Updated July 2026 by Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. At the case interview stage, roughly 10 to 15% of candidates who reach a McKinsey, BCG, or Bain interview walk away with an offer. Zoom out to everyone who applies, and the overall case interview success rate at MBB falls below 1%. Tier-2 firms and…
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Updated September 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant If you are an Arabic-speaking student weighing the McKinsey EDAD program, you have probably seen two flatly contradictory claims: that EDAD guarantees a McKinsey interview, and that it guarantees nothing. Getting this wrong costs you, because it changes how hard you should fight to…
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Updated October 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant The McKinsey AI interview now comes in two in-room formats. The first is a live session where you work through a case task with Lilli, McKinsey’s internal AI, which the firm has piloted in some final rounds since January 2026. The second is new this…
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Updated September 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The McKinsey Sea Wolf game (part of the McKinsey Solve assessment) is a 30-minute optimization simulation where candidates must select microbial treatments under time pressure. It is where most rejected applicants lose their chance at a first-round interview. Underestimating it is the default mistake.…
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By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated October 2026 The McKinsey Keep in Touch program (KIT) is McKinsey’s invitation-only talent pool. Members get KIT-only webinars, training sessions, and newsletters that highlight open roles, so the firm stays in contact until they apply or reapply. KIT is not an offer or a fast track,…
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Florian spent five years at McKinsey as a Senior Consultant and is a highly experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach. Having conducted interviews with hundreds of candidates, he understands exactly what top-tier firms look for in successful applicants.
He founded StrategyCase.com to make top consulting careers more accessible by providing tailored, up-to-date insights into the recruiting process. Recognized as the most successful case and fit interview coach, Florian has helped his clients secure 700+ offers at MBB, Tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms over the past four years.
He is the author of “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview,” “The 1%: Case Interview Workbook,” and “Consulting Career Secrets”, all available on Amazon.
