Initial assessment preparation for Bain & Co

Lucky for you the McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain SOVA test, etc. are all quite similar so you really can leverage the practice tests for all of them in order to prepare:

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.

PRACTICE TESTS

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
• https://igotanoffer.com/products/free-bcg-potential-test
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_A.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_B.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_C.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_2011_version.pdf?601759184528580827
• http://media-publications.bcg.com/BCG-Online-Case-Example.pdf

CHART/GRAPH INTERPRETATION

Best Rote Practice

Rocket Blocks: https://www.rocketblocks.me/

Best Practice Strategy

1) Read the Economist (especially the daily graph and Financial Time frequently

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/05/29/america-first

2) Ask case partners to focus particularly on your chart-reading skills (i.e. by providing you with cases with many charts) - Bain and Deloitte cases tend to be chart heavy

Graph Interpretation Tips

1) Read the title - and understand it

2) Read the legends - and understand them

3) Remind yourself of the objective / hypothesis in the case, to see where this might fit

4) Find the differences - where does the line graph plummet or spike? Which column is a lot smaller or bigger than the others? Where does change occur? The differences are what matter

5) Talk outloud while interpreting - first, it helps you think and process your thoughts, second, it lets the interviewer provide guidance and course correct if needed.

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from Bain!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, generally speaking, the Bain Sova pre-interview assessment is very similar to the reasoning section of the GMAT, even if, of course, not the same. You will be required to solve numerical, verbal, and abstract reasoning exercises, as well as complete a psychometric personality test.
• Therefore, I would highly advise you to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions and utilize any practice materials or mock tests that might be available. Since it is very similar to the GMAT, official GMAT preparation material should suffice if you cannot find any old Bain Sova tests.
• Lastly, for the personality test, I would advise you to carefully consider the personality traits being tested and how they would be desirable in a (Bain) consultant. This might guide you in answering the questions.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for the Bain Sova pre-interview assessment or your upcoming Bain interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

You can find the consulting salaries report 2024 here!

Actually, there are lots of resources out there even if you just google for them. 

Basically, all these screening tests seek to test if you have the basic skills to make it worth interviewing you. They look for a similar skill set as the one that you'll need to show during the live interview rounds and later as a consultant. 

For instance, prioritisation, handling a large volume of data, synthesis, fast maths, etc. 

The core principle to have in mind here is that more practice does help and there's a linear relationship between more practice and better results. So try to expose yourself to as many tests as possible. 

Happy to share a few examples. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

There are many different guides out there. Just google Bain SOVA test and you shall find some.

All the best,

Florian

Hi there,

GMAT preparation would help here. Find below some useful online resources:

https://gmat.london.edu/

https://www.varsitytutors.com/gmat-practice-tests

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

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

It's not difficult to google relevant materials. I believe that solid GMAT preparation on the relevant topics + good understanding of managerial context (you can browse the resources section here at preplounge) should give you what you need to succeed in that test.