BCG case study

Question

My university scheduled a skills seminar: case practice with BCG consultants on zoom. I don’t know what to expect from this ? Will I be contributing and if this is a networking opportunity? If so how can I leverage it ?

Thanks,

Tee

Answer 1

Hi Tee,

Just saw that the technical problem was solved, here is my answer:

As mentioned it, it's probably a "case practice", so from this, I suppose it's a webinar for "How to crack a case". In any case, any webinar, meeting, presentation, etc. is a good opportunity to network. So make sure you note the names & emails of the presenters and you send them a thank you note at the end of the session. You might send them later some of the questions you might have and ask if you can have a quick call. This is one of the ways you can leverage this situation to network, feel free to connect with me if you want to learn more about this or about other techniques!

Best,

Mehdi

Answer 2

Hey Tee,

If you mean the online test:

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

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If you mean the regular case

In terms of frameworks

This is a BIG topic and not easily answered!

To be as succinct as possible: the common approach for all cases is:

Figure out the actual problem being asked - also known as objective. What do we specifically care about and not care about? What would a good answer look like?
Figure out the key things you need to know to answer this problem - this is like the "buckets" in your framework. What critical information will help you make a decision
Think + Articulate specifically how each key area will help you answer your question - i.e. "If Item A is big, then I need to look at item B" or "If A is less than X, then I need to check out B"

In terms of case interview preparation

The most important thing here is narrowing down the noise. There is a lot of content flying around, and you need to work hard to focus on what's important (much like when solving a case).

I recommend the following:

1) An initial planning session with a coach: 1 hour with a coach now will have a productivity multiplier effect on all your efforts moving forward. They will figure out what materials are best for you, guide you towards the best ways to learn, and come up with a preparation plan with you.

2) Leverage free resources first: PrepLounge Q&A and case library, Poets and Quants, SpencerTom, Google, etc.). Leverage these options, read-up, and over time you'll get a feel for what you really need and where you really need to invest your hard-earned $

3) Case with other PrepLoungers: Casing with other PrepLoungers is free. Not only do you get to practice casing, but you get direct feedback. Additionally, you learn a lot just from casing others. Finally, from other PrepLoungers you'll learn which materials/coaches are helpful.

In summary, while free options don't beat paid options, you can use them for a while to get a feel for what works for you. Have an initial coaching session to get you on the right track, then go the paid route when it's clear either 1) You are stuck or 2) It's clear the paid route will improve your productivity/progress

Answer 3

What is the question?

Answer 4

Hi Tee,

It seems a case practice session to help potential candidates to understand what to expect from interviews and promote BCG.

If that’s the case, it will be very difficult to leverage the event for networking. It would be far better for you to approach individual consultants for that.

You can find more on that at the following link:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,
Francesco

Answer 5

Hi!

In this events, there is actually little you can prepare or anticipate. You just need to go there and make the most out of it.

In most cases, they will:

Walk you through the recruiting process
Practice a case with the group
Answer your questions

McKinsey does a similar thing in small groups once you pass the initial test -now Imbellus-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Answer 6

Based on your description, this would not be a networking session. You should try to get the most out of it, regarding how to ace the case. Think about what you need to develop further in solving the case and try to get practial tips from the consultants.