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BCG "Quantitative Math Test" / GMAT like

analytical test BCG BCG online case BCG Potential Test bcgtest Consutingmath GMAT math math test McKinsey Online test
New answer on Jul 09, 2020
39 Answers
35.5 k Views
Anonymous B asked on Jun 15, 2020

Hi Everyone,

I have been advised that BCG will be replacing the "online case" with a new Quantitaive Math Test (QMT)in my office of interest. Also been able to infer that the new test format has been created by a comany called Cirrus. I was wondering if anyone here has some experience/information on this new test and how its contents may differ from the online case.

Thanks in advance.

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Best answer
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Vlad
Expert
updated an answer on Oct 23, 2017
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

There are 2 types of BCG tests:

  1. GMAT-like test with questions similar to GMAT
  2. Online Test that is based on a case and has the questions closer to PST

I have uploaded both test samples here (Online test is about airlines). I've also added BCG written case sample (Next round) and Bain written case:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zor4m49eyx5qxal/AABeUN6mtiGkWhEklRjszX2Oa?dl=0

As for particular recommendations for online test:

  1. Try to find as many people in your country as you can who have done the test. Ask them for the topic, industry, and questions they remember. For example in one of the countries there was a test about airlines and reading a couple of articles / company reports / wikipedia articles with industry terms could significantly improve performance
  2. Try to practice tests with strict time-management. McKinsey PST from the official web site and all mck and bcg -like tests you can find online
  3. Additional resources can be GMAT Integrated reasoning from the official guides and apps if you feel that you are not p[erforming well
  4. As far as I remember calculator is allowed on BCG test. Make sure you know how to simplify calculations and use it fast

Best!

(edited)

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Rob on Oct 13, 2017

Great advice, Vlad. Thank you very much for that as well as for the Dropbox materials. Highly appreciated!

Viktor on Mar 18, 2018

Hi! I would very like to check those Dropbox materials. Could you, please, provide me the password?

Max on Mar 25, 2018

Hi, does anybody have the solution-sheet to the "BCG sample test"? Would be great to check my responses. Thanks

Fahmida on Mar 27, 2018

Hi! Would it be possible to get the password to the dropox material?

Laura on Apr 16, 2018

Hello Vlad, what is the password to access the dropbox please ? I would highly appreciate to be able to check as well :)

Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Laura replied on Aug 08, 2018

Hi! I would like to check those Dropbox materials. Could you, please provide me the password?

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12
Ker on Sep 04, 2018

Hi, please could you send me the password for the dropbox?

(edited)

Anonymous on Sep 18, 2018

Hi, do you finally got the password? Can you please send. Thank you :)

Alex on Sep 25, 2018

Can you please send me the password ?

Marco on Oct 25, 2018

Can you please send me the password?

Gizem on Nov 03, 2018

Hİ, Could you please send me the password, too? Thank you!

Originally answered question:

BCG GMAT like test?

Serhat
Expert
replied on Apr 23, 2019
BCG | Kellogg MBA |82% Success rate| 450+ case interview| 5+ year consulting | 30+ projects in ~10 countries

Hi there

Good news: if you solved the sample one easily, you can expect to have similar performance at the real one.

I can provide you more sample tests to practice for free. Feel free to reach me.

Serhat

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10
Bobur on Apr 26, 2019

Hi, Serhat! Could you please send me sample tests?

Marie on May 19, 2019

hi Serhat, could you please send me me some sample tests?

Jimmy on Jul 12, 2019

hi, is that still possible to get some?

Eva on Oct 13, 2019

Hi Serhat, please could you share the sample tests with me too? Thank you in advance!

Serikzhan on Nov 17, 2019

Hello, mr. Serhat! Would you mind sending me those sample tests too? s******************@g****.com Thank u in advance!

Originally answered question:

BCG quant test vs Potential Test

Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Oct 30, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

TBH, I am not 100% sure if they are the same thing, let´s see what hte BCG people say in the post. 

However, what is for sure is that those tests are always the same, preparing for them always requieres the same steps and exercises. 

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/)

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/ , psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Free-Aptitude-Tests.asp)

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Originally answered question:

BCG quant test vs Potential Test

Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Oct 29, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

The online tests across companies 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 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

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Originally answered question:

BCG - GMAT Type test + Potential Test?

Francesco
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jul 26, 2018
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi Anonymous,

for what concerns the potential test, I would recommend the following:

  • Practice as much as you can on Potential test simulations. You should be able to find online the Med-Lines case, either on a PrepLounge or on Scribd (just google that). After that, Igotanoffer has several others you can purchase online
  • Once completed the BCG test simulations, move to PST practice. You can find a good number of PST test online for free. PST is different from the Potential test (the structure is not the same, in the Potential test you get penalized for wrong questions while in the McK PST you don’t, etc), but it is definitely closer to that than GMAT questions.
  • Do all the simulations with a time constraint. Then, after each test, report all the mistakes you did in the test. You will likely find mistakes have something in common (eg, wrong math; too much time wasted on some questions; wrong interpretation of graph; etc). Then work on these categories one by one. Many people do these simulations concentrating only on the final score and don’t spend time categorizing the type of mistakes, thus not improving their performance.
  • If possible, don’t print the sample tests; rather, do the simulations while at your computer. As it is a computer test, during the actual one you cannot write down notes near the questions and you will have to go back and forth to the different parts online; if you practice on the paper version only, you will find different dynamics the day of the interview which could influence your performance.

As additional notes:

  • Calculators are generally not allowed, but there are exceptions in some countries (you can clarify that with HR).
  • You have to take into account you get penalized for wrong answers, so you should adapt your strategy accordingly.
  • Math practice, graph interpretation and quick reading training can also be useful. You can find some more comments on that at the following link: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/online-analytical-tests-483

Hope this helps,

Francesco

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Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Antonello
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Aug 31, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi Rob, I have some material to practice it. Feel free to text me

Best

ANtonello

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Marin on Oct 26, 2020

Hi Antonello, would love it if you could share the practice material! Thanks!

Laura on Feb 08, 2021

Hi Antonello, would it be possible to have the material? Thank you, Laura

Ann-Kathrin on Mar 03, 2021

Hi Antonello, could you please share the material with me as well? Thanks a lot! Ann-Kathrin

Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jun 16, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

I do highly recommend that, in addition to your external research, ask HR what you can expect from the QMT and if they have any recommendations on preparation.

The worst that can happen is they'll say "good luck" :)

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Anonymous replied on Jun 19, 2020

I imagine that you have already done so but for the others: useful to go to the Cirrus site directly, there is a lot of info.

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2
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Prisca replied on Nov 06, 2020

Hi Vlad,

May I get the password to the Dropbox file? Thanks in advance

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1
Originally answered question:

BCG quant test vs Potential Test

Anonymous D replied on Oct 30, 2020

I have just taken the test and from what I can gather, they are quite different. The Quant test, in my experience, is much less graph and interpretation heavy. I would say, as they advise in the email, to use GMAT resources to practice. The material in the test was very different from what I have experienced at other firms and included algebra and some basic geometry etc. I would also point out though, that this seems to be a new test they are trailing, as there is a disclaimer before the test highlighting that the results will actually be given minimal weighting when considering the application. How true that is though, I don't know.

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1
Originally answered question:

BCG gmat like test

Anonymous replied on Aug 29, 2020

Dear Arty!

Below some useful links for your preparation:

1) Keeping your math trained with GMAT exercises is always a good idea. Free resourced can be found online, for example:

2) Also, tests that usually are for investment banks (with graphs analysis) are useful.

  • https://www.tptests.com/Candidate/practice/Instructions

3) Official BGC Potential test examples:

  • https://www.bcg.com/careers/path/consulting/practice-interview-cases.aspx

Best,

André

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1
Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jun 17, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hi!

To add on top of previous comments, in a nutshell: very similar to GMAT, use that to prep!

Cheers,

Clara

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Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Marco-Alexander
Expert
Content Creator
updated an answer on Sep 05, 2021
Former BCG | Case author for efellows book | Experience in 6 consultancies (Stern Stewart, Capgemini, KPMG, VW Con., Hor

(edited)

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Anonymous on Feb 17, 2020

Would you be so kind to send me the PW, too? Thanks a lot!

Originally answered question:

BCG GMAT like test?

Guennael
Expert
replied on Apr 23, 2019
Ex-MBB, Experienced Hire; I will teach you not only the how, but also the why of case interviews

BCG sample tests should be very close to the real thing - if you did well on those, congratulations, you are ready.

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Nicolas on Mar 24, 2020

Hi, thank you for your sharing. Could you please tell me if in GMAt tests, all questions are together and we can choose the order we answer, or if we have to answer each question after each ?

Originally answered question:

BCG quant test vs Potential Test

Gaurav
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 27, 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hello there!

Though the format of the quant test may differ from the BCG Potential, it's still worth practicing as there's almost no difference in the core principles implemented.

Practicing GMAT tests could be a great help to get used to the format, timing, interpretation of charts and graphs.

Hope it helps.
Cheers,
GB

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Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Henning
Expert
replied on Oct 27, 2020
Bain | passed >15 MBB interviews as a candidate

BCG typically shares an example test when the invites go out. If you have not received that, you should check-in with your local recruiting contact.

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Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Misha replied on Oct 27, 2020

Hi, Would it be possible to get the password for the dropbox file please?

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0
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Ela replied on Sep 18, 2020

Hello Vlad,

Could you please send me the password for the DropBox? Thank you!

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0
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Francesca replied on Sep 07, 2020

Hi! I would like to check those Dropbox materials. Could you, please provide me the password?

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0
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Marco Antonio replied on Aug 28, 2020

Hi Vlad, could you give the password for the dropbox file? Please and Thank you

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0
Anonymous replied on Jul 09, 2020

Hi,

I'm sure that it's ok to ask HR about the details.

I wish you all the best,

André

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0
Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Anonymous replied on Jun 22, 2020

Hi Vlad, would it be possible to get the password for the dropbox file?

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0
Luca
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jun 16, 2020
BCG |NASA | SDA Bocconi & Cattolica partner | GMAT expert 780/800 score | 200+ students coached

Hello,

Never heard of it so far, but this kind of quantitative test are always quite similar each other.I would suggest to ask HR for some more information and also for some suggested preparation material. In the meanwhile I could provide you with some real and good samples from PST and SOVA test.

Best,
Luca

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Originally answered question:

BCG Online Test

Juan replied on Oct 05, 2019

Could you send me the password?

Thank you in advance

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