McKinsey's Solve game is the most distinctive screen in consulting recruiting — and the stage where most 2027 applicants will be eliminated. Here's how the timeline works and what each stage actually demands.
When do applications open?
McKinsey's US internship applications have historically opened in mid-summer for the following summer, with full-time business analyst applications opening in late summer or early fall. Deadlines are firm and office-specific; European and APAC offices publish their own schedules. Missing the window means waiting a full year, so calendar the dates the moment they're announced.
Check McKinsey's official careers page for your target office's exact timeline.
The McKinsey application process
1. Online application. CV and cover letter. McKinsey screens hard on academic excellence and evidence of problem-solving impact. Keep it to one page and make every bullet earn its place.
2. The Solve game. McKinsey's digital assessment: scenario-based games that simulate real consulting situations — prioritising tasks, interpreting data, making trade-offs under time pressure. There are no "right" answers to memorise; the game scores how you think. It's the single biggest filter in McKinsey's funnel, and most candidates walk in cold.
3. First-round interviews. Two interviews, each with a Personal Experience Interview (PEI) plus a case. The PEI is McKinsey-specific: deep-dive behavioural questions about leadership and resilience, probed relentlessly. The case is interviewer-led — structured, fast, and math-heavy.
4. Final round. Two to three interviews with partners. Same PEI-plus-case structure, with cases that test judgment under ambiguity and PEIs that go deeper into your stories.
The Solve game deserves dedicated preparation. Candidates who treat it as "just a game" are the ones who never get a first-round call.
How to apply
- Select your office and role on McKinsey's careers site — deadlines vary significantly by location.
- Build a one-page CV optimised for McKinsey's screening criteria.
- Submit before the deadline, ideally early — some offices begin reviewing as applications arrive.
- Practise the Solve game format and start case prep in parallel the day you apply.
What happens after you apply
The Solve game invitation typically follows application screening. You'll have a limited window to complete it, so don't let it sit. Pass the game and first-round interviews are scheduled within weeks. The full process from application to offer commonly takes one to three months. If you don't clear a stage, McKinsey generally asks you to wait before reapplying — so make each attempt count.
Applying to McKinsey? Our 2027 McKinsey Solve Game & Case Interview prep covers the real questions — $79 one-time, instant download.
