Arrive as the person who already knows the recruiting playbook
A cohort-based program for Indian students headed to US MBA programs. Separate tracks for consulting and investment banking, led by student advisors from MBB and bulge bracket banks.
June – July 2026 · Weekends · Before you land on campus
Recruiting in the US is a different game
If you're coming from India, the way you've searched for jobs your entire career will not work here. Consulting and IB recruiting at US MBA programs is a system with its own rules, timelines, and unwritten norms.
The gap is real, and the timeline is unforgiving
Consulting recruiting starts within weeks of arriving on campus. IB recruiting starts even earlier. By the time most international students figure out how it all works, the best-prepared students have already started building relationships, polished their stories, and are comfortable with breaking ice with strangers. Starting early ensures that hardworking candidates don't lose out on offers due to avoidable mistakes.
You need to unlearn before you can learn
In India, you applied to jobs through portals, relied on aptitude tests, or got referred by a manager. In the US MBA world, your offer depends on how well you network, how you tell your story in a coffee chat, and how you perform in a 30-minute case interview. None of that is intuitive if you haven't seen it before. This program exists to close that gap before you even land in the US.
A structured path from zero to campus-ready
Start with a first session that's open to everyone, then enrol for the full curriculum. The full curriculum includes small-group breakout mentorship with your own advisor.
Start with the first session, open to everyone.
The first session is open to everyone — no payment to attend. It covers both consulting and IB: what each career looks like, how recruiting works, and what the 8 sessions cover. See how Day Zero works before you commit.
Open to everyoneEnrol to continue & choose your track.
Enrolling unlocks the full cohort: all live weekend sessions, recorded sessions (available through your internship), weekly assignments, and the peer community. This is where you pick your track — consulting or investment banking.
Founding cohort · $500Get paired with your advisor
Breakout sessions pair you with dedicated advisors from MBB and bulge bracket banks in small groups of 4-7 for personalized coaching, 1-on-1 coffee chats, case practice, and warm introductions. Every enrolled student is matched with an advisor — a short intake form just helps us pair you with the right one and the right group.
Included for every enrolled studentLive weekend sessions
Weekly curriculum taught by student advisors who went through this recruiting process at T-15 programs. Interactive, not lecture-style.
Recorded sessions
Every session is recorded and available for replay through the end of your summer internship period, so nothing is lost if you miss a week.
Weekly assignments
To-do lists and assessments every week to keep you on track and building real skills, not just absorbing information.
Peer community
A private group with your cohort and advisors for questions, practice partners, and real-time help throughout the program.
Workshops from senior leaders
Guest sessions from Principals, Project Leaders, and Engagement Managers at MBB and senior bankers at top banks.
1-on-1 mentorship (breakout)
Dedicated advisor pairing, personalized feedback on your stories, cases, and technicals, plus warm introductions.
Post-program reflection
A final session with an admissions counselor to review your personal narrative, check for authenticity, and build your campus game plan.
What attendees said after the first session
We hosted a free session with 450+ registrations and 200+ live attendees. Here's what some of them had to say.
"The emphasis on office-level recruiting, genuine networking, and focusing on story and relationship-building before diving into casing was really valuable. A lot of the advice online feels generic, but this felt actionable and grounded in real experience."
"Genuinely appreciate the effort that went into pulling the session together, and the panelists giving up their weekend to share their experiences. Looking forward to the next one."
What you'll cover in 8 sessions
Think of this as a primer before your school's consulting or IB club takes over. You'll arrive having already covered the fundamentals, so you can hit the ground running from day one on campus.
Kickoff: Consulting vs. Investment Banking
Open to everyoneWhat consultants and bankers actually do day to day, how the two recruiting timelines differ, and what each track covers. You choose your track right after this session.
Open to everyone — no payment to attend.
The Consulting Recruiting Landscape
MBB, Big 4 and boutiques, timelines that shift by school, the skills firms screen for, and why a head start from India is a genuine edge.
Networking, Coffee Chats & Your Story
How to reach out to consultants, what to say in a coffee chat, and how to shape your "why consulting / why this firm" story.
Your own advisor, every weekend
From here on, you're paired with a student advisor — a current MBA student or recent grad who recruited into consulting at a top firm in the last year or two — for one-on-one sessions that run in tandem with the live curriculum, not after it.
Included for every enrolled student — you're paired with an advisor for all of Phase 2.
IncludedBehavioral Interviews
Your leadership examples and "tell me about a time" answers. Often underestimated, often decisive.
The Case Interview: Overview & Demos
A full case walkthrough: live demos, opening cleanly, sharp clarifying questions, and a structured recommendation.
Case Prep I — Frameworks & Structure
Common frameworks and, more useful, building custom structures on the fly instead of forcing a memorised one.
Case Prep II — Math, Charts & Driving
Market sizing and mental math under pressure, reading exhibits fast for the key insight, and driving the case like a consultant.
Your own advisor, every weekend
From here on, you're paired with a student advisor — a current MBA student or recent grad who recruited into consulting at a top firm in the last year or two — for one-on-one sessions that run in tandem with the live curriculum, not after it.
Included for every enrolled student — you're paired with an advisor for all of Phase 2.
IncludedSelf-Reflection & Campus Game Plan
The tracks rejoin for a closing session with an Admit Beacon counsellor: pressure-test your narrative and map your first month on campus.
Run by experts who were in your shoes.
Day Zero is coordinated by Admit Beacon, with sessions led by industry experts and current MBA student advisors from top-15 programs who landed offers at MBB firms and bulge-bracket banks in the last 1-2 years.
Program Coordinator — designs & runs the program
SME — leads a teaching session
Student Advisor — your 1-on-1 buddy through recruiting
Founder, Admit Beacon
University of Chicago Booth School of Business · P&Q Top-10 Admissions Consultant
Summer Associate, McKinsey
Fuqua School of Business at Duke University
Founding cohort
Less than your one-way ticket to the US — and you arrive campus-ready from day one.
Recorded sessions available through your internship period, weekly assignments, and community access.
The first session is open to everyone — attend the kickoff, then enrol to continue with the full cohort.
Registration ClosedCommon questions
Is the first session open to everyone?
Yes. The first session — the Consulting vs. IB kickoff — is open to everyone who registers, with no payment to attend. You enrol afterward only if you want to continue with the full cohort and choose your track.
Who is this for?
Indians who have been admitted to a US MBA program and are targeting consulting or investment banking. You should be starting your program in Fall 2026.
Who runs this?
Day Zero is a collaboration between Admit Beacon and student advisors who recently went through consulting and IB recruiting at top MBA programs. The program is designed by Admit Beacon, and the sessions are led by advisors from MBB firms and bulge bracket banks who have first-hand experience with the exact recruiting process you're preparing for.
What's the time commitment?
8 weekend sessions across June and July. Expect 2-3 hours per week between the session, assignments, and optional breakout meetings. Designed to fit alongside your job or pre-MBA plans.
Do I have to pick a track right away?
No. The first session, which is open to everyone, is an exploratory session covering both consulting and IB. You choose your track after that session, once you have a clearer picture of both paths.
How do breakout sessions work?
Breakout sessions pair you with a dedicated advisor in a small group of 4-7 students for personalized coaching, 1-on-1 calls, and warm introductions. Every enrolled student is paired with an advisor for breakout mentorship. We use a short intake form to match you with the right advisor and small group.
Are sessions recorded?
Yes. Every session is recorded, and recordings are available to you through the end of your summer internship period. So if you miss a session or want to revisit something before an interview, you can.
Is this a case prep course?
No. Casing is one component. This is a full recruiting preparation program covering your resume, behavioral stories, networking strategy, coffee chat preparation, technical skills, and a campus game plan. We teach you the entire system, not just one piece of it.
What happens after the 8 sessions?
After the program wraps in late July, you arrive on campus in August with a polished resume, tight behavioral stories, solid casing or technical fundamentals, and a network of peers going through the same process. Your school's consulting or IB club takes it from there, and you'll be far ahead of the curve. Plus you keep access to all recordings through your internship.
Why June–July specifically?
Consulting and IB recruiting starts within the first few weeks of your MBA. By covering the fundamentals before you arrive, you spend your first month on campus networking and practicing rather than learning the basics from scratch.