Hi there,

Answering to 1,2,3,4: the new BCG Online Case (also called Chatbot Interview) is a new 8 questions test BCG started to use in 2019 and now expanded globally. It is structured in 2 parts:

• 8 questions to be taken in 25 minutes
• 1 video interview question at the end, where you have to provide a recommendation

There are some variations in some countries, which is why sometimes you hear it is a 10-questions test in 30 minutes. The 8 question format is the most common though.

The main differences compared to the previous version (BCG Potential Test) are the following:

1. 8 questions instead of 23
2. 25 min instead of 45
3. No negative points
4. Calculators allowed
5. Presence of open questions
6. Video sum up at the end

The general logic though is similar to the old test.

I helped several candidates who did the chatbot test and succeeded in it. The main challenges based on their feedback are:

1. Time. Questions are not particularly difficult, however you will feel time constraints also due to the fact you don’t know how difficult could be the next questions - thus how much time they may require.
   • Implication --> Try to practice PST and/or BCG Potential Tests with a strict time constraint
2. Math. Candidates usually find the math challenging
   • Implication --> Many candidates said the old BCG Potential Test is the one resembling the most the math required
3. Chatbot interaction. Unlike a test like the McK PST, you cannot proceed “at your own pace”. You will have to follow the evolution of the test. In that sense, it is not dissimilar from the old BCG Potential Test, where information was revealed step-by-step
   • Implication --> Practice on PST/Potential Tests working questions by questions, without skipping any

Answering to 5: there is no fit interview at this stage if you have the test only.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi there,

I helped candidates who had to do the chatbot and others who had to do a different test (quant-based – 40min for 20 questions - more GMAT style). I would recommend to clarify with HR, they should be able to let you know the format.

In case you have to do the Chatbot, I reported some info below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The BCG Online Case (also called Chatbot Interview) is an 8-10 questions test BCG started to use in the last years and now expanded globally. It is structured in 2 parts:

• 8-10 questions to be taken in 25-30 minutes
• 1 video interview question at the end, where you usually have to provide a recommendation in 1 minute

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The main challenges based on the candidates I helped are the following:

1. Time. The questions are not particularly difficult, however you will feel time constraints also due to the fact you don’t know how difficult the next questions could be - thus how much time they may require
2. Chatbot interaction. Unlike a test like the McK PST, you cannot proceed “at your own pace”. You will have to follow the evolution of the test as questions are revealed one by one
3. Math. Candidates often find the math quite challenging given the time constraint

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You can find 10 key tips to prepare for the test here:

▶ 10 Must-Know Tips to Master the BCG Online Case

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you want to prepare for the Online Case in the best possible way, I created a software simulation replicating specifically the chatbot and one-way video interview.

It includes the following and more:

• 2 Software Simulations of the Chatbot. These are live chatbots simulating exactly the same chatbot environment of the test (meaning you will receive questions by an actual chatbot with a flow equivalent to the one of the test).
• 2 PDF Simulations of the Chabot. These are additional tests Casey-style, meaning you will have 4 different Casey Chatbots to train.
• 2 One-Way Video Interviews. These come with Artificial Intelligence reports, so that you can see how the Video Software will perceive your performance in terms of voice, speech clarity, energy and more.
• Free access to 6 PSTs and Potential Tests for further practice.
• Deep explanation of all the 5 types of questions asked in the BCG Online Case thanks to the complimentary 144-page guide.

You can get access to the software simulation and guide instantly here:

▶ BCG Online Case Software Simulation

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi Sally,

Well done on passing the chatbot! In terms of your questions:

1)  So, is this like a first step interview? Or really for me to ask questions. How should I prepare?

It could be one or a mix of the following:

1. Call to provide information on the process/position to be sure you are aligned 
2. Call with fit questions. Questions usually include the following:
   1. Tell me about yourself
   2. Why consulting
   3. Why us
   4. Why hire you
3. Case interview. Usually the case is shorter than the standard ones you will have later on in the process

From what you shared, it seems in your case is option 1. If you didn't receive additional information, if you want you can clarify the exact format with HR.

For general tips on how to prepare for the interview, you can check this:

▶ How to Prepare for a Consulting Interview

2) What usually happens afterward? An in-person case?

If everything is fine, you should move to the next round in the process. Whether it will be in-person or not depends on the office.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

Q: I am scheduled to do a BCG Casey test. Does anyone have any tips or tricks or stuff I should look out for during the test? Or any prep I can do that can offer me an advantage?

I reported some info below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The BCG Casey Test (also called Chatbot Interview) is an 8-10 questions test BCG started to use in the last years and now used globally. It is structured in 2 parts:

• 8-10 questions to be taken in 25-30 minutes
• 1 video interview question at the end, where you usually have to provide a recommendation in 1 minute

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The main challenges based on the candidates I helped are the following:

1. Time. The questions are not particularly difficult, however you will feel time constraints also due to the fact you don’t know how difficult the next questions could be - thus how much time they may require
2. Chatbot interaction. Unlike a test like the McK PST, you cannot proceed “at your own pace”. You will have to follow the order provided by the chatbot as questions are provided one by one. You also cannot change a previous answer once provided
3. Math. Candidates often find the math quite challenging given the time constraint

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You can find 10 key tips to prepare for the test here:

▶ 10 Must-Know Tips to Master the BCG Online Case

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you want to prepare for the Online Case in the best possible way, I created a software simulation replicating specifically the chatbot and one-way video interview.

It includes the following and more:

• 4 Casey Software Simulations of the Chatbot. These are live chatbots simulating exactly the same chatbot environment of the test (meaning you will receive questions from an actual chatbot with a flow equivalent to the one of the test).
• 4 One-Way Video Interviews. These come with Artificial Intelligence reports, so that you can see how the software will perceive your performance in terms of voice, speech clarity, energy and more.
• 2 PDF Simulations of the Chabot. These are additional tests Casey-style, meaning you will have 6 different Casey Chatbots to train with overall.
• Free access to 6 PSTs and Potential Tests for further practice.
• Deep explanation of all the 5 types of questions asked in the BCG Online Case thanks to the complimentary 144-page guide.

You can get access to the software simulation and guide instantly here:

▶ BCG Online Case Software Simulation

For any questions please feel free to PM me, I will reply within 12 hours.

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

The standard BCG Online Case - also called Potential Test in some offices - is a multiple choice computer test with 23 questions to be answered in 45 minutes.

It has one single case only. You receive +3 for each right answer, 0 for no answer and -1 for a wrong answer.

Calculators are generally not allowed, but there are exceptions in some countries - you can clarify that with HR if needed.

I recommend the following approach to prepare:

1. Look online for reliable BCG test simulations. You can find an example here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-test-1-13
2. If possible, don’t print the sample tests; rather, do the simulations on your computer. The day of the test you won’t be able write notes near the questions or turn pages. If you practice on a paper version, you will find different dynamics the day of the interview that could impact your performance. You should also do all the simulations with a time constraint
3. After each test write down the mistakes you did. You will probably find that the mistakes have something in common – eg wrong math, too much time wasted on some questions, wrong interpretation of graph
4. Work on each area of improvement. Many candidates do these simulations checking only the final score and don’t spend time analyzing the mistakes - thus they don’t improve
5. Once you have done all the BCG test simulations, move to PST practice. You can find a good number of PST tests online. The PST is different from the Potential Test – in the PST there are multiple cases, the types of questions are different and you have more time available. However, it may still help to improve your performance. You should be able to identify the similarities between questions doing both of them

As additional notes:

• Remember you are penalized for wrong answers - you should adapt your strategy accordingly
• Aim to identify the main areas of improvements already with the first test - the typical ones are math, graph interpretation and ability to absorb information quickly
• Try to distribute the tests between the day you start practicing and the day of the test for constant learning – avoid to do them just at the end

There is also a variation of the online case BCG started to use in some countries. This is the feedback I got from a candidate who recently took the new test in Germany:

1. 8-10 questions instead of 23
2. 30 min instead of 45
3. No negative points
4. Calculators allowed
5. Presence of open questions
6. Video sum up at the end

The main addons are 5 and 6, as this part was not present before. For the rest, I would recommend preparing as for the old one (plus answering all the questions as there are no penalties in this version).

You can clarify with HR the version you will have to do.

If you want to practice on a real example of a BCG Potential Test, you can find the one I created below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-testonline-case-1-13

With this test you will be able to:

• Prepare on the exact same format of the standard BCG Online Case – 23 questions in 45 minutes
• Identify your possible improvements thanks to detailed solutions for all the 23 questions
• Practice on material tested by multiple candidates who did the test and successfully passed the Potential Test.

If you need additional support or have any feedback on the test feel free to PM me, I can provide additional tips for free.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hello!

Most of the online tests are very similar, and test the same skillset. It´s a good thing, since you can prep for them with a very unified approach. Although this may not seem so at first sight since the formats may differ, what is important here -as well as when solving cases- is the core skillset they are tryng to test. This is common, and the most important skills are:

80-20 analysis: capacity to analize, interpret and extract conclusions quickly and in a agile way from a ton of data -of which not all is useful-

Analytic and critical thinking: many ways tested with graphs, charts and tables, that you need to understand and derive decisions or insights from

Mathematical skills: are always somehow present, for which you need to be fast int he basics

The way to get better is practicing as much as possible with similar exercises -those targeted at the same skillset-. Hence, I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

Furthermore, you can leverage the MBB tests (https://www.myconsultingoffer.org/case-study-interview-prep/bcg-online/, psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Free-Aptitude-Tests, and many others)

Hope it helps!

Best,

Clara

Hello!

The online quant test are indeed very similar among them and hence, better to prep.

I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

The old McKinsey PST, Bain SOVA test, etc. are all quite similar so leverage resources across all of them.

https://www.myconsultingoffer.org/case-study-interview-prep/bcg-online/

https://www.psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Free-Aptitude-Tests.asp

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

Good luck with that test, I know they are intimidating (they were the most intimidating part of the whole recruiting process for me).

I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello !

I am a bit confused: did you pass the test yet? The math/quant one?

I am asking since, if you did not, might be this task.

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

Hasn´t changed much actually even since the time I did it myself!

• Takes overall 45 min
• It´s done with a laptop
• Emcompasses about 20-25 questions
  • It´s a test on a "business case", single choice system
  • You are given information both in texts and in figures (e.g., graphs, table)
  • Requieres both match skills and "strategic" skills

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

Precisely as you outline, all the recruiting process (from tests to former face-to-face interviews) have moved to online.

Hence, nothing changes in terms of the approach in case of the test.

What it does change is the interviews, where you need to take an extra-active role with your commuication, walking your interviewer through your thoughs, validating a lot... but this will come only after.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

Lately, there have been a lot of posts here asking precisely about the change. However, it does not matter that much. The math online test are super similar to one another.

I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

The (old) McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain SOVA test, etc. are all quite similar so leverage resources across all of them.

https://www.myconsultingoffer.org/case-study-interview-prep/bcg-online/

https://www.shl.com/shldirect/en/practice-tests

https://www.psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Free-Aptitude-Tests.asp

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

Furthermore, to your question, McK exams would totally help -the old ones before Imbellus were indeed very similar-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Dear A,

Potential test, or sometimes SHL + a logic test based on traffic lights color (two or more traffic lights are connected by codes; each code change a color of the traffic light; one of the code is broken and you have to understand which is the broken one)

There are 2 types of BCG tests:

1. GMAT-like test with questions similar to GMAT
2. Online Test that is based on a case and has the questions closer to PST

So, I would recommend you to:

• Practice GMAT for BCG

1) Keeping your math trained with GMAT exercises is always a good idea. Free resourced can be found online, for example:
http://www.mba.com/global/the-gmat-exam/prepare-for-the-gmat-exam/test-prep-materials/free-gmat-prep-software.aspx
https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat

https://www.mba.com/-/media/files/mba2/assessments/2018/gmat/gmat-handbook-2020-07-10.pdf?la=en&hash=9DCAD3E9A43EEE7B520C84327FBEC6F399A72D82

2) Also tests that usually are for investment banks (with graphs analysis) are a useful. Free resourced can be found online, for example:
https://www.tptests.com/Candidate/practice/Instructions

3) Official BGC Potential test examples: https://www.bcg.com/careers/path/consulting/practice-interview-cases.aspx

Practice PST. You can find some guidance on PrepLounge https://www.preplounge.com/en/bootcamp.php/interview-first-aid/master-the-problem-solving-test/guide-to-improving-speed-in-written-tests-such-as-the-pst

Best,
André

Hi Ela,

As my colleagues have already mentioned the best option would be practicing GMAT and PST Test.

Make sure you can do simple calculations and mental math without a calculator, understand account formulas, and use key business terms.

Good luck!

André

Agree with Vai. There are very broad and substantial thoughts there

Hi!

Agree with Daniel

Dear A,

As for the new test I can say that there is no negative points and be ready for the open questions.

Basically there are 2 types of BCG tests:

1. GMAT-like test with questions similar to GMAT.

2. Online Test that is based on a case and has the questions closer to PST

So, I would recommend you to start and track your prep using PST materials. If you have good results with PST, other tests are not a problem.

You can find some guidance on PrepLounge:​https://www.preplounge.com/en/bootcamp.php/interview-first-aid/master-the-problem-solving-test/guide-to-improving-speed-in-written-tests-such-as-the-pst

Also, you can find a good number of PST tests online

Best,

André

Hello A!

The BCG online case is very similar to a regular case the only difference being that your direction in the business case is guided by the questions being asked. So it will be similar to an "interviewer-led" case format. There are a lot of resources online for case solving and all you need to do is Google. If you want to sharpen your case skills in general I would recommend Victor Cheng's Case Interview Secrets by Victor Cheng and his book. Message me if you have any other specific questions and all the best!

Best,

André

Hello,

It depends on the office but the iold potential test is usually replaced by an online case.

Luca

Hi! See a reply from Vlad in this thread https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-prepare-for-bcg-online-case-1098

Hi!

The interview will be exactly the same, just per video

Best,
Daniel

Hi, what office are you talking about? Some of SE offices are switching to online interactive tests

Best,
Antonello

Hi, I have some cases to practice this format, feel free to text me.

Best,
Antonello

Hi,
I confirm it's due to the lockdown. The format will be similar to the classical face to face interview and will be structured in 3 parts:
- Personal Experience Interview: fit and CV questions to assess your personal impact, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial spirit
- Case Interview: typical business case to evaluate your structure in approaching problems, problem-solving skills, and business sense
- Your final questions to the interviewers

Hope it helps,
Antonello