume more concise and less wordy

 

• Every bullet on your resume should start with a verb in the past tense to show that you have completed or achieved something

 

• Every bullet should have some kind of number or metric in them so that you can quantify your accomplishments and make them sound more impressive

 

• Your resume’s bullets should show a mix of quantitative skill accomplishments (e.g., analyzing data) and qualitative skill accomplishments (e.g., managing or working with others)

 

• Avoid using technical jargon, unfamiliar abbreviations or acronyms, and buzzwords with unclear meanings

 

• Your resume should prioritize showcasing your work experiences, particularly if you have worked at a brand name company

 

• Include personal interests at the end of the resume to give resume reviewers something interesting to read about

 

If you need professional help crafting the perfect resume that will land you consulting interviews, check out our resume review and editing service.

 

Prepare for case interviews

 

You will not land a BCG internship or full-time offer unless you pass every single one of your BCG case interviews.

 

A case interview is a 20 to 40-minute interview in which you are placed in a hypothetical business situation and asked to develop a recommendation to solve a business problem. Case interviews are a special type of interview that all management consulting firms use in their interview process.

 

Examples of common types of case interview questions you could get asked include:

 

• What is causing profitability to decline and what can we do about it?

 

• How can we increase revenues?

 

• Should we enter a new market?

 

• Should we launch this new product?

 

• Should we acquire this company?

 

• How should we respond to this competitor?

 

The business problem that you will be asked to solve can be from any industry or function. Expect to see case interviews in industries ranging from retail to pharmaceuticals to financial services. However, know that no prior knowledge or experience in the industry is required to successfully solve the case interview.

 

Case interviews are used because they closely simulate what the consulting job will be like. In a case interview, you’ll need to use problem solving, quantitative skills, business judgment, and communication to work through the business problem, uncover insights, and make a firm recommendation.

 

Consulting firms, such as BCG, like to use case interviews in their recruiting process because they can assess a variety of skills and traits that are required to be a successful management consultant.

 

Prepare for behavioral and fit interviews

 

In addition to case interviews, you will be asked a few behavioral and fit interview questions. You’ll need to nail these questions in order to land an offer.

 

Consulting behavioral questions ask you to draw upon a time or experience in the past in which you demonstrated a particular quality or trait. For example, you may be asked common consulting behavioral interview questions such as:

 

• Tell me about a time when you led a team

 

• Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond

 

• Tell me about a time when you failed

 

• Describe a problem that you solved using data

 

• Tell me about a time when you resolved conflict while working on a team

 

To answer behavioral questions well, follow these guidelines:

 

• Prepare 6-8 different stories in advance that draw upon your professional and personal work experiences. This ensures that you have prepared answers and stories that you can draw upon no matter what behavioral question is asked

 

• Only select and share experiences that are the most impressive, impactful, or unique. You want to showcase the highlights of your experiences, not just any experience that is relevant

 

• Make sure that you the stories you prepare are collectively diverse. You’ll want to have at least one story that is relevant to leadership, teamwork, problem solving, resilience, integrity, decision making, communication, and interpersonal skills

 

• Structure your answer to help keep your answer clear and easy to follow. Most candidates use the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result

 

• When giving your answer, cover the Situation and Task sections quickly and spend most of your time focusing on the Action and Result

 

BCG asks fit questions to assess your genuine passion for consulting and to see if you are actually interested in working at the firm.

 

There are two common motivational questions that you should prepare for:

 

• Why are you interested in consulting?

 

• Why do you want to work at BCG?

 

The first question evaluates whether you know what you are getting into. Do you actually have an idea of what consultants do and what you should expect on the job?

 

The reasons you provide for why you are interested in consulting will also help interviewers determine if you are interested in consulting for the right reasons. Are you motivated by the challenging, fulfilling business problems that you will solve? Or, are you motivated by the wrong reasons, such as the money or prestige.

 

The second question evaluates whether you’ve done your research on BCG. Do you know what makes BCG special among all the other management consulting firms? Are you interested in BCG for the right reasons?

 

If you want to learn how to answer 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours, check out our behavioral interview course.

 

Network with BCG recruiters and consultants

 

You should be networking with as many BCG recruiters and consultants as you can. In addition to trying to attend every single BCG event that you can make, you should also be leveraging your broader network to get connected to BCG colleagues.

 

Building relationships with BCG recruiters and consultants can significantly increase your chances of securing an interview with BCG. Recruiters and some consultants have a direct line to the hiring process, so they can push your resume forward to ensure that you get an interview.

 

In addition to potentially getting a referral into the firm, networking also lets you gain firsthand knowledge about BCG’s work, culture, and people. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the firm, which will help you answer questions such as “why do you want to work at BCG?”

 

Lastly, forming meaningful connections with BCG colleagues can potentially lead to valuable mentorship opportunities. These relationships can provide support, advice, and advocate for you during the recruiting process.

 

Recommended Resources to Land a BCG Offer

 

To give yourself the best chance of getting a BCG offer, we highly recommend looking into the resources listed below. Getting professional help from a former MBB Manager and interviewer can significantly increase your chances of landing an interview at BCG and passing your interviews.

For help landing consulting interviews

 

• Resume Review & Editing: Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple consulting interviews

 

For help passing case interviews

 

• Comprehensive Case Interview Course (our #1 recommendation): The only resource you need. Whether you have no business background, rusty math skills, or are short on time, this step-by-step course will transform you into a top 1% caser that lands multiple consulting offers.

 

• Case Interview Coaching: Personalized, one-on-one coaching with a former Bain interviewer.

 

• Hacking the Case Interview Book (available on Amazon): Perfect for beginners that are short on time. Transform yourself from a stressed-out case interview newbie to a confident intermediate in under a week. Some readers finish this book in a day and can already tackle tough cases.

 

• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook (available on Amazon): Perfect for intermediates struggling with frameworks, case math, or generating business insights. No need to find a case partner – these drills, practice problems, and full-length cases can all be done by yourself.

 

For help passing consulting behavioral & fit interviews

 

• Behavioral & Fit Interview Course: Be prepared for 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours. We'll teach you exactly how to draft answers that will impress your interviewer.