A. Hi all, does anyone know which platform has BCG London been using recently for the math test - HireQuotient or Cirrus?
B. Is the use of calculators allowed?
C. What's the best way to practice?
Thanks in advance!! I appreciate your help.
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Hi there,
A. BCG London has recently been using HireQuotient for the online math test, although Cirrus has appeared in a few cases too. Most candidates this year reported HireQuotient.
B. Yes, calculators are allowed for the BCG online test.
C. The best prep is practicing HireQuotient‑style questions, GMAT Problem Solving, and fast chart/graph interpretation. Focus on speed, estimation, and staying calm under time pressure.
Best, Alessa
Hi there,
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 it's 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 accounting formulas (margin, growth, breakeven, etc.) as well as be good at critically understanding the question (including nuance) and parsing through complicated text with a fair amount of distraction.
You'll also need to be good at chart/graph reading.
The McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain SOVA, etc. are all quite similar so leverage resources across all of them
A. BCG London has been using Cirrus recently. It's now standard across most European offices. That said, platforms can change, so when your invite arrives, check the link domain to confirm.
B. Yes, calculators are allowed. The test isn't designed for mental math under pressure. Keep a basic calculator and scratch paper ready. What you can't do is use AI tools or external help, the test is proctored.
C. For practice, focus on three things.
First, BCG Casey on the careers site. The online test increasingly mirrors Casey's structure, chart reading, math, and short business judgment questions.
Second, GMAT or GRE quant questions for raw math fluency. Data interpretation, percentages, ratios, weighted averages. These are the exact muscle groups the test hits.
Third, practise reading exhibits under time pressure. Pull charts from McKinsey or BCG reports, give yourself 60 seconds to extract the key insight, then check yourself. Most candidates lose time on exhibits, not on math.
One more thing. The test is fast. Untimed practice gives you a false sense of readiness. Always use a timer.
Good luck.
