BCG test

The reason why BCG potential test is so difficult is because of the time constraint.

So what I did was work on any questions from the BCG potential test I could find and try to solve them super quickly. For example, this question should be solved in 30 seconds

"One of the biggest global airlines has decided to buy new aircrafts. The ratio of first class, business and economy seats in the new aircrafts will be 1 to 3 to 8 and the total number of seats will be 240.

Average ticket prices for popular destinations are expected to be €700 for first class, €300 for business and €150 for economy. The average duration of these flights is 3 hours.

First and business customers get free Wi-Fi on board but economy customers need to pay €2 / hour to use Wi-Fi.

Assuming that only 5% of economy customers use Wi-Fi all the time, what are the expected revenues from a flight to a popular destination using a new aircraft at its full capacity?

1. €56,048
2. €56,016
3. €56,480
4. €56,160"

Good luck on the test!

Hello!

Seems like BCG is really active globally, since many people are asking about various steps of the process with them. 

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

The online tests across companies are very similar

Format? Somewhat. Content and what's required from you ability-wise? Not at all.

The best way is to really find online tests / questions and practice. Regardless as to whether is a new or old test, the principles are mostly the same:

• Time management (need to think quick)
• Business knowledge/context (incl key formulas)
• Critical thinking (answers that are very similar to each other...clues "hidden" in the text)
• Ability to interpret data/charts

Think of it as a merge of a case and the GMAT/GRE.

You need to be clear on some key case-related and account formulas (margin, growth, breakeven, etc) as well as be good at critically understanding the question (including nuance to questions) and parsing through complicated text with a fair amount of distraction.

You'll also need to be good at chart/graph reading.

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

Hello!

Seems like BCG is really active globally, since many people are asking about various steps of the process with them. 

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

Hi,

1. Try to find as many people in your country as you can who have done the test. Ask them for the topic, industry and questions they remember. For example in one of the countries there was a test about airlines and reading a couple of articles / company reports / wikipedia artticles with industry terms could significantly improve performance
2. Try to practice tests with strict time-management. McKinsey PST from the official web site and all mck and bcg -like tests you can find online
3. Additional recource can be GMAT Integrated reasoning from the official guides and apps if you feel that you are not p[erforming well
4. As far as I remebmer calculator is allowed on BCG test. Make sure you know how to simplify calculations and use it fast

Hi there,

The online tests across companies are very similar

Format? Somewhat. Content and what's required from you ability-wise? Not at all.

The best way is to really find online tests / questions and practice. Regardless as to whether is a new or old test, the principles are mostly the same:

• Time management (need to think quick)
• Business knowledge/context (incl key formulas)
• Critical thinking (answers that are very similar to each other...clues "hidden" in the text)
• Ability to interpret data/charts

Think of it as a merge of a case and the GMAT/GRE.

You need to be clear on some key case-related and account formulas (margin, growth, breakeven, etc) as well as be good at critically understanding the question (including nuance to questions) and parsing through complicated text with a fair amount of distraction.

You'll also need to be good at chart/graph reading.

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

I agree with Vlad, I reported below some additional tips based on a previous post:

• One of the most important thing to do well in the case is to do at least a couple of Potential tests before the actual test date. Unlike the McK PST, there are not so many available online, but you should be able to find a few at least.
• Commit to a time for each question, and go on if you surpass that time. If you do not set discipline, you will end eating too much time for some questions (these tests sometimes are actually structured to have some questions it is better to skip and review at the end). If time and test allows, you can then go back to the questions at the end.
• Practice a lot of math before – it is normally a key component of all the tests
• Practice graph interpretation: take some random graphs, give yourself 30 seconds and check if you can get the main insides from them. Then repeat till when you get a sufficient level of accuracy
• Practice quick reading and quick understanding of key information only: get a Harvard Business School case, give yourself 2 minutes and check how much information you can absorb. Then repeat till when you get a sufficient level of accuracy
• Use elimination process when in doubts

You can find the original post here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/online-analytical-tests-483#a992

Finally, you have to take into account you get penalized for wrong answers in the Potential test, so you should adapt your strategy accordingly.

That being said, BCG has been rolling out a new BCG Online Case (also called the Chatbot Interview) since 2019. It is a 8-10 questions test structured in 2 parts:

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

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

1. 8-10 questions instead of 23
2. 25-30 min instead of 45
3. Calculators allowed
4. Presence of open questions
5. Video sum up at the end

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

1. Time. 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

If you want to prepare in the best possible way, I created a guide exactly for that.

This guide will:

• Show you the perfect strategy to answer the 5 types of questions in the Chatbot
• Offer you a clear strategy to optimally structure the One-Way Video Assessment
• Provide insider information from previous applicants who succeeded the Online Case
• Structure a clear preparation plan based on 6 FREE PSTs and Potential Tests
• Replicate the same experience of the interview thanks to 2 FREE Complete Chatbot Cases (Casey-style)

And much more ;)

You can download the guide instantly here:

 https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-online-case-secrets-69

As an extra bonus, I am currently offering the BCG Potential Test #1 (worth $39) and Graph Analysis Cheat Sheet (worth $29) for free with the guide. That may change in the future so hurry up if you are interested ;)

If you need additional support or have any questions on the guide please feel free to PM me, I will reply within 12 hours. 

Best,
Francesco

Hi there, our preplounge experts shared great materials about this topic previously. I believe they will be helpful for you. You can see their posts at the following links: 

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/i-want-to-get-into-mckinsey-bcg-and-bain-company-2645

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/bcg-potential-test-preparation-2117

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/bcg-online-test-1120

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/material-for-bcg-potential-test-1048

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/bcg-online-test-936

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/prep-materials-for-bcg-potential-test-2712

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tag-BCG+Potential+Test

Hope it helps

Serhat

For most of these tests, the GMAT, especially the integrated reasoning provides a good proxy. Check out GMATClub and other free resources at Veritas, Manhattan Prep and The Economist to prepare for this type of questions and way of thinking.

For most of these tests, the GMAT, especially the integrated reasoning provides a good proxy. Check out GMATClub and other free resources at Veritas, Manhattan Prep and The Economist to prepare for this type of questions and way of thinking.

Hey Margherita,

I've done the BCG on-line test at the end of Sept within my university (Politecnico).There was no numerical test, only a study case with 23 questions / 45 min (or less).

Each question had multiple choice answers, and you had info material whit charts and data to read from - no calculator allowed.

Personally I found it tricky and quite difficoult, especially for the small amount of time available. After all I achieved a great "mark" and now I am through the recruiting process.

If you need further info PM me!

Carlo

Adding here a cheatsheet with the most formulas for cases for those of you now preparing for interviews:

Cheatsheet: The Must-Know Consulting Terms for Interviews

Best,
Cristian 

Hi there,

The BCG Potential Test - also called Online Case 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

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

If you want to practice on a real example of a BCG Potential Test, you can find the one I prepared 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 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.

Below you can find a screenshot of the test:

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

Best,

Francesco

Hello!

One year ago (November 2014) the structure was as follows:

1st round: paper-based numerical test SHL-like + the dreaded "traffic lights" test . You have to pass both to continue the selection process

2nd round: just before or after the interviews you'll be required to take a computer-based test similar to McKinsey's PST

I hope that helps,

Giuseppe

Hi, congrats on getting the test invite. I would recommend first of all doing the free tests floating around the web and then proceeding to the McKinsey PST papers - there are quite a lot of them online.

The main thing here is to understand the concept of the test - time pressure, quick math (revise your percentages, fractions, rule of 72, compounded growth rate) and very speedy reading and understanding.

They also have negative marking as opposed to some other tests. 

Good luck!

…

I just took the BCG potential test last month (Jakarta office). It was 45 minutes to solve 23 questions. 

Thx Serhat.

The quick answer is: use BCG's and PrepLounge's material. If not enough,and PST prep will go a long way

…

Agree with Carlo here

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 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.

However, since the BCG Online Case is also a single-choice test, you can also use this format to your advantage. You’ll receive+3 points for correct answers and -1 for wrong answers. Currently, the inofficial cut-off score is below 70-75%.

Message me if you have any other specific questions and all the best!

Best,

André

Dear A!

BCG test includes 23 questions and you will be given about 45 minutes to complete it. This means you will have two minutes to solve each question on average. 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. However, since the BCG Online Case is also a single-choice test, you can also use this format to your advantage. You’ll receive+3 points for correct answers and -1 for wrong answers. Currently, the inofficial cut-off score is below 70-75%. 

SO:

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 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

Best, 

André

Hi All, 

Anyone has experience with the BCG Copenhagen office? They introduced a new format of 30 minutes and 80 questions that resembles to the IQ test. 

Hi there!

My advice to you is not to focus on small differences in the tests, but to remember that the format and concept of testing within the company is always quite similar. Therefore, it is worth training based on previous online tests. You should develop your critical thinking, ability to work with information, and make quick decisions, find a way out of situations and deepen your knowledge in business.

Basically, to prepare you can use some mock potential test for Bain, BCG, PST (McKinsey), or GMAT and I would recommend you after every test check the solution to see where you have gone wrong, so you will improve your results very quickly.
Do you need any further help?

All the best,
GB

The versions are more less similar. 

In case you have already started your preparation for case interviews and good at reading charts, analytical thinking, and mental math, then BCG potential is an additional of probably an hour as what you should plan for. 

Basically, to prepare you can use some mock potential test, and after every test just look into solution to see where you have gone wrong. 3-4 mock test it would be enough for you to prepare for the potential test.

Do you need any further help?

Cheers,
GB

First of all, don't worry,

If you have already started your preparation for case interviews and good at reading charts, analytical thinking, and mental math, then BCG potential is an additional of probably an hour as what you should plan for. 

Basically, to prepare you can use some mock potential test, and after every test just look into solution to see where you have gone wrong. 3-4 mock test it would be enough for you to prepare for the potential test.

Does it make sense to you?

Do you need any further help?

Cheers,
GB

Hello there!

You will be given 45 minutes for 23 questions. 

Regarding the question types

• Maths word problems: ~40% of questions.
• Logic - Data interpretation: ~35% of questions.
• Logic - Reading comprehension: ~25% of questions.

You need to be good at reading charts, analytical thinking and mental math.

I have created one for practice, you can try it as well
https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-testonline-case-2-14

Do you have any further questions?

GB