ADvantage
ADvantage
We welcome graduate students with advanced degrees to join us for one work week where you’ll be trained and then staffed on an actual case team working with clients. It’s an opportunity to develop your business acumen, expand outside academia, and confirm if consulting is right for you.
An exciting alternative to academia
The details of this program vary depending on which North American office you select, but most include one full day of training and then four days staffed on a case team working with a real client. At the end, you’ll get to present your findings to the case team and discuss. Throughout, there’ll be mentorship—both from a buddy to help you prepare for interviews, and from leaders, who’ll share their own journey.
These trainings are designed to help you learn to apply all you’ve studied to real life situations. They’re a bridge from academia to industry, and at the end, if successful, you’ll be offered a full-time consultant role—so be sure to select an office where you’d be excited to work.
An introduction to strategy consulting
Learn all the ways this career could work for you.
Mentorship from an experienced consultant
Learn from a Bain consultant at the top of their field.
Interactive training on business fundamentals
Learn how your expertise applies to business.
Social events and networking
Meet fellow ADvantage peers and your future coworkers.
Find the right application for your expertise

Hone your problem solving skills
Collaborate as a team to support skilled consultants on real client cases.

Work on communication and presentation skills
Get supportive, on-the-job feedback.

Fast track to become a full-time consultant
Successful applicants will receive an offer for a full-time consultant role.
This program is for those currently pursuing advanced degrees, or recently graduated

ADvantage is for individuals who are currently enrolled in their second-to-last year of their graduate degree, or who graduated up to three years prior.
Eligible degrees include: PhDs and postdoctorates, JDs, MDs and medical residencies and fellowships, PharmDs, and other doctorate-level degrees.
In some cases, we may accept those with non-MBA master’s degrees who have also had more than three years of relevant business experience between that and their bachelor’s.
International students are eligible and welcome—we’ve had several who were highly successful. If you are studying in the U.S. with a student visa, please talk to your advisor about what you’ll need to do to apply for CPT or OPT in order to participate in ADvantage.
Requirements
If your application is accepted, you’ll be invited to two 40-minute interviews known as case interviews, where you’ll work through the type of problem our clients face. Don’t worry, there are no wrong answers—these questions are meant to tease out your unique strengths and help us both understand if you’d likely be successful in a consulting role.
Specific application requirements include:
- A one – two-page business-format resume
- Cover letter
- Recent test scores (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.), if applicable
- Bain office(s) of interest
Apply in the winter
You can learn more at our ADvantage networking opportunities and events in the Fall and Winter, and we’ll announce opening applications every January on this page. Stay connected via our mailing list or drop us a line with your resume today!
Everything you need to know
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How should I choose a Bain office location when submitting an application?
Select North American offices where you’d be excited to receive an offer to work, in the order you’d be excited to work there. Successful participants will receive a full-time consultant offer in the office where they completed their program.
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I’m interested in a Bain office that is not offering this program. Will you make an exception?
Unfortunately not. If your office isn’t listed, that office is not participating. You have a few options though. If you’d consider work in our Asia-Pacific offices, look at our Access to APAC program. If that’s not a fit, consider applying for a full-time consultant later in the year for the office you’re interested in.
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Once accepted into Access to APAC, can I transfer offices?
Not at this time. Please pick the one you are most interested in working at.
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If I applied for the Access to APAC program, can I also apply for the ADvantage program?
No, please apply for one or the other, but not both. Choose whichever you are more excited about.
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If I applied for the 10-week Summer Associate program, can I also apply for ADvantage?
Yes. Given how competitive these programs tend to be, we actually encourage you to apply to both. However, you’ll only be invited to participate in one of them.
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If I applied to or interviewed for ADvantage and was not selected, can I still apply for a full-time position?
Yes. Unsuccessfully applying to this program won’t affect your candidacy for another role. They’re two completely separate recruitment processes, and not succeeding in one isn’t an indication that you wouldn’t be a fit for the other. Plus, sometimes, those extra months of preparation in-between really help, and many candidates who have tried this have been successful.
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How can I get in touch and stay up to date?
- Drop us a line with your resume today via adrecruiting@bain.com to get in touch with our recruiting team.
- Join the AD mailing list to stay informed of our latest recruiting events and application deadlines!