what is the best paid simulation practice for McKinsey solve?

Question

These are the ones that I am considering right now: (feel free to suggest something else as well)

prepmatter
psgsecrets
solvegamesguide

psg and prepmatter are more expensive but I am willing to pay if someone just confirmed that they are worth it.For solvegamesguide the free practices seemed good but there is no reviews about it.

ALSO, I will be looking for case interview practice after taking the exam so if you have a recommendation for a source that has them all together without me paying for the game and then the interview that would be helpful as well

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the presumed invitation from McKinsey!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

First of all, in my opinion, none of the simulations copies the real McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment very well.
Moreover, what really determines whether a candidate passes or fails the McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment (or any other assessment), is whether they actually spend time understanding the different components of the assessment and develop a strategy to solve them. Pure practice may make you perform ok, but rarely great.
Lastly, instead of investing money in somewhat realistic simulations, I would advise you to at least consider working with an experienced coach who knows the McKinsey Solve well like me to ensure you will pass.

You can find more on this topic here: Speed reading techniques.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey Solve pre-interview assessment and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

CaseBasix may be worth looking at if you want both McKinsey Solve practice and case interview prep in one place. Their All Access Pass includes the McKinsey Solve simulations plus case interview practice, market sizing, case math, fit/behavioral prep, and other consulting prep resources, so you wouldn’t need to buy the game prep and interview prep separately.

If your main goal is only Solve, I would still compare the actual simulation quality across providers, though CaseBasix is the cheapest and high quality. But if you already know you’ll be preparing for cases afterward, the all-in-one access can make more sense than paying for two separate platforms.

Answer 3

Hi,

I prepared with psgsecrets, got score 533/decile 10 last summer and would absolutely recommend. Forget about "understanding concepts" etc. This is the tool to pass the game with highest scores and then you can continue working on your other skills for cases.

Having said that, I didn't receive and offer as they closed recruiting for the office I applied for. Now I'm in the process again and have to do Solve again.

Good luck!

Answer 4

hey there :)

I’d definitely prioritize the quality and realism of the simulations over simply having a large number of games. I’ve heard good things about PrepMatter and PSG Secrets, but I’d compare the exact number and type of simulations you get before paying the premium.

There are also some very good free YouTube formats that can help you understand the mechanics and practice specific Solve games without spending a lot upfront.

If you want, feel free to reach out and I’m happy to help you choose between the options and share some good YouTube resources. Best, Alessa :)