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Applications open, limited spots

Prep with the person who sat across the table.

1:1 coaching from a former McKinsey Associate Partner who conducted 300+ interviews. You get an experienced interviewer's assessment, not textbook theory. McKinsey trusted my read on candidates for 9 years. Now you get that same read, before the interview instead of after.

Apply for coaching →

Solo drilling builds reps. Two hours with someone who evaluated 300+ real McKinsey interviews adds what reps alone can't: a simulation of what it will feel like in the room.

Michael Kirchner, former McKinsey Associate Partner

The one perspective prep resources can't give you.

Case books, peer practice, and boot camps all build real skill. What they can't add is the interviewer's own read on what actually matters.

Case Books

Case books teach the framework. Not the current bar.

Most case-prep books are built around structured, framework-first interviews. McKinsey has since moved toward hypothesis-driven, problem-led cases that test judgment above structure, and books don't get revised often enough to keep pace.

The MK Edge Solve

Every case is built on how McKinsey runs interviews today, not on a framework built years ago, because it comes from someone who was still evaluating candidates last cycle.

Peer Practice

Your partner can tell you how it felt. Not how it read.

A practice partner can tell you how your answer felt to them. They can't tell you how an interviewer would have read it, because they have never sat in that seat.

The MK Edge Solve

Michael sat in the decision meetings and wrote the scorecards. You get the same read a real interviewer would give, not a classmate's best guess.

Boot Camps

More reps build habits. Only feedback changes them.

Doing 100 cases at average quality locks in whatever habits you started with. If your structure is hypothesis-weak and nobody tells you, you practice being hypothesis-weak 100 times. Quality feedback per case matters more than case count.

The MK Edge Solve

Every session ends with AP-level feedback targeted at your specific weak point, so you fix it instead of practicing it.

Built by the person who used to evaluate you.

Most prep resources are written by candidates. I built this from the other side of the table, as an Associate Partner who led undergrad recruiting at UNC and co-led BA recruiting for New York.

300+

Case interviews conducted across undergrad and MBA recruiting.

AP

Associate Partner, 9 years at McKinsey, sat in the decision meetings where offers were made.

50%

Higher offer rate for Round 1 candidates coached through to the Final Round, versus the McKinsey interviewer average.

50+

Students coached to a McKinsey offer, from initial application through final-round preparation.

McKinsey-focused coaching. Every session.

Three levels of support, based on how much coaching you want. The prep itself doesn't change by school or program: resume review and interviewer-level feedback are included at every level.

Not sure which level fits? Apply and say so. Every application is reviewed, and candidates who move forward get a free 15-minute call with Michael to confirm fit, next steps, and pricing.

Foundation

Get started

~3 hours of live coaching, plus asynchronous resume review

  • →Resume review targeted to McKinsey recruiting
  • →Case Framework Workbook and interview-day setup guide
  • →2 live 1:1 McKinsey case sessions with Michael
  • →Custom-built cases calibrated to your target round and office
  • →Preparation for any round
  • →Interviewer-level feedback after every session
Apply now →
Advantage

More sessions, more coverage

~4 hours of live coaching, plus asynchronous resume review

  • →Everything in Foundation
  • →One additional live 1:1 McKinsey case session (3 total)
  • →Personal Experience Interview (PEI) story development
  • →A different problem type each session: market entry, profitability, or M&A, chosen around where you're weakest
  • →Composure and executive presence under live evaluator pressure
Apply now →
Executive

The most sessions, the most support

~5 hours of live coaching, plus asynchronous resume review

  • →Everything in Advantage
  • →One additional live 1:1 McKinsey case session (4 total)
  • →PEI story coaching across all four McKinsey themes
  • →Case customization aligned to your target industry or practice area
Apply now →

Already a customer of Foundation, Advantage, or Executive? Add à la carte sessions, billed by the hour, to focus on casing, PEI, or whatever else is on your mind. Just chat with Michael.

None of these quite fit?

Apply anyway, and say specifically what you want to focus on. Packages can be shaped around it: one candidate needed lopsided PEI support ahead of an upcoming case, so we built a 90-minute session around that, 45 minutes on PEI story development followed by a live case. Tell us what you need in your application, and we'll build a plan around it.

Final Round Rush Fall 2026 only

Already through Round 1? Prep for the Final Round with someone who's been on both sides of the table.

~2 hours of live coaching, plus asynchronous text access between sessions

Built for candidates with a Final Round on the calendar, or anyone on a very short turnaround, with too little time left for a full package. Three sessions, built around what actually decides a final round: what your Round 1 interviewer said about you (usually only given verbally, and easy to under- or over-read on your own), the mindset shift between rounds, and a final case and PEI pass before you walk in.

  • →30-minute diagnosis: unpack your Round 1 feedback and pinpoint what to fix before Final Round
  • →60-minute live case, calibrated to Final Round difficulty, plus interviewer-level feedback
  • →30-minute mindset and final prep call, the day or two before your interview
  • →Text-only access to Michael between sessions
Apply now →

For candidates with a Final Round already scheduled, or an interview only days away. Pricing shared upon application.

See what you receive.

Every live case session ends with a written debrief. Every package includes a resume pass. PEI coaching gets its own debrief too. Here's what each might look like.

Sample MK Edge case debrief, illustrative example Sample MK Edge PEI debrief, illustrative example Sample resume review mockup, illustrative example
Case Debrief

Framework, exhibits, math, synthesis, presence, and recommendation, each evaluated to how I used to think in the interview room.

PEI Debrief

Session notes on each story you told, plus what stood out and where to sharpen it.

Resume Review

Direct notes on what to cut, what to lead with, and what a reviewer notices first.

Illustrative examples with placeholder data, not real client work.

Free Guide

How to Prepare for a McKinsey Interview

Written by a former Associate Partner who sat in the decision meetings that decided who got the offer. Not ready to apply yet? Start here, free.

Get the free guide →

About Michael

My path went from North Carolina to McKinsey's New York office, full-time, no internship, no structured on-campus recruiting machine. I learned the case method from YouTube, built my own drills, and found a case partner on my own. Nothing about it was formal.

Once inside, I moved from second-year interviewer to recruiting leader: I led BA recruiting for UNC and the New York office, and supported MBA recruiting at UCLA Anderson while getting my MBA there. Over 9 years and 300+ interviews, rising to Associate Partner and writing scorecards and sitting in the decision meetings that decided who got the offer, I became known internally as one of the most calibrated reads in the process.

That self-taught path shouldn't be the only way in. I built MK Edge to give candidates a more direct, experience-based route: coaching from someone who has since sat on the other side of the table, available to a small number of candidates serious about building the skills required to get the offer.

Michael Kirchner at his UNC graduation
From UNC graduation, when I was in your shoes.

What a session looks like

5
Intro
What's on your mind this session, plus a quick continuation from last time if applicable
25
Live case
Full case simulation with real-time evaluator framing, optionally including PEI drills or story development
15
Feedback
Michael's assessment of your performance, dimension by dimension
10
Action plan
Specific fixes to work on, and tips for improving on your own before the next session

From candidates who got the offer.

★★★★★
"Michael has been an incredible mentor and supporter throughout the recruiting process. He's a fantastic communicator who's incredibly knowledgeable about what it takes to be successful in the MBB interview/case process."
McKinsey Summer BA, Atlanta
★★★★★
"From helping me refine my casing approach as an applicant to navigating my early days at the firm as a BA, Michael has been instrumental in my journey to and during my time at McKinsey."
McKinsey BA, Charlotte
★★★★★
"Michael's personalized and direct case feedback helped me identify the most impactful changes I needed to move the needle on my casing ability, and ultimately land my internship offers."
Bain & BCG offeree
From a former recruiting colleague
★★★★★
"Michael and I recruited together for years. He's one of the most calibrated interviewers I've worked with. His read on a candidate almost always matched who got the offer. His feedback was never just 'good' or 'bad'; he always broke down exactly why, and what to fix. That's why newer interviewers were always sent to him."
Former McKinsey New York office recruiter

Questions before you apply.

Why do I need to apply instead of just booking a session? +

MK Edge takes a limited number of candidates each month. Michael reviews every application personally to confirm there's a real fit before committing time, both his and yours.

What happens after I apply? +

Michael reviews your application and responds within 3 business days. If it's a fit, you'll get a free 15-minute call to talk through your target offices, timeline, and which package makes sense.

Do you coach for Bain, BCG, or consulting broadly? +

No. MK Edge is McKinsey-specific. Michael's read is calibrated to McKinsey's bar specifically, not a generic consulting standard. He may take on non-McKinsey candidates on a case-by-case basis, but the coaching won't be as targeted to a specific firm's bar.

Is MK Edge affiliated with McKinsey & Company? +

No. MK Edge is independently owned and operated, and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by McKinsey & Company. The coaching reflects Michael's own experience and judgment as a former Associate Partner.

How much does coaching cost? +

Pricing depends on which package fits your timeline, and is shared once Michael reviews your application. There's flexibility for candidates with real financial need, so don't let that stop you from applying.

What's Final Round Rush, and is it right for me? +

Final Round Rush is a Fall 2026-only offer for candidates who have already passed Round 1 and have a Final Round scheduled, with too little time left for a full package. It's built around your actual Round 1 feedback, so it's only a fit once you've been through Round 1. If you haven't interviewed yet, Foundation, Advantage, or Executive is the right starting point.

Who is this for? +

MK Edge is open to anyone working toward a McKinsey offer, though it's the best fit for undergraduate and MBA candidates on a traditional recruiting path, for full-time or intern roles at any McKinsey office (U.S. offices are the best fit). It doesn't have to be a target school. What matters more is genuine dedication, drive, and a track record of past success.

Does McKinsey's interview process ever change? +

Yes. What's described here reflects United States generalist Business Analyst and Associate hiring as it currently runs. The process isn't static, McKinsey has already evolved it over the years, including through tools like Solve, and it's reasonable to expect further changes, including more AI-driven elements. Always confirm current specifics with your recruiting coordinator.