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In this episode of Recruiting Reality Check, Katie Neff and Japheth Mast break down the real story of “Sophomore Stan” – a strong candidate at a target school who has done everything right with networking… but hasn’t started case prep yet.

With internship recruiting timelines moving up months earlier than expected (McKinsey: March 29), Stan suddenly has just weeks to prepare from scratch.

The reality check: you can’t do everything. You have to do the right things.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why networking alone won’t get you the offer
How to approach case prep when you’re short on time
Why 15–25 high-quality cases beats doing hundreds
The daily prep system that turns panic into progress

Want help like Stan is getting?

The March Black Belt cohort closes Tuesday, March 10. Learn more and join.

Resources:

Join the March Black Belt cohort
Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to map out your best path
See upcoming consulting application deadlines
Download a free step-by-step case prep plan

MBB Undergrad Timelines Are This Month

Application deadlines are the earliest we've ever seen; join Black Belt for an accelerated, MBB-led prep program

Connect With Management Consulted

S22E19: Recruiting Reality Check | Sophomore Stan + When Deadlines Move Up 3 Months

Strategy Simplified