Short answer: sometimes, yes – but you should not plan around repetition.
Longer answer from experience:
BCG does not run a fixed “question bank” across rounds. Different interviewers, different styles. That said, second round interviewers often probe the same themes again, especially if they matter for the office or if something was borderline in round one.
What usually changes in round two:
- Questions are more conversational and less scripted
- The bar is higher on depth, reflection, and judgment
- Partners care less about polish and more about how you think and act under pressure
You might get a very similar question (eg. leadership, conflict, failure), but the expectation is different. A round one answer that was “good” is often not enough in round two. You are expected to go deeper, show clearer ownership, and reflect more maturely on tradeoffs and mistakes.
Best way to prepare:
- Assume no repetition and prepare a full set of strong stories
- Be ready to reuse a story only if it genuinely fits better than alternatives
- If a theme comes back, treat it as a chance to go deeper, not to repeat the same answer
themes may repeat, exact questions usually do not. Prepare for depth, not memorization.
