As you can probably guess, Boston Consulting Group’s acceptance rate for new job applicants is pretty low! But how low?
I’ve learned that the BCG acceptance rate is only 1% which means even highly qualified and top-talent people find it hard to secure a position there. The firm reportedly hires around 1,000-3000 people each year in all of its service lines or business functions.
In this article, I’ll reveal the BCG acceptance rate stats to give you insight into the competitive selection criteria of the firm. I’ll also explain the factors and BCG recruitment process which affect these stats.
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BCG Acceptance Rate
BCG (Boston Consulting Group) is a prominent American global management firm with a presence in over 50 countries with 100 operational offices. The company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. (Source)
Boston Consulting Group has over 21,000 employees and hires around 1000 to 3000 new professionals, interns, or graduates each year in various business functions, including:
- Digital
- Operations
- Strategy
- Analytics
- Consulting
(Source)
While the exact number of hires might differ from service line to service line or region to region, BCG is widely known for its rigorous and elusive selection process, which keeps its acceptance rate at only 1%. (Source)
This means that out of every 200,000 applications, the firm only recruits 2,000 new professionals or interns.
Here’s the list of employees at BCG over the years to give you an overview of your chances of getting into the firm:
| Year | Total Employees | Employees Hired Per Year |
| 2016 | 14,000 | 2,000 |
| 2017 | 16,000 | 2,000 |
| 2018 | 18,500 | 2,500 |
| 2019 | 21,000 | 2,500 |
| 2020 | 22,000 | 1,000 |
| 2021 | 25,000 | 3,000 |
The above table clearly illustrates that BCG has maintained almost a consistent recruitment pattern while hunting for new talent over the years. (Source)
Factors Affecting the Acceptance Rate At BCG
The BCG acceptance rate is affected by the interplay of several factors that shape its highly selection process.
As an aspiring candidate, you should know the key factors, and to help you with that, I’ll explain them in detail below.
1. Demand and Hiring Needs of the Firm
Demand and hiring needs are crucial factors that significantly affect the selection process and acceptance rate of BCG.
As a leading consulting firm, its hiring decisions are closely related to dynamic market conditions, project demands or clients’ needs, and its strategic growth initiative. (Source)
2. Qualification and Academic Progress of the Candidates
BCG, like Mckinsey and Bain, places a huge emphasis on the academic excellence and background of the potential candidates. They usually recruit MBA or Ph.D. graduates from only top-tier universities like Harvard Business School. (Source)
This concurs with the elusive selection process of the firm and directly influences the acceptance rate because BCG exclusively considers candidates with proven academic progress and credentials to uphold its standard of excellence in the consultancy industry.
3. Skill Set and Expertise
Candidates who have highly relevant skill sets and specialized expertise in their respective fields also affect the acceptance rate at BCG. The firm can hire more people, in this case, especially in the early career stages. (Source)
For example, if a candidate possesses strong data analysis and other matching skills,
their application might stand out from the rest and can be on the accepted list.
So to be on the winning side, create a strong resume/CV and cover letter highlighting your achievements and showcasing how your skills align with the needs of BCG.
Apart from that, you should be confident in the interview and case study-solving skills to get a job at BCG. In fact, only 5-10% of people progress to the first round of interviews, and below 10-20% successfully reach the second one. (Source)
4. The Fit of the Candidate With the Company Culture
Another essential factor that influences the acceptance rate at BCG is how well the candidate fits with its culture and values. To be sure of that, the HR team will ask you some questions, which can be similar to these questions:
- Can you work under pressure, and are you a multi-dimensional thinker/problem solver?
- Do you have any significant achievements in your career?
- Are you an excellent communicator, and can we put you before clients?
- Can you effectively engage with clients and present the firm well?
- Do you can a positive can-do and proactive attitude?
- Do you possess a strong drive to contribute value?
(Source)
BCG Recruitment Process And Acceptance Rate
BCG follows a comprehensive and selective recruitment process to identify the top talent and hire only suitable candidates. This process involves the following stages and can affect positively or negatively impact the acceptance rate of the firm:
- Online application submission
- First Round of interviews for skills assessment
- The second round of interviews for assessing problem-solving skills
- Job offer (Source)
These stages are highly rigorous, and only a small percentage of professionals and graduates navigate through each stage to get a job offer from BCG.
According to a candidate who appeared in the interview stage, “Company hire and do 2 rounds of case interviews, one with 2 partners and one with 2 mdps. The key is to get into the first round with good networking and be prepared with case interviews. They are all pretty smart and have their strong opinions quickly.”
Wrapping Up!
BCG’s acceptance rate is extremely low!
More than anything, it depends upon:
- Demand and hiring needs of BCG in the respective service line
- Qualification and academic progress of the candidate for the job post
- Skillset and expertise of the candidates in their respective field
- The candidate’s willingness to fit with the culture of the company
By understanding these factors and preparing for the recruitment process, you can position yourself for success and increase your chances of securing a job post at BCG.
If you’re interested in applying to BCG, I found the following video really helpful:
