Has anyone taken the BCG 2021 Potential Test? If so, could you share your experience, which industry is covered?

Hey there,

Please clarify with HR if you are doing the older Online Case or the newly introduced chatbot case.

In general, for both the industry context has no impact. 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).

It is likely that you will deal with the new chatbot case. 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 video interview.

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'm sorry but this isn't the right approach.

Any and every industry and topic can be covered.

Just for reference, I've seen shipping/transport, banking/finance, oil & gas, etc.

Just like when preparing for casing, you cannot prepare for any one thing specifically here. Rather, you need to learn how to learn or learn how to think through any problem.

=================================================================

Now, how do you prepare for this?

All of these 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 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

(edited)

Hi

I can tell you the following about the new online case assessment:

• Case consists of 8 - 10 questions, Chat-bot based
• In the end, you have to record a 1minute video, you have one minute to prepare
• 25 minutes to complete the test
• Make sure not to close any exhibits you might need them later again, so make sure to not close any windows
• Questions can be multiple-choice, short answer or fill-in
• There are multiple industries covered, this will be different from candidate to candidate

I would try to make sure that your answers still follow a top-down approach, be as precise as possible.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards,
Lukas

Hi there,

in addition to what has been already said: you don't really need to have a deep knowledge about any industry. What is being tested is your ability to apply logic and reasoning to a problem.

You need to know your maths though :)

Feel free to write me if you need any help regarding the preparation for the test! Happy to help.

Cheers,

GB

Hi, I have some past tests to practice with. Feel free to text me for sharing

Best,
Antonello

Hello!

For both the test-that has been amazingly explained by my colleagues- and the cases, industry-specific knowledge does not give you a considerable competitive strategy.

This test the way you think and problem-solve, not your previous knowledge.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara