I applied through university. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at McKinsey & Company (Chennai) in Dec 2011
Interview
I got interviewed after an initial resume based shortlist (where the firm looks for "peaks" in different facets of your career, say academics, leadership etc). The interviews were a pleasant experience. Had four rounds of about 40 min each, each of which had a personal "Experience Interview" where they expect you to substantiate stuff in your resume followed by a "Case Interview", where one is expected to solve systematically, a business problem that McKinsey consultants typically face. Creativity is highly valued but comprehensive analysis of the problem is critical.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you monetize a Social Entrepreneurial startup?
I interviewed at McKinsey & Company (San Francisco, CA)
Interview
Interview was a straightforward case study, and a McKinsey-specific Personal Experience Interview. This was difficult but I was able to prepare, so it was not too challenging after preparation. The team was very kind throughout the process and I was able to request information on the interview style ahead of time.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about a challenge and how you overcame it?
Passed the online test and then had a round 1 interview. I got a rejection call shortly after. Interviews were a mix of behavioral and technical. Difficulty depends on difficulty of case.
I interviewed at McKinsey & Company (New York, NY)
Interview
Positive experience until the super day. The scheduling was quite long and they gave me a month's gap between my previous round and my final round. But overall everyone speaks eloquently and thinks logically. My interactions with senior partners are also very positive; they ask insightful, probing questions and were encouraging throughout the interview. I thought I smashed it, but one of the partners called me the other day and rejected me.