BCG DUBAI - Online Test

Hi there,

The new BCG Online Case (also called Chatbot Interview) is a new 8-10 questions test BCG started to use in 2019 and now expanded globally. It is structured in 2 parts:

• 8-10 questions to be taken in 25-30 minutes
• 1 video interview question at the end, where you have to provide a recommendation

The main differences compared to the previous version (BCG Potential Test) are the following:

1. 8-10 questions instead of 23
2. 25-30 min instead of 45
3. Calculators allowed
4. Presence of open questions
5. Video sum up at the end

The main challenges based on the candidates I helped are the following:

1. Time. Questions are not particularly difficult, however you will feel time constraints also due to the fact you don’t know how difficult the next questions could be - thus how much time they may require
2. Chatbot interaction. Unlike a test like the McK PST, you cannot proceed “at your own pace”. You will have to follow the evolution of the test as questions are revealed one by one
3. Math. Candidates often find the math quite challenging given the time constraint

If you want to prepare in the best possible way, I created a guide exactly for that.

This guide will:

• Show you the perfect strategy to answer the 5 types of questions in the Chatbot
• Offer you a clear strategy to optimally structure the One-Way Video Assessment
• Provide insider information from previous applicants who succeeded the Online Case
• Structure a clear preparation plan based on 6 FREE PSTs and Potential Tests
• Replicate the same experience of the interview thanks to 2 FREE Complete Chatbot Cases (Casey-style)

And much more ;)

You can download the guide instantly here:

 https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-online-case-secrets-69

As an extra bonus, I am currently offering the BCG Potential Test #1 (worth $39) and Graph Analysis Cheat Sheet (worth $29) for free with the guide. That may change in the future so hurry up if you are interested ;)

If you need additional support or have any questions on the guide please feel free to PM me, I will reply within 12 hours. 

Additionally, BCG questions are indeed peculiar in Dubai and different from other offices. I helped several candidates for that office and I have a pack of 40+ real questions asked there. Please feel free to PM for more info. 

Best,
Francesco

PS. Answering the Anon B comment. BCG was not supposed to be hiring much at this stage in Dubai and redirect people to Riyadh and Doha. However, I am helping right now a candidate who applied to Dubai as 1st choice and has been accepted to interview there. So apparently applications are not completely closed.

Hey there, 

For the chatbot, it is important to focus on the key skills the case evaluates. You need to have an approach that works regardless of domain expertise (see below for the key skills).

I have had several candidates who recently took it and provided some insights as well as BCG consultants who took it 'for fun and calibration.

The format is different from the previous Online Case, however, the types of questions are the same (math, word problems, logical reasoning, chart interpretation). You are asked to solve a business case of a fictional client.

Consequently, you should prepare in a similar fashion. Your counterpart will be a chatbot, who will ask you subsequent questions, which are sometimes related. As you rightly said, the questions are multiple-choice, open format, where you have to write up to 3 lines, as well as a one-minute recorded video answer in the end.

In order to prepare, use existing materials for the Online Case and focus on

• Case math skills
• Chart interpretation skills
• Logical reasoning skills ala GMAT and others
• Top-down communication and synthesis

I copy from my own source:

• The new type of assessment will be online and can be taken from home before the interview rounds
• The test lasts around 30 minutes and has a maximum of 8-10 questions (contrary to 45 minutes and 23 questions of the old format)
• Some open questions instead of single/ multiple-choice questions
• The scoring of answers is unclear as they also contain qualitative elements, however, there are no negative points for wrong answers
• Calculators are allowed
• At the end of the test, there will be a short, roughly 1-minute video recording, in which you will have to explain your recommendations and analytical approach to a fictional client

Let me know if you need help with it.

I have written a longer free article on both types of the Online Case / Potential Test here: https://strategycase.com/bcgs-online-case/

Cheers,

Florian

Hi, I have prepared many candidates in passing it and I have some materials to share. Feel free to text me 

Best,
Antonello

Hi there,

I have a simulation of the test. Feel free to message me and I cna take you through it!

Now, in terms of preparation.

The best way is to really find online tests / questions and practice. Regardless as to whether is 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 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

Hello!

Most of the online tests are very similar, and test the same skillset. It´s a good thing, since you can prep for them with a very unified approach. Although this may not seem so at first sight since the formats may differ, what is important here -as well as when solving cases- is the core skillset they are tryng to test. This is common, and the most important skills are:

80-20 analysis: capacity to analize, interpret and extract conclusions quickly and in a agile way from a ton of data -of which not all is useful-

Analytic and critical thinking: many ways tested with graphs, charts and tables, that you need to understand and derive decisions or insights from

Mathematical skills: are always somehow present, for which you need to be fast int he basics

The way to get better is practicing as much as possible with similar exercises -those targeted at the same skillset-. Hence, I would strongly recomment you practice it with the Integrated Reasoning part of the GMAT exam.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

Furthermore, you can leverage the MBB tests (https://www.myconsultingoffer.org/case-study-interview-prep/bcg-online/, https://www.psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Free-Aptitude-Tests.asp, and many others)

Hope it helps!

Best,

Clara