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BCG London Quantitative Reasoning Test

Is this test the same as the BCG potential test? If not, what are the differences? 

I would really appreciate any advice on how best to prepare? I have consistently been practising SHL style tests but I don't know if this is sufficient. 

Lastly, it seems to stipulate in the email that answer boxes are provided. I'm assuming, therefore, that this does not replicate the usual format of multiple choice questions? 

Thank you in advance! 

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Top answer
Ian
Coach
on Oct 26, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Honestly, all of these online tests 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

Anonymous B
edited on Nov 27, 2020

Hi,

I also did this test. It is not the same format as the potential test. It is a test with 20 questions totally independent from one another for which you are requested to provide an answer in an answer box (not a multiple choice question format). It is a fully "quantitative reasoning" test meaning you are only requested to perform calculations and you will not have qualitative questions like the ones you see in the Potential test + the questions are not necessarily business related. 

On the other hand, I agree with the previous messages that the skills needed to complete this test are the same ones as the ones for the potential test.

An example of a question you can get: " Jamie is training for a race. She runs at 10mph and completes the track in 151.2 minutes. Her friend Daniel completes the track in 3.5 hours, how much faster was Jamie running? Provide your answer in mph"

10
on Jul 30, 2021
Hello there, it has been a while. But I am wondering what your experience has been after the test: when you hear back and invited to interviews etc. I also did the Quantitative test following an application to a consultant position to the London office. And it has been 2 weeks after the deadline has passed and I am still waiting for an answer. Many thanks in advance.
Anonymous C
on Feb 01, 2023
Hi, I was wondering if you were allowed a calculator for this test? Thanks
Clara
Coach
on Oct 26, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

All this tests are very very similar in the skillset that you need to pass. This makes the preparation much easier. 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/)

You can also leverage the former McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain , etc.

There are plenty of posts with links to those, and also you have them in the official pages. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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