A Companion to the
BCG ONLINE CASE
Detailed Analysis, Question Types & Answer Guidelines
(Last verified for September 2022)
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
DISCLAIMER
MConsultingPrep’s “BCG Online Case Simulation” – alternatively named “BCG
Casey Simulation” (henceforth referred to as “Casey Simulation”) is a product
independently researched and developed by MConsultingPrep. All of Casey
Simulation’s contents, including but not limited to, comments, guidance,
experience, numbers, texts, algorithms, images, database are created
independently by MConsultingPrep. MConsultingPrep is not part of, or associated
to, the Boston Consulting Group, Impress and/or any other recruitment
test-providers (henceforth referred to as “BCG and associated test providers”), nor
provides any product and/or service, including Casey Simulation, on behalf of BCG
or associated test providers. The purpose of Casey Simulation is to provide skill
training and guidance for MConsultingPrep’s customers. It neither represents nor
replaces any actual tests provided by any third party, including, but not limited to,
BCG or associated test providers.
2
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Table of Contents
1.
BEFORE YOU READ
5
2.
Overview & Features
6
2.1. General information
6
2.2. Test flow and time limit
6
2.3. Assessment criteria
7
3.
4.
Required skills
7
Required knowledge
8
Assessment mechanisms
8
Answer Formats in BCG Online Case
9
3.1. Multiple-select multiple choice (MS)
9
3.2. Single-select multiple choice (SS)
10
3.3. Long-text / Free-form (LT)
11
3.4. Short-text / Numbers-only (ST)
12
Question Types in BCG Online Case
14
4.1. Structuring / Information (STR)
15
General description
15
Details of the question
16
How to answer (MS format)
16
3
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
5.
How to answer (LT format)
18
4.2. Intuition / Insights (INT)
19
General description
19
Details of the question
20
Answer tips
21
4.3. Critical / Logical (CRI)
21
General descriptions
21
Details of the question
23
How to answer
23
4.4. Quantitative (QNT)
24
General descriptions
24
Exhibits, numbers, and difficulty
25
Calculation types
26
Follow-up questions
27
4.5. Summary (SUM)
29
General descriptions
29
How to answer
29
Video interview
30
5.1. Interface and flow
30
5.2. Question types and how to answer
31
4
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
6.
Question types
31
How to answer
31
Answer tips
32
Other Tips and Tricks
33
6.1. Preparation tips
33
Perform the test in under 80% of the time limit
33
Learn the basics of probabilities
33
6.2. Test-taking tips
34
Take note after each question
34
Do not be distracted by the time limit warning
34
5
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
1.
BEFORE YOU READ
To start, we thank you – profoundly and sincerely – for purchasing this product
and allowing us to help with your application.
There are a few “heads-up” you need to know before reading this guide:
● Passing the BCG Online Case is difficult and relies on skills that may not be
earned in a short time span. As such, please do not expect the guide to be a
“cheat sheet” guaranteeing a pass. We can help you practice by
recommending materials and offer tips (when we cannot “crack” the
questions”) but in the end, the practice is up to you.
● The BCG Online Case can be easily changed. There are no technical
barriers for BCG in doing so – which is different from McKinsey who uses a
fully gamified test. There are also variations between offices, positions,
locations, and timelines. As such, our guide cannot cover 100% what is in
the test. If you find a few differences between the real test and the guide, or if
there are nuances you wish to be explained, just contact us through email at
support@mconsultingprep.com – the team will be happy to learn or share.
Now, on to the guidelines, and we wish you the best of luck in your application!
Sincerely,
Kim Tran & The MConsultingPrep Team
6
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
2.
Overview & Features
2.1.
General information
The BCG Online Case is a chatbot-based screening test used by the Boston
Consulting Group (BCG) in at least 80% of its offices since 2020. The test is known
under the official name “BCG Online Case Experience”, or colloquially as the
“Casey test” (as the chatbot referred to itself), or the “chatbot interview”.
This test is not to be confused with other BCG tests, such as the Pymetrics test or
the Potential Test, both of which are taken online and sometimes mistakenly called
the “Online Case” or “Online Tests”.
In recruitment testing, the test may sometimes be preceded by a Pymetrics test,
which is required as part of the application process.
After the test, BCG will not tell you how many scores you get – you can only get a
“yes” or “no” for an answer. They do provide you with a practice test with an
answer key, so it’s possible to self-assess your performance.
2.2.
Test flow and time limit
Nearly every candidate who applies to BCG will get an invitation to this test.
Once you have clicked on the Impress.ai link in the invitation email, you will be
re-directed to a chatbot platform. Here, the chatbot will introduces itself as
“Casey”, asking for your confirmation to start the case.
If you deliver the confirmation, the bot will ask you 6-8 key questions, in pure
interviewer-led style, plus 2-3 few follow-up questions. Key questions can be
distinguished from follow-up questions in that they have a question number,
usually written in bold (e.g.: “Question 1 of 7”).
The time limit for this part of the test ranges from 25 to 30 minutes, which seems
to depend on the number of questions. Recently, tests are mostly on the upper
7
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
range of this scale. You will not be able to pause the case. The chatbot also reminds
you about the time limit every 5 minutes (“You have 25 minutes left.”).
When the case ends (either because you have completed all the questions, or run
out of time), you will be prompted to switch to another site for a short video
question, with 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to answer, which is not
counted as part of the case time limit.
2.3. Assessment criteria
​Required skills
Based on our analysis of the questions in the BCG Online Case, to pass the test you
need to master the following skills:
● Structuring: the ability to break down problems and information into
granular, MECE parts to serve a hypothesis-driven problem-solving process.
This is a hallmark of management consultants, and the first tested skill in
the BCG Online Case, as we shall see.
● Quantitative processing: the ability to perform relevant and correct math
calculations, with emphasis on common business-world calculations (heavy
on percentages, averages, and using large numbers).
● Data interpretation: the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from data,
with a hypothesis-driven mindset (i.e., the conclusion must either feed into
running hypotheses, or generate relevant hypotheses).
● Logical thinking: the ability to think logically – in deductive, inductive and
even abductive logical processes.
● Information synthesis: the ability to “see the big picture” and “connect the
dots” to inform the problem-solving process.
● Communication: the ability to communicate ideas in a structured, concise
and to-the-point manner, both in written and spoken forms.
8
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● Business intuition: the ability to deliver sharp, sound conclusions and
recommendations specific to a given business context.
Overall, the skill profile needed to pass this test is fairly similar to the case
interview – as such, practicing for case interview will also help you pass this BCG
Online Case test.
​Required knowledge
You need to command a basic-level knowledge of these fields before entering the
BCG Online Case, for a decent chance to pass:
● Business, accounting and finance: how business works, and what
accounting numbers mean for a business (since consultants work from the
management perspective.
● Management consulting: how consulting approach and solve problems, as
well as how they communicate their ideas – having this knowledge will help
you know what BCG expects from their candidates. Most of this knowledge
can be found free on consulting prep websites (such as ours).
The BCG Online Case DO NOT REQUIRE industry knowledge. Any industry
knowledge required to solve the case, such as the client’s industry being
cost-heavy, or the market being saturated, will be provided in the case, delivered as
part of the question text.
​Assessment mechanisms
Your performance is likely to be viewed ALONGSIDE your resume, by a BCG
Recruiter or junior consultant in charge of the screening task.
The grading of answers is likely done in two different methods which corresponds
to two formats of questions in the BCG Online Case. For multiple choice and math
questions: there are definite right and wrong answers. For free-form question,
however, the answer will likely be assessed by a human screener on a set of
criteria involving communication and business intuition.
9
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
10
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
3.
Answer Formats in BCG Online Case
In this guide, “answer format”, “question format” or just “format” is a term we use to classify
the questions in the BCG Online Case following the format of input the candidate must
make to answer the question – for example, multiple-choice questions. Not to be confused
with “question type” which is explained in the next chapter. One answer format may be
applied to many question types.
3.1. Multiple-select multiple choice (MS)
Multiple-select multiple choice (MS) requires the candidate to choose SEVERAL
“correct” options out of multiple choices. It is the most common answer format in
the BCG Online Case – up to 40-60% of all questions in each case.
Simplified layout of the message box under an MS question
MS questions are displayed with the following components:
11
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● A full question as a text message, sometimes accompanied by an image. You
usually must click on the exhibit to fully view it.
● An option selection panel.
Once the option selection panel has been opened, using a “see options” button,
the following interface will pop up, consisting of:
● A question summary (this will help you keep in mind the hypothesis, since
the full message will be hidden by the pop-up itself).
● 3-10 options to choose from - some of which can be long, up to 3-4 lines of
text. Candidates click on these options to mark them as “selected”. You can
select multiple options – hence the name “multiple select”.
● A button to “clear” i.e., unselect all selected options (which, in all
practicality, serves almost no purpose in the real test).
● A button to submit the selected options as the final answer.
3.2. Single-select multiple choice (SS)
Single-select multiple choice (SS) requires the candidate to choose ONE “correct”
options out of multiple choices. It is the LEAST common answer format in the BCG
Online Case, taking up only 10% of the questions.
12
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Simplified layout of the message box under an SS question
SS questions are displayed with the following components:
● A full question as a text message, sometimes accompanied by an exhibit.
You usually must click on the exhibit to fully view it.
● An option selection panel
Unlike the MS questions, there is no “see options” button, since options are already
shown right on the answer box. In case the width of the box is not enough to
display all options, there will be buttons on the box for you to scroll sideways.
For SS questions, you can select only ONE option. Even though this is not apparent
from the interface, clicking on an option immediately submits it as your answer.
As such, avoid clicking on any of the option as you may be brainstorming for an
answer
3.3. Long-text / Free-form (LT)
Long-text / Free-form (LT) requires the candidate to answer in paragraph format,
usually 4-6 lines long to a given question. It is the second-most common answer
format, tying with short-text format which will be described later; either of these
formats take up about 20% of the questions.
Simplified layout of the message box under an LT question
13
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
LT questions are displayed with the following components:
● A full question as a text message, sometimes accompanied by an image. You
usually must click on the exhibit to fully view it.
● A message box similar to those found in messaging apps, with a “Send” icon
on the right-hand side, allowing you to submit the answer.
There are a few notable details about the message box:
● It allows you to type up to 1,500 characters – presumably this is the default
for all tests hosted on Impress.ai, because BCG do explicitly state that they
expect answers to be around 4-6 lines of text. So, try to keep your answer
concise, there is no need for a full A4 page worth of answer.
● Pressing Enter does not submit the answer, but instead creates a line
break as if you are typing in MS Word or Google Docs. BCG do explicitly state
this right above the message box.
● It does not accept special formats. As such, if you want to emphasize ideas,
use hyphens and capitalizations.
3.4. Short-text / Numbers-only (ST)
Short-text / Numbers-only (ST) requires the candidate to answer in number
format – hence the name. It ties with LT as the second-most common answer
format in the BCG Online Case, at about 20% of the questions in each case.
14
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Simplified layout of the message box under an ST question
ST questions are displayed with the following components:
● A full question as a text message, sometimes accompanied by an image. You
usually must click on the exhibit to fully view it.
● A message box similar to the one displayed for the LT questions.
There are also a few notable details about the message box:
● It accepts only numbers. We have somewhat conflicting descriptions of this
message box – some candidates state that you can only type in numbers,
while other state that you can type in text, but if you submit that answer, the
chatbot will tell you that the format in incorrect and forces you to answer the
question again.
● Pressing Enter IMMEDIATELY sends the answer – BCG does not state this
on the message box, but nearly all candidates we interviewed up until now
(Sep 2022) described it as such. So, as with the SS questions – be careful not
to press that Enter key by mistake.
15
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
4.
Question Types in BCG Online Case
In this guide, “question type” is a classification of questions in the BCG Online Case
following question contents / required skills to answer the questions – for
example, questions involving mathematics will be classified as “Quantitative”. One
question type might come in multiple answer formats. Not to be confused with
“answer format/question format” which is explained in the previous chapter. One
question type may come with multiple answer formats.
There are five confirmed basic question types in the BCG Online Case.
● Structuring / Information (STR)
● Intuition / Insights (INT)
● Critical / Logical (CRI)
● Quantitative (QNT)
● Summary (SUM)
In the real BCG Online Case, however, some questions may not neatly fit into any
one type of this framework, or straddle two types at the same time – especially for
the QNT, INT and CRI questions.
As such, in the real case, be prepared for some “unpleasant surprises”. We would
try to help with this by creating “hybrid questions” in the simulation. However, the
basic types should cover about 80-90% of the questions in the real test.
Also keep in mind that some question types are simply harder to “crack” than
others, being less predictable/streamlined, and relying more on skills that takes
time to build (such as mathematics or business intuition).
16
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
4.1. Structuring / Information (STR)
​General description
Cases in the BCG Online Case always start with a Structuring / Information
(STR) question. There are usually 1-2 questions of this type for each case.
The question might ask you to “break down the problem”, “structure the problem”,
“identify the necessary information”, etc., but the logic behind the question is the
same. They ALWAYS require top-down reasoning.
This mimics the problem-solving process used by management consultants –
which always start with the structuring of the problem, which informs the
consultant which information to look for. Data and structure go hand in hand in a
consultant’s problem-solving process.
A sample STR question of the MS answer format...
17
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
... along with its answer options.
​Details of the question
STR questions in the BCG Online Case comes in both the MS and LT formats (but
never the SS or ST format, since inherently a structure cannot be described by one
option or a number). The MS variant usually appears at the start of the case, while
the LT variant present itself in the middle or end of the case.
For the MS format, there will be around 4-10 options, about 30%-60% of which are
correct. Each option will represent a branch or part of a branch of the issue tree
that results from the structuring process.
At the end of the question text, BCG also specifies the number of options you
must choose. For example, “choose three options”, or “choose the fewest number of
options that applies”.
18
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
​How to answer (MS format)
To answer the MS format of the STR question, you should follow a two-steps
process involving the use of an issue tree:
● Step 1: Outline an issue tree, using the options given by the BCG chatbot as
suggestions for the branches.
● Step 2: Plug the options into the issue tree and choose the fewest/required
number of options, that together covers the issue tree in the most
comprehensive and leanest (i.e., MECE) way possible.
Caveat on Step 1: this is effectively a bottom-up procedure. However, being
bottom-up is actually acceptable in consulting IF you know how to re-structure
your ideas before presentation. Also, this bottom-up approach saves time since you
will be breaking the problem in the same way that the test-writer did.
Caveat on Step 2: sometimes the options in the STR questions do not look MECE –
because sometimes they are NOT MECE – which is why we advise candidates to
choose answers that look “as MECE as possible”. BCG asks for “the best options”, so
as long as they are better than the rest of the options, you will be fine.
To do all of this, you will need to understand how “wrong” options are generated
– which generally belongs to one of the following categories:
● Too broad: the option covers not only part or all of the issue tree, but also
strays out of it and covers irrelevant information (e.g., if the problem
concerns “navy strength”, Option A covers “all types of ships” and Option B
covers “naval ships”, then Option B is the correct answer). However,
● Too granular: the option covers a too-small part of the issue tree that is
already better covered by another option - provided that the higher-level
option does not strays out of the issue tree. (e.g., if the problem concerns the
profits of a company, Option A covers revenue of all of its 3 product lines,
while Option B, C, D each covers only one product line, then Option A is the
correct answer).
19
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● Irrelevant: the option does not relate to the problem in any way, shape, or
form – i.e., it is entirely out of the issue tree (e.g., if the given problem is
about revenue and the option is about cost).
● Wrong data: the option “looks” correct, but the unit or the timeframe is
wrong. By logic most of them should be counted as a “too granular” or
“irrelevant”, but we feel these being classified as a separate category would
be easier to understand (e.g., if the problem is set in 2022 and the data is
from 2020).
Another caveat: the “too granular” and “too broad” options should only be
“wrong” if there are better-fitting choices. If you have not met the required
number of options, or BCG asks for “the fewest possible” and you see no better
choices, then, proven that your issue tree cannot be revised, you should include
them in. In such cases, prioritize “too broad” options over “too granular” ones if
they overlap, because having more data than necessary is better than having
incomplete data.
​How to answer (LT format)
LT-format STR questions concerns many topics, but the most common one seems
to be market-sizing.
In all cases, however, the same two-step approach applies:
● Step 1: Outline ideas onto a scratch paper. You can be as bottom-up as you
want, if necessary (some people are more comfortable and effective in this
manner, while others like to think top-down – practice both ways and use
whatever yields better results). Try to draw an issue tree or table to visualize
the approach better.
● Step 2: Type in your answer based on the structure you just jotted down.
Use hyphen as bullets, each branch being one bullet point. Try to keep your
answer under 4-6 lines. For example: “To estimate the client’s market size, we
follow these 4 steps: Step 1… Step 2… Step 3… Step 4...”
20
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
There are a few tips to help you deliver a short and concise answer:
● Trim the verbose fat: BCG wants your answer short, not “natural”, so if your
answer is too long you might want to “denaturalize” it and keep only the key
words to avoid. For example, instead of “I propose the following solutions for
our client”, write “Proposed solutions include: [followed by bullet points]”.
Do try to keep ideas clear to avoid being misinterpreted.
● Number your bullet points: this makes it easy for a human screener to see
the structure behind your ideas. For example, under branch A you have
branch A1, A2, A3, etc.
● Add follow-up insights: after laying out each branch, point out what data
should be collected to test it, and how to collect the necessary data. Great
candidates always do this in real case interviews, so you should do the same
in the BCG Online Case – which is supposed to be a “chatbot case interview”.
For example: “Step 1: estimate the number of potential customers – data available
through market-research agencies”.
4.2. Intuition / Insights (INT)
​General description
Intuition / Insights (INT) questions are the hardest to practice in the BCG Online
Case – simply because it relies on “intuition” and not any fixed, clear-cut
procedure or methodology. However, it is also the most common question type
alongside Quantitative – about 2-3 questions per case.
Its tell-tale signs are options that require business knowledge to understand (e.g.,
accounting terms) and/or cannot be deduced from the case information
21
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
A sample INT question of the MS format
... along with its answer options
22
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
​Details of the question
Many format details of the INT questions are very similar to the STR questions.
INT also comes in both MS (about 60-80%) and LT formats (20-40%). For the MS
format, there are anywhere between 4 to 10 options, 30-70% of which are correct.
BCG will also sometimes specify how many options you should choose (“choose the
3 options that best matches”), but sometimes they go “choose all that applies”.
INT questions may also come with exhibits – charts, diagrams, or tables – in which
case they often ask for insights you can draw from such exhibits.
Common topics for these questions are “root causes”, “potential effects”, “possible
next steps”, “solutions” etc.
INT questions (MS format) are superficially similar to CRI questions – they all
use the same topics, they look similar, and in many cases, it is difficult to tell them
apart without diving into at least 1-2 options. However, the biggest and most
important difference lies in the information you use to answer the questions: INT
questions rely on business “sense” and knowledge, while CRI – as would be
explained in the next section – relies more on “common sense” and other
information already given in the case.
​Answer tips
Let us get this cleared up first: you cannot simply “crack” these intuition
questions. However, we have some tips to help you along.
● Remove illogical options (MS format): sometimes INT questions combines
with the CRI questions (critical/logical reasoning, which will be explained in
section 4.4), in which case you can spot logically faulty options
(contradicting common sense or case information) and remove them from
consideration. For example, if the question asks for “benefits of increasing
revenue” and one option says, “increased sales volume”, you know it is
wrong because that option represents a potential cause, not an effect, of
increasing revenue.
23
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● Brainstorm in your scratch paper, then restructure (LT format): always do
this, both in the test and in the real case interview. Intuition questions are
inherently bottom-up, but that does not mean your answer should be a long
list of ideas without any structure at all.
● Evaluate options (LT format): similar to LT-format STR questions, you
should go 120% for each idea listed in a LT-format INT questions by
evaluating their effectiveness in the given context and feasibility. Do try to
keep your answers in 4-6 lines (it is probably fine to go a bit overboard, say
7-8 lines, but any more would be harmful – usually you do not have enough
data to go that far anyway).
4.3. Critical / Logical (CRI)
​General descriptions
Critical / Logical (CRI) questions are not as common as the other question types –
0-1 questions per case – however, since they might be “blended” into other
question types, it is still important to know how they work.
24
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
A sample CRI question of the MS format…
… along with its options
25
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
​Details of the question
CRI questions always take the MS format. Technically, the SS format might be
applicable, however, we have not received any such report (since both the MS and
SS formats are multiple-choice, the logic remains the same). As such, for this
question we will be focusing on the MS format.
Again, the format is very similar to the INT questions of the MS format –
sometimes coming with charts, tables, and diagrams to supplement the details,
with 4-10 questions, 30-70% of which being “correct” answers,
The line between CRI and INT questions is blurred – however, INT relies more
on having a “business sense” or business knowledge, while CRI relies on common
sense and information already given in the case – similar to “which of the following
is true according to the information given in the text” kind of questions in verbal or
logical reasoning tests used by other firms. That said, in the BCG Online Case there
might be CRI-like options in INT questions, and vice versa.
There are many ways the question might be phrased. For example, “which of the
following statement is true…”, or “which of the following, if true, explains…”, or
“which of the following is a potential effect…”. However, the logic remains the
game: does this statement make sense with what we know from the case?
​How to answer
For CRI questions, we suggest the following two-step process (with some nuances):
● Step 1: Categorize each option on a 5-point scale from -2 to +2
● Step 2: Depending on the qualifiers of the question, choose correct options.
For Step 1, the 5-point scale is as follows:
● Explicitly Confirmed (+2): the statement is explicitly confirmed /
mentioned by the information given in the case.
26
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● Implicitly Confirmed (+1): the statement is not explicitly confirmed,
however, can be inferred to be true, using information in the case.
● Inconclusive (0): the statement is neither confirmed nor rejected by the
information in the case OR by inference (if you feel the option is 50-50, it is
likely inconclusive).
● Implicitly Rejected (-1): the statement is not explicitly rejected, however,
can be inferred to be false, using information in the case.
● Explicitly Rejected (-2): the statement is explicitly rejected / falsified by the
information given in the case.
NOTE: Our previous grading system uses “True” in place of “Confirmed”, and “False” in
place of “Rejected”. If you happen to read this guidebook BEFORE the mock tests are
updated, please keep in mind that it is the same 5-point grading system. Only the wording is
changed to avoid confusion, following feedback from early testers.
For Step 2, the recommended actions are as follows:
● If there are NO qualifiers: choose all positively graded options. It is actually
more common for CRI questions to have no qualifiers at all – supposedly to
test critical thinking more than strict deductive logical reasoning.
● If there are qualifiers (e.g., “which of the following is ABSOLUTELY true”, or
“which of the following MIGHT explain”) – use them to determine which
categories on the scale should be regarded as correct. For example, if the
question asks for “surely true”, choose only “+2” items.
4.4. Quantitative (QNT)
​General descriptions
Appearing at an equal frequency as the INT questions, Quantitative (QNT)
questions are among the most common questions in the BCG Online Case, at 2-3
questions per case, often appearing soon after the start of the case.
27
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Quantitative questions require you to calculate a number to reach the answer and
might be blended as part of CRI or INT questions.
A sample QNT question of the ST answer format...
In the BCG Online Case, QNT questions come in either ST format (about 70-80% of
the time) or SS format (about 20-30%). Regardless of the format, the logic behind
the question remains exactly the same.
QNT questions are nearly always accompanied by exhibits (i.e., charts, tables,
diagrams, etc.) which supplies the formula and numbers necessary for the task
given by the question. As such, they
They also come with specific instructions of the number format expected by BCG
(similar to the italic note on the example above). If you type a wrong-format answer
in, the bot will reject that answer and ask to try again.
28
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Exhibits, numbers, and difficulty
The exhibits used in for BCG Online Case QNT questions are often relatively
simple, compared to those used by the PST or Potential Test. They often contain
4-25 data points (about 2-5 rows x 2-5 columns in table format) plus any
necessary legend and footnotes. Charts and tables are much more common than
diagrams.
The calculations are usually easy. Most of the time, BCG used “simplified” (i.e.,
not “real” data, but data specifically tailored for testing purposes) and rounded
numbers. They also allow the use of calculators (not that they can forbid you
anyway, since the test is taken at home). Some margin of error is allowed since the
results are often rounded to the first decimal point (e.g.: 12.3456 to 12.3).
The hardest parts about QNT questions are actually figuring out the formula and
picking the right data. BCG often confuses candidates by throwing in lots of
“noise” into each exhibit (about 50-80% of the given data for each question are
irrelevant), and/or not providing the formula necessary for the question, asking
you to figure that out instead.
QNT questions do not often require much in terms of accounting or finance
knowledge (when they do, BCG often provides the necessary formula). However, it
is better to be safe and sure, so non-business candidates should brush up on basic
accounting if they do not feel confident on this front.
​Calculation types
NOTE: If you happen to own the Redrock Simulation package of the PSG Simulation, you
might opt to skip this section, since this is actually the “original” guideline of that Redrock
version. (The Redrock test and the BCG Online Case use similar calculation types – although
the BCG Online Case has more “confirmed” types and tend to be more difficult).
QNT questions cannot simply be “cracked” – however, you can increase your
chance of getting the right answers by focusing your practice on these common
calculation types (which apply for other consulting tests as well):
29
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● Simple percentages: percentage / ratio / fraction between two items. The
most common pitfalls for this kind of calculation are to (1) mistake the
position of the items in the formula (e.g.: the question asks for a A-to-B ratio,
but you calculate the B-to-A ratio), and (2) mistake percentage for
percentage gap.
● Compound percentages: multiple consecutive percentage calculations (i.e.,
percentage of percentage). These share the same pitfalls with the simple
percentage calculations but add another degree of complication. For these
questions, some candidates find it easier to augment calculations with
natural numbers, by using given data or “dummy numbers” (e.g.: the
question asks for a website’s number of orders, given the per-stage
conversion rate of a 5-stage funnel, then you can look for the original traffic
figure, or just assuming it to be 1,000 or 1,000,000 – whichever is more
in-line with the case context).
● Weighted averages: similar pitfalls with percentage calculations. That said,
sometimes in weighted average calculations, the weights do not add up to
100% - in which case, you will need to divide the sum of all items by the sum
of their weights to arrive at the correct answer.
● Probabilities: these might appear for cases relating to sales and
conversions; many probability calculations are very counter-intuitive. As
such, we will offer a quick overview for basic probability calculations in the
“tips” section of the guidebook.
​Follow-up questions
Most notably, the QNT questions are the only questions in the BCG Online Case
where you might figure out if you got a right or wrong answer.
This is because QNT questions each come with a set of “follow-ups”, i.e., mini
questions that are delivered in response to your answer. Specifically:
● If your answer to the “key question” is right: the follow-up question asks
you to explain or elaborate how you got to that answer.
30
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
● If your answer to the “key question” is wrong: the follow-up questions
walk you through the calculation process, step-by-step, usually taking 2-4
questions, each representing one calculation. DO NOT lose composure if you
see the “wrong” responses. If these appear, calmly re-assess your
calculations, to make sure you get the right numbers.
NOTE: Other question types – especially multiple-choice ones – may have follow-up
questions as well, but their existence is unconfirmed, and their details are murky. As such,
the above description applies only to QNT questions.
A sequence of 3 “wrong” follow-up questions...
... and a “right” follow-up question
To answer “right” follow-up questions, try to outline your calculations into steps,
explaining each step then plug in the numbers. For example: “Step 1. To calculate
31
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
ABC, we multiply XYZ with MNPQ (ABC = 123 × 456 = 56,088)”. Keep it in 3-4 steps
at most – more than that and you will confuse the screener.
32
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
4.5. Summary (SUM)
​General descriptions
Summary (SUM) questions often appear at the end of a BCG Online Case. That
said, not all cases end with this type of question – in which case they may end with
an INT question of the LT format instead.
SUM questions are always in LT format. Most of the time, the SUM question is
worded directly as a request for a summary – like the one below
A sample SUM question in the BCG Online Case
​How to answer
BCG stresses clarity and brevity as key criteria for this kind of question. You need
to cover all main points in the case, without going too deep into the details. You
also have to structure the pitch in a logical, easy-to-follow manner.
The “answer formula” is as follows:
“Our [insert number] objectives in the case are [insert objectives]. Our current [insert
number] findings are [insert findings]. In response to those findings, we suggest [insert
number] recommendations: [insert recommendations].”
Yes, that does not sound “smooth” at all, but that is just how “consulting
communication” is. Terse and information dense.
33
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
Note that there can be just one, or multiple objectives/findings/recommendations.
If there are more than one item for each category, number them to make your
pitch more structured and easier to follow.
34
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
5.
Video interview
5.1. Interface and flow
The video interview in the BCG Online Case requires the candidate to answer a
“client pitch” question in a video recording format. It is always at the end of each
BCG Online Case.
Simplified layout of the video interview interface
Unlike the other questions of the BCG Online Case, the video interview is
performed on a third-party interview platform, not the chatbot interface.
At the end of the case (either because you have answered all the questions, or run
out of time), the bot will announce that you need to complete a video interview. It
will present a button that opens up another site that hosts the interview.
Both a functional webcam and a microphone are required for this question.
35
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
You will have 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to deliver the answer. The
time for the video-record question is not counted as part of the case time limit.
As such, you do not have to rush the case in order to save time for the video
recording at the end.
Once you have completed the video interview, you will be returned to the original
chatbot interface, upon which the case is completed.
5.2. Question types and how to answer
​Question types
For the video interview, the question is usually a repeat of the last question in the
case – which are usually SUM or INT questions, of the LT format.
The wording of the question can be changed slightly – often made into a “CEO
pitch” situation (e.g.: “You meet the client CEO in the meeting room. He asks for a brief
summary of the current findings and recommendations”).
How to answer
The answer for the video is recommended to be a more verbose, formal version of
the LT answer – adding greetings, explaining items in better details, and closing
with a “next-step” suggestion.
The following is a sample structure for a SUM video interview question:
“Hello Mr. CEO, it has been great pleasure working with you on the project to [insert
objectives]. Based on our analysis, the current [insert number] findings are: [insert findings].
To help your company rectify these problems, we propose the following [insert number]
solutions: [insert numbered recommendations]. The team would be happy to work with you
to help implement those solutions.
And a sample structure for an INT, market-sizing video interview question:
36
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
“Hello Mr. CEO. Regarding your question on the market size of the X product: it can be
answered by the following formula [insert formula]. Data for variables X, Y can be acquired
by [insert data sources], while data for variable Z can be acquired by [insert data sources].
The team would conduct the research and return with the correct market size, should this be
a matter of necessity to the project.”
Answer tips
You can enhance your ability to answer video interview questions (of the BCG
Online Case) using the following tips:
● Practice with your own customized scripts: the examples we have given
above may not sound “natural” to you. As such, customize your own scripts
and practice until you feel natural saying them.
● Master the “CEO language”: consultants and senior executives alike prefer
terse, result-oriented communication (after all, CEOs pay consultants to
hear suggestions, not just statement of problems). As such, do not dive into
the details of HOW the findings and recommendations are reached – head
straight for the results, and follow-up with next steps.
● Use wordcount to estimate length: a good way to estimate the length of
your pitch is to use wordcount. For a 60-second pitch, about 120-150 words
should be reasonable – depending on how fast you speak. Avoid sacrificing
clarity for speed.
● Do not end the pitch too early: a tip when doing video interview is to use
80-90% of the time limit – because most of the time, the time limit is set
“just above” the expected length for the answer.
37
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
6.
Other Tips and Tricks
6.1. Preparation tips
​Perform the test in under 80% of the time limit
There are many things that can go wrong in the real test: you run into an
unfamiliar question type, you make mistakes here and there, your test has a
shorter time limit (because time limit varies between positions, locations, and
seem to depend on the number of questions as well).
As such, aim for an 80% time limit max during practice. This applies not only to
the BCG Online Case but any other test as well. This is to make sure you have
enough room for error during the real test.
​Learn the basics of probabilities
Just to clear up a few basic rules for probabilities calculations, let us assume that:
A, B, and C are hypothetical events.
● PA, PB and PC are chances of these events taking place.
● PA’, PB’, and PC’ are chances of them NOT taking place.
Following these assumptions:
● If A, B, and C are mutually exclusive events, then the chance of ALL of them
taking place is 0 (because one taking place means the other two cannot),
while the chance of ANY of them taking place is PA + PB + PC.
● If A, B and C are independent events, then the chance of ALL of them taking
place is PA × PB × PC, the chance of ANY of them taking place is 1 - PA’× PB’
× PC’ (not PA + PB + PC – this is a very, very common mistake).
38
A Companion to the BCG Online CaseⒸ 2022 MConsultingPrep
6.2. Test-taking tips
​Take note after each question
Taking notes after each question (and after the case context announcement as
well) helps you maintain a “big picture” view of the case.
This will help you immensely in the SUM questions – should they appear at the end
of the case – and also help you piece together data that might come in handy
during INT / CRI questions, since sometimes INT / CRI questions require data /
insights from previous questions of the same case.
​Do not be distracted by the time limit warning
Most candidates we interviewed feel pressured into making rushed answer
choices by the warning “You have X minutes left” delivered by the chatbot.
We do not know whether this is intentional or not (i.e., BCG might purposefully
implement this feature to rule out candidates that cannot perform under heavy
pressure). However, do try to maintain a steady pace, and you can do that by
consistently aiming for an 80% time limit during practice.
39