Additional Time in Mckinsey Solve - how does it affect the Score?

Question

Hello,

I received an invitation to McKinsey Solve. Due to my diagnosed ADHD, which I disclosed to the recruiter, I was granted an additional 25% time to complete the assessment. I am now preparing for it and would like to know if anyone has a good understanding of how the scoring works and whether this is a significant advantage. I plan to take the assessment next friday. I think I understand the games, but I haven't bought any simulations or similar. I am normally quite good at online assessments, even without extra time. Does this 25% extra time provide a significant edge?

BR
Elias

Answer 1

Hi Elias,

Q: Does this 25% extra time provide a significant edge?

If you have the most common test now (65 minutes), that’s around 15 minutes more. Yes, that’s a significant advantage compared to the standard time, in particular for the case section of Redrock and the last site of Sea Wolf, which is where most candidates go long.

If you want to prepare further, you can check the course I created at the link below, including the excel solvers for the games:

▶ McKinsey PSG Solve Combo Guide

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 2

Hey Elias :)

The scoring itself is not adjusted for the extra time, so you’ll be compared against the same benchmark as everyone else. The additional 25% is simply there to level the playing field and reduce the effect of time pressure, not to give you an advantage. If you usually do fine on online assessments, you’ll likely perform even better with the extra buffer, since it lets you stay structured and avoid careless mistakes.

No need to worry about not buying simulations – being calm, methodical, and practicing logical thinking matters much more than over-prepping with mock games.

best,
Alessa :)

Answer 3

Hi Elias,

The extra 25% time you’ve been granted is a standard accommodation and won’t disadvantage you in scoring. McKinsey normalizes Solve results across candidates with and without accommodations, so your performance is still benchmarked fairly.

Extra time helps mainly by reducing time pressure—you’ll have more breathing room to double-check calculations and avoid rushing mistakes. But it doesn’t give you an “unfair advantage,” since scoring is relative to others with similar time setups.

If you’re already confident with assessments, view this as a safety net that allows you to perform at your natural pace. Focus on accuracy, structured reasoning, and keeping calm—you’ll be judged on the quality of your answers, not whether you had extended time.

Happy to advice further / suggest resources that worked for other candidates.

Best,
Evelina

Answer 4

It's great that you have extra time, but whether 25% is enough / a lot / little is hard to tell because it also depends on the degree of your adhd. Certainly, it helps, so do make the most out of it.

There are lots of materials online about Solve. Try YouTube, for instance, to see some simulations.

Best,
Cristian