Hey everyone, I’m a senior at a target school (graduating 2025) and I’m feeling pretty down right now. I applied to all three MBB firms for their NYC and Chicago offices. The good news is I got interviews at all of them, so I think my resume and cover letter are solid. I also passed the McKinsey game and BCG’s online test.
But here’s where things went wrong. My Bain interview was about a month ago. I did really well on one case (the interviewer even said I nailed it), but the second case didn’t go great and I got rejected after round one. I worked really hard after that, did tons of mock interviews, and my practice partners said I improved a lot.
Then I had my BCG first round interview a few days ago. I thought it went pretty well, but I got rejected again. Now I have McKinsey coming up in a week and I’m honestly feeling lost about what else I can fix.
The tricky part is that I’m an international student. Most consulting firms don’t hire people without citizenship, and even though MBB does sponsor visas, it makes everything even more competitive. With two rejections already, McKinsey is basically my last shot at MBB.
I haven’t applied to smaller firms yet and I’m worried their intern spots are filling up. I really want to work in the US for a few years after graduation, but now I’m scared I might not get any job offers. Has anyone been in a similar situation? What should I do?
Two rejections don’t define you! You’re already ahead of thousands who never even got MBB interviews. Enjoy your McKinsey prep instead of stressing about it - confidence shows. You’ve got this! 
I’ve been there - visa anxiety makes everything feel 10x worse. Got hit with rejections a couple years back and it’s brutal when you’re already stressed about sponsorship. Here’s what helped: I was overthinking the international student thing. Yeah, it’s harder, but they wouldn’t interview you if they weren’t seriously considering you. For McKinsey, go in with nothing-to-lose energy since you’ve already written it off. That relaxed mindset actually helps sometimes. And start hitting second-tier apps now - Oliver Wyman, Monitor Deloitte, etc. still have decent timelines.
Getting interviews at all three MBB firms is huge - most people never even get one. You’re clearly qualified if you made it that far. The rejections probably come down to small tweaks in your case performance, not major issues.
For your McKinsey interview, skip cramming more cases. Instead, record yourself solving cases and watch for communication problems. Most people mess up structure or can’t pull insights together under pressure. Find someone who recently got into MBB - they’ll spot issues that regular practice partners miss.
Start applying to tier-two firms now: Deloitte, PwC Strategy&, EY-Parthenon. Many still have spots open and they’re usually more flexible with visa sponsorship. Plus, landing at a strong second-tier firm gives you solid exit ops to MBB later. Being an international student is tough, but you’ve already proven you can compete.