Is the “bar to pass” the same for all candidates recruiting for the same role at MBB? Eg, if an experienced hire in consulting, MBA grad, and experienced hire from industry are all applying for the same Consultant role, would there be a higher expectations for the experienced hire in consulting?

How hard is it to get a transfer to BCG SF from a smaller office (not in the West system) after a year of tenure as a consultant? My performance has been good so far and I think it’ll be the same for my upcoming CDC as well. I want to talk to my CDA about a transfer by EOY. I lived in SF before for five years and the reason I want to move back is because I am realizing that I just enjoy being in SF a lot more (friends/lifestyle/weather). Has anyone successfully done this and any advice?

Are weekends protected at BCG at the post-MBA level? Or is it project dependent?

Starting at MBB soon and wondering: would I ever find myself able to take ~2 weeks off for surgery and recovery sometime later during my first year, or is that just not realistic in this line of work?

What are the most common M/SM failure modes post-MBB? Curious as to your thoughts - for smart people with good education, but still relatively new in career and domain expertise, what have you seen as the most common failure modes post-MBB? I'm looking for my next thing, and while I can clearly see the benefits of me (Bain M/SM) over an A or an SA as an IC, I'm having a hard time seeing myself leading a team without the leadership support at MBB (APs, Ps etc.).