How to prepare for the written case interview at BCG final interview rounds?

Question

How to prepare for the written case interview at BCG final interview rounds?

Africa Bain BCG Case Case Interview Final Round MBB Written written case writtencase

Chiao asked on Oct 26, 2017 - 36 answers

Hi, I have been invited to BCG final interview rounds and found out that there will be a written case interview. How can I best prepare for this? The interview is in 2 weeks.

Thanks!

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Originally answered:

BCG Paris - Round 2/3 - Advice for written case

Hi Anonymous,

quoting a previous answer, I would recommend to focus on 5 areas to crack a written case; I have reported them below with some suggestions on how to prepare for each of them

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. I saw Jacopo already quoted my previous answer, I agree that assuming 3h (a bit unusual - normally you have 2h for the BCG written case) for the analysis with 20-30 pages, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading – 30-45 min
structure the approach – 15 min
make slides/answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 100-115 min
final review – 20 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You will normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You will normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your slides

I would apply the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before the presentation, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

In terms of slides, I would recommend working on:

#1: structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has next steps

#2: structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 3: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi Anonymous,

quoting a previous answer, I would recommend to focus on 5 areas to crack a written case; I have reported them below with some suggestions on how to prepare for each of them

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. I saw Jacopo already quoted my previous answer, I agree that assuming 3h (a bit unusual - normally you have 2h for the BCG written case) for the analysis with 20-30 pages, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading – 30-45 min
structure the approach – 15 min
make slides/answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 100-115 min
final review – 20 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You will normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You will normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your slides

I would apply the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before the presentation, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

In terms of slides, I would recommend working on:

#1: structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has next steps

#2: structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 3: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

(edited)

Further answer to this question

Hi Anonymous,

the answer would depend on whether you have also to prepare the slides or not. The usual steps to follow in a written case are:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers (if required)

At the following link you can find a detailed description of each of these areas:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hi-guys-who-has-experience-with-doing-a-bcg-written-case-any-ideas-on-how-to-prepare-for-this-suggestionskey-takeawaysexamples-are-more-than-welcome-thanks-a-lot-for-your-help-569

If you have also to prepare slides I would also recommend to work on

#1: structure the slides

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 2: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Best,

Francesco

Hi Anonymous,

the answer would depend on whether you have also to prepare the slides or not. The usual steps to follow in a written case are:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers (if required)

At the following link you can find a detailed description of each of these areas:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hi-guys-who-has-experience-with-doing-a-bcg-written-case-any-ideas-on-how-to-prepare-for-this-suggestionskey-takeawaysexamples-are-more-than-welcome-thanks-a-lot-for-your-help-569

If you have also to prepare slides I would also recommend to work on

#1: structure the slides

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 2: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Best,

Francesco

Originally answered:

Any experience with new BCG written case format in final round?

Hi Anonymous,

the general tips for a written case are still valid for the new format. Specifically you can prepare working on the following:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your answers

Below you can find some details

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. If you have 45 minutes for the analysis, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading of key requests – 5 min
structure the approach – 5 min
answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 25 min
final review – 10 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your answers

I would apply here the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before presenting, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

Best,

Francesco

Hi Anonymous,

the general tips for a written case are still valid for the new format. Specifically you can prepare working on the following:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your answers

Below you can find some details

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. If you have 45 minutes for the analysis, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading of key requests – 5 min
structure the approach – 5 min
answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 25 min
final review – 10 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your answers

I would apply here the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before presenting, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

Best,

Francesco

Originally answered:

Any pieces of advice for the written business case at BCG? (second round)

Hi Anonymous,

I would recommend to focus on 5 areas to crack a presentation/written case; I have reported them below with some suggestions on how to prepare for each of them

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. Assuming 120 minutes for the analysis, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading – 10-20 min
structure the approach – 10 min
make slides/answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 70-80 min
final review – 20 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You will normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. You should also be able to find some free written test examples online. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You will normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers

You may have to present your findings at the end of the case. I would apply the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before the presentation, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

When you have to prepare slides, quoting a previous answer I would also recommend to work on:

1) Structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has the next steps

2) Structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

3) Present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi Anonymous,

I would recommend to focus on 5 areas to crack a presentation/written case; I have reported them below with some suggestions on how to prepare for each of them

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. Assuming 120 minutes for the analysis, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading – 10-20 min
structure the approach – 10 min
make slides/answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 70-80 min
final review – 20 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You will normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. You should also be able to find some free written test examples online. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You will normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers

You may have to present your findings at the end of the case. I would apply the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before the presentation, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

When you have to prepare slides, quoting a previous answer I would also recommend to work on:

1) Structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has the next steps

2) Structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

3) Present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Originally answered:

Does anyone have any advice on preparing for the BCG written case? Any preparation material would be really helpful as well.

Hi Rajat,

The usual steps to follow in a written case are:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers (if required)

At the following link you can find a detailed description of each of these areas:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hi-guys-who-has-experience-with-doing-a-bcg-written-case-any-ideas-on-how-to-prepare-for-this-suggestionskey-takeawaysexamples-are-more-than-welcome-thanks-a-lot-for-your-help-569

If you have also to prepare slides, quoting a previous answer I would also recommend to work on

#1: structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has next steps

#2: structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 3: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi Rajat,

The usual steps to follow in a written case are:

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

2. Practice graph interpretation

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

4. Practice quick math

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers (if required)

At the following link you can find a detailed description of each of these areas:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hi-guys-who-has-experience-with-doing-a-bcg-written-case-any-ideas-on-how-to-prepare-for-this-suggestionskey-takeawaysexamples-are-more-than-welcome-thanks-a-lot-for-your-help-569

If you have also to prepare slides, quoting a previous answer I would also recommend to work on

#1: structure the order of the slides

Normally the structure for a 5-slide presentation is the following:

First slide sums up the question and provides the answer
Second, third and fourth slide have the supporting arguments for the first slide
Fifth slide has next steps

#2: structure the content of each slide

There are three basic components for slides:

Title
Chart or data
Label for chart

Many people structure the title as the mere description of what the chart is telling. A great title, instead tells the implication of the graph. Eg say the graph is showing a cost structure for a division. A bad title would be: Cost structure from 2005 to 2015. A good title would be: Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable”. A great title would be Cost structure of Division XYZ is not sustainable due to ABC, assuming you have insides on the cause. The rule of thumb for the title is that if you read all the titles of the slides together you should get a clear idea of what is going on.

# 3: present the slides

When you present, I would suggest the following steps for each slide:

Introduce the slide: “Let’s move to slide 2, which will show us why we have an issue with this division”
Present the main message of the slide: “As you can see, we have a cost structure which makes for us not feasible to be competitive in this market”
Provide details: “The graph, indeed, shows how our fix cost is XYZ, while competitors can benefit from economies of scale. Indeed…”

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Originally answered:

Best Preparation Method for Written Cases at Bain and BCG?

Guennael

Expert

replied on Oct 29, 2015

Ex-MBB, Experienced Hire; I will teach you not only the how, but also the why of case interviews

Congrats on getting these interviews in the first place! We are looking for the same qualities in the written case as in the verbal one. You should have 1 hour to prepare so there's a little more time, but obviously you must actually prepare slides for the presentation. It comes down to time management. For example, agree in advance you will allocate 5 minutes to figure out what's going on, 30 minutes to the actual case prep, another 5 to confirm the order of the slide (story line) and the remaining time to go into pure slide-development mode. Ultimately though, if you can crack a regular case, you should be able to crack the written one as well. Relax, good luck :)

Show 1 further answer by Guennael

Other answers by this user

Originally answered:

Written case interview

Bain and BCG, but also ATK for example... a number of firms do this actually. At a high level, it is the same kind of preparation that you'd do for a case; in other words, your skills will transfer to a large extent.

There are differences as well obviously. For one, you need to really track your time in a written case; I suggest coming in with a pre-defined plan such as "15 minutes to understand the question / data; 5 minutes to prepare my framework; 15 minutes to create the story; 15 minutes to draft the slides / write the answer; 10 minutes to review the work and prepare the oral presentation"

At least in my experience, there is no direct, significant interview input. You are just basically on your own, with too much data to absorb and not enough time. Very applicable to the real world :)

Originally answered:

Hi guys, who has experience with doing a (BCG) written case? Any ideas on how to prepare for this? Suggestions/key takeaways/examples are more than welcome! Thanks a lot for your help!

I have not done a BCG-specific written case, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.
Generally for written cases where a lot of information is presented to you up-front, it is important to not let the data guide your structure. What I mean by that is you should set up your problem solving structure and hypotheses before looking at the data in detail.

There is three problems with letting the data dictate your structure:

Some parts of the data may be irrelevant for figuring out the case: If you include this data in your analysis, you're proving to be inefficient in your problem solving process.
Some necessary data may be missing: If you build your structure solely based on the data that is presented to you, you might miss some crucial aspect to figuring out the problem simply because there was no data related to it presented to you.
Some data may be there to mislead you: If you include purposefully misleading data in your analysis, you show a lack of critical reasoning skills.

My recommendation would be to skim the data they provide you with after reading the objective, then setting up your issue tree/hypotheses. Use the provided data only to validate/dismiss your hypotheses, make assumptions or ask the interviewer when there is no data included to validate/dismiss a specific hypothesis.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Vlad

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Oct 26, 2017

McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

Here I've uploaded some written case samples (incl BCG)

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

The best way to prepare is the following:

Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

Good luck!

Hi Vlad, what's the password to the dropbox with written case examples? Thanks! — Lucy on Jun 13, 2018

I'll be grateful if you could share the password to the dropbox link with me. Thank you! — J on Sep 12, 2018

Hey Vlad, thanks for your answers! Could you please share the Dropbox password with me? — Nambaya on Oct 15, 2019

Hey, happy to r receive the password too ! thx Michael — Michael on Jan 06, 2020

Hello Vlad, could you please share the password for the dropbox? Thanks a lot ! — sergey on Mar 17, 2020 (edited)

Show 5 further answers by Vlad

Other answers by this user

Originally answered:

Any pieces of advice for the written business case at BCG? (second round)

Hi,

I've uploaded some samples here:

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

(ask me for a password)

The best way to prepare is the following:

Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The appropriate structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

Originally answered:

Hy everyone! Any tips for the written case interview @ BCG Angola? Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I've uploaded some samples here:

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

(ask me for a password)

The best way to prepare is the following:

Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The appropriate structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

Hello, I would be interested to have access to your samples. thanks a lot — Anonymous on Jan 08, 2020

hi can you please give me the password? thanks a lot — John on Jan 12, 2020

Hi, Vlad, could you share the password, please :) Thanks in advance! — Irina on Jan 15, 2020 (edited)

hi, could you share the password for the dropbox link please? Thank you! — Lynn on Jan 19, 2020

Hello Vlad, could you please share the password ? Thank you! — Marie on Aug 20, 2020

Originally answered:

BCG Written Case

Hi,

I've uploaded some samples here:

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

(message me for a password)

The best way to prepare is the following:

Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The appropriate structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

Hi Vlad! Would love to get access to your dropbox. How can I get the password? Thanks! — Loris on Feb 05, 2021

Originally answered:

Any experience with new BCG written case format in final round?

Hi,

I had some candidates who got the classic BCG written case as one of the interviews in the final round. I still don't know what's the trigger for this, but I think some offices just practice it. The case was exactly the same as the classic BCG written case. Even if it is a bit different in structure, I would recommend preparing in the same way.

I've uploaded some samples here:

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

(ask me for a password)

The best way to prepare is the following:

Train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The appropriate structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

Hi Vlad! Could you please share a password for the dropbox data? Thanks a lot in advance! — Andrey on Sep 25, 2018

Hello Vlad, would you please share the password for the dropbox data? I would appreciate this a lot. Thanks! — Tamilore on Oct 08, 2018

Hi Vlad, Would you be able to share the password for the dropbox with me? Thanks — Tobias on Nov 28, 2018

Hi Vlad, would you mind sharing the password? Thanks! — Alexandre on Oct 12, 2019

Originally answered:

Does anyone have any advice on preparing for the BCG written case? Any preparation material would be really helpful as well.

Hi,

Thanks Jacopo for using the written case samples I've uploaded before. Here is the correct link:

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

The best way to prepare is the following:

Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The best structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

Originally answered:

BCG Paris - Round 2/3 - Advice for written case

Jacopo

Expert

updated his answer on Nov 26, 2017

Project leader BCG, Bain and A.T. Kearney / 200+ real interviews

Hi anonymous A,

Congrats on getting to second round. Regarding the written case, BCG is looking for the same qualities as in the oral one. Even though you will have more time to prepare, preparing the slides will be time consuming: it comes down to time management. Assuming 3 hours for the analysis, I would allocate:

20 minutes to a quick reading to digest the important information and figure out what's going on
20 minutes to structure your approach
15 minutes to confirm the order of the slides (story line)
110 minutes to make the maths, detailed analyses and slides
15 minutes for a final review

If you can crack a regular case, you should be able to crack the written one as well.

I have added here an example of a written case from BCG.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tqrn34hddrpg696/AABCpypFAmyaWEFSCFGIDpafa?dl=0

Also, you will find plenty of additional tips in the Q&A section here on Preploung.

Good luck :)

Jacopo

(edited)

Show 1 further answer by Jacopo

Other answers by this user

Originally answered:

Does anyone have any advice on preparing for the BCG written case? Any preparation material would be really helpful as well.

Hi Rajat,

I have answered a similar question a few days ago. You can find it here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/bcg-paris-round-23-advice-for-written-case-1063#a2050

My recommendation is to prepare on practice material by timing yourself (to make sure you can cover all the questions within the allowed time).

You will find a couple of written cases here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tqrn34hddrpg696/AABCpypFAmyaWEFSCFGIDpafa?dl=0

You can probably find some additional preparation material on this forum as well.

Once you have finished the exercise, I highly recommend you to share the outcome with a peer (even better if you know an experienced consultant) in order to get his feedback and exchange/get challenged on the content.

Good luck,

Jacopo

Originally answered:

BCG Written Case

Hi A,

I have pleanty of written cases - feel free to reach out.

Best,

André

Hello, would love to get access to those. How can I reach you? — Hanane on Jan 18, 2021

Hi André! Would love to get access to your cases. How can I do that? — Loris on Feb 05, 2021

Hi André - would also be great if I can get access to written cases — Thomas on Feb 16, 2021

Originally answered:

How to prepare for a written case? I have my second round with BCG and would like to know how I could prepare for this. Any idea where I can find an example case?

I replied to the message under the Bain question.

I've done a 2nd round written case. Not Bain... there are some differences but the key points are the same.

Just like any case, remember to:

a) Answer the questions asked

b) Ensure you communicate your methodical approach/framework/decision criteria

c) Continually update where you're going as new information comes out (hypothesis testing etc)

The biggest difference is that, because you're alone in a room, you don't get a chance to ask clarifying questions.

Therefore you have to make assumptions.

Its highly likely that things that a clarifying question could be used to answer in a regular case (what are the clients, specific goals? what are their resources? can you tell me more about their product? etc) will *NOT* be answered in the case prompt. Therefor you have to fill in that gap or you can't do your job.

This shouldn't be scary, but it is an important thing to consider early on - some people, due to having industry knowledge, or simply "good business instinct" - don't take the time to understand the assumptions they make to start a case. During regular cases the ability to ask clarifying questions might allow them to get aroudn this, but without that opportunity... its very important to state your assumptions up front. You can (and should) make sure to highlight how risky/likely these assumptions are and the upside/downside if thy are not true. But so long as your assumptions are identified and reasonable, there is no reason to stress about this too much.

The other thing to note is that - especially in AT Kearney, but often in other written cases as well - the 'opportunity', or key to the case, lies in unknowns and intangibles. These intangiables include assumptions, but just as important are things like... If you have several different exhibits, are they all from the same sources? Are they apples to apples/in the same units, and... with some basic assumptions... can you use one to infer things about the other?

These intangibles are really an opportunity to show things like initiative and ability to sell your ideas, which are things a regular case can't really do. And as you know. these are very important fundamental aspects to a successful consultant.

Lastly, on a practical level, you're judged on the same thigns you are for a regular case. Confidence, conciseness, good synthesis-making ability, sticking to the topic, client friendly, etc.

I keep my written cases close to the vest, because... well, I really like the firms involved and would the cases I have aren't widely disseminated. I plan to interview there again at my first opportunity, and would hate But if you message me I'll help as much as I can.

Ben

I replied to the message under the Bain question.

I've done a 2nd round written case. Not Bain... there are some differences but the key points are the same.

Just like any case, remember to:

a) Answer the questions asked

b) Ensure you communicate your methodical approach/framework/decision criteria

c) Continually update where you're going as new information comes out (hypothesis testing etc)

The biggest difference is that, because you're alone in a room, you don't get a chance to ask clarifying questions.

Therefore you have to make assumptions.

Its highly likely that things that a clarifying question could be used to answer in a regular case (what are the clients, specific goals? what are their resources? can you tell me more about their product? etc) will *NOT* be answered in the case prompt. Therefor you have to fill in that gap or you can't do your job.

This shouldn't be scary, but it is an important thing to consider early on - some people, due to having industry knowledge, or simply "good business instinct" - don't take the time to understand the assumptions they make to start a case. During regular cases the ability to ask clarifying questions might allow them to get aroudn this, but without that opportunity... its very important to state your assumptions up front. You can (and should) make sure to highlight how risky/likely these assumptions are and the upside/downside if thy are not true. But so long as your assumptions are identified and reasonable, there is no reason to stress about this too much.

The other thing to note is that - especially in AT Kearney, but often in other written cases as well - the 'opportunity', or key to the case, lies in unknowns and intangibles. These intangiables include assumptions, but just as important are things like... If you have several different exhibits, are they all from the same sources? Are they apples to apples/in the same units, and... with some basic assumptions... can you use one to infer things about the other?

These intangibles are really an opportunity to show things like initiative and ability to sell your ideas, which are things a regular case can't really do. And as you know. these are very important fundamental aspects to a successful consultant.

Lastly, on a practical level, you're judged on the same thigns you are for a regular case. Confidence, conciseness, good synthesis-making ability, sticking to the topic, client friendly, etc.

I keep my written cases close to the vest, because... well, I really like the firms involved and would the cases I have aren't widely disseminated. I plan to interview there again at my first opportunity, and would hate But if you message me I'll help as much as I can.

Ben

Preparing for a written case is no different than an oral case. Repetition is the key. I recommend (for cost effectiveness reasons) that you figure out what your key weaknesses are. There are 3 fundamental aspects that the interviewer is judging on both an oral and written case presentation:

Analytical thinking: The ability to use causal relationships in problem solving.
Quantitative thinking: The ability to think analytically in a quantitative setting.
Conceptual thinking: The ability to see patterns, infer relationships, and build conceptual in inductive problem solving.

You need to be distinctive on either Analytical, Conceptual or something else. Quant will NOT get it. Send me a message if you need more details free of charge. Or, anyone else.

Originally answered:

How to prepare for a written case? I have my second round with BCG and would like to know how I could prepare for this. Any idea where I can find an example case?

Hi Anonymous A,

thanks for asking your question on our Consulting Q&A :)

If you haven’t already, you might want to check out this Q&A: Bain Written Case

It is about the written case with Bain, but might contain some useful information for the BCG written case, as well!

Hope this helps,

Astrid

PrepLounge Community Management

PrepLounge Consulting Q&A Forum

Follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | twitter

Originally answered:

Written case

Peter

Expert

replied on May 20, 2016

Ex-Bain & Company Case Team Leader * Placed 40+ MBB candidates as Partner in Europe's leading top-tier Consulting recruiting firm

It'll be quite similar to an oral case, but you might be expected to fill in some graphs, organise some slights and write a summary before presenting to someone typically at a level around Manager.

I'd make the following recommendations: - Be very aware of time. Do you have enough time to do calculations to one decimal place, or will you need to estimate?

- Make sure you've thought through how you are going to communicate the story. Do you have the slides with good context, an answer and then a logical proof behind it?

- Sounds a simple one, but write clearly and don't make a mess. Draft up a chart on scrap paper before editing a handout if you're not sure, for example

Good luck!

Originally answered:

Written case

I had written case in first round of BCG. The biggest challenge was to separate important information from red herring, as they are giving to candidates a folder with lots of documents - some of them are relevant, but most - are not.

If you have the same format, then understand the problem, draw you issue tree, and collect the informarion based on specific needs. You'll be out of time if you try to read and analyze everyting.

Than candididate needs to do extensive calculations (try to find the shortcuts, otheriwse you'll be out of time).

Finally candidate needs to draw a couple of slides and show off communicatioin skills to deliver solution to interviewer.

Good luck!

Originally answered:

Best Preparation Method for Written Cases at Bain and BCG?

I would add one note to Guennael's great response below. We're also looking for decent presentation skills and ability to answer questions or be open to feedback without getting too nervous or (on the other end of the spectrum) coming across as arrogant. So, practice a case interview by yourself start to finish (with Guennael's timeline below if you'd like), then present your slides aloud, to yourself! You may feel funny talking to yourself, but it really helped me. Then, grab a friend, present to them, and get them to ask you questions. Sounds crazy, but it works!

Originally answered:

Hy everyone! Any tips for the written case interview @ BCG Angola? Thanks in advance!

Hi A,

I have pleanty of written cases - feel free to reach out.

Best,

André

Originally answered:

BCG Written Case

Clara

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Jan 23, 2020

McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Agree wtih Antonello, the competencies that are tested in these "written czases" are basically the same. The key part is the ability to manage your time and to handle the large amount of information that you have, and organize it in a 80-20 way.

You can find examples on the website of tMBBs.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Show 1 further answer by Clara

Originally answered:

BCG Written Case

Antonello

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Jan 23, 2020

McKinsey | Have a look at my 5-star rated CAI session packages with 90%+ success | Imbellus coach | MBB & tier2 prep

Hi,

case preparation will be the classical one with 2 additional points to focus on:

80-20 prioritization: quickly navigate an important amount of data to find what really matters to the case resolution;
Executive summary: develop 1-2 pages to present that sum-up the problem and your recommendations.

I have a couple of well done written cases, feel free to text me for sharing.

Best,

Antonello

Originally answered:

Hy everyone! Any tips for the written case interview @ BCG Angola? Thanks in advance!

Antonello

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Jan 08, 2020

McKinsey | Have a look at my 5-star rated CAI session packages with 90%+ success | Imbellus coach | MBB & tier2 prep

Hi,
if helpful, I have a couple of well done written cases, feel free to text me for sharing.

Best,
Antonello

hi could you please share those with me? — John on Jan 12, 2020

Hi Antonello, how would I be able to gain access on these written cases? Thanks :) — Evangelos on Jan 24, 2020

Originally answered:

Hy everyone! Any tips for the written case interview @ BCG Angola? Thanks in advance!

Luca

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Jan 08, 2020

BCG |NASA |20+ interviews with 100% success rate| 120+ students coached |GMAT expert 780/800 score

Hello,

The BCG written case usually a packe of 20-30 slides that you need to analyse to answer questions using 4-5 slides and present them to your interviewer.

In order to crack the interview you should consider the following points:

Prepare for a traditional case interview: the competencies and the problem solving skills requested are pretty much the same
Define a plan of action according to the time given: one of the most important aspect of these cases is the ability to manage your time. You should consider the followinf steps: Initial reading, decide the approach, analysis, slides and final review.
Train quick reading skills and maths: there are a lot of good sources online, even the GMAT integrated reasoning section could be good.
Train slide-making skills: this is a crucial part because, as consultatn, slides are your most important communication tool. Be aware that there are some "golden rules" that you have to consider for making slides as a consultat. You can find something online but feel free to contact me for a quick analysis.
Learn how to present slides in an effective and professional way

You can find some good examples of written cases online, but I could forward you what I have. Contact me if you are interested.

Hope it helps,
Luca

hi could you please forward me good samples? — John on Jan 12, 2020

Hi Luca, would it be possible to gain access to some of your written case samples? Thank you :) — Evangelos on Jan 24, 2020

Clara

Expert

Content Creator

replied on Oct 31, 2020

McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Congrats for moving to final round!

As it has been outlined, its very similar, but :

Cases you can expect are more "free riding" - less organized than the ones your found in the 1st round or most prep pages
Stronger emphasis in the FIT part, as outlined before by other coaches.

If you are interested in deepening your knowledge and preparation on the FIT part, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Furthermore, you can find 3 free cases in the PrepL case regarding FIT preparation:

- Intro and CV questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/introduction-and-cv-questions-fit-interview-preparation-200

- Motivational questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/motivational-questions-fit-interview-preparation-201

- Behavioural questions (ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE) >https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/behavioral-questions-entrepreneurial-drive-fit-interview-preparation-211

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch!

Show 1 further answer by Clara

Originally answered:

Any experience with new BCG written case format in final round?

Hey - Thanks for the question! How did the written case go? Do you have any insights you could share?

Originally answered:

Does anyone have any advice on preparing for the BCG written case? Any preparation material would be really helpful as well.

Thanks a lot for the pointers.

Originally answered:

How to prepare for a written case? I have my second round with BCG and would like to know how I could prepare for this. Any idea where I can find an example case?

I know that Victor Cheng has some advice (and probably an example) on his page - you might want to check that out. Cheers

Originally answered:

Best Preparation Method for Written Cases at Bain and BCG?

Hi Alexander,

Verbal or non-written cases pressure tests 3 elements, your LISTENING, thinking and verbalization, typically in a 30 minute interview; however, the written cases test only 2 elements, your READING and thinking, in 45 minutes period followed by a separate verbalization evaluated afterwards. Hence, by design the written is much easier - you just have to practice the key elements that gives you the advantage to do well.

Book a session and I'll share with you the secrets of how to crack the written cases as they are far easier than the verbal cases.

Cheers,

Nick

Originally answered:

Best Preparation Method for Written Cases at Bain and BCG?

Dear Meghan and Guennael, Thank you for your replies! They are indeed helpful! :)

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score 11 · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-07T10:20:57+00:00

Hi Anonymous,

I would recommend you to focus on 5 areas to crack a written case; I have reported them below with some suggestions on how to prepare for each of them

1. Learn how to define a plan of action and stick to that

The first thing you should do in a written case is to define a plan and allocate in the best possible way your time. Assuming 60 minutes for the analysis, a good approach would include:

initial quick reading – 5-10 min
structure the approach – 5 min
make slides/answer to the questions adding detailed analysis and math – 35-40 min
final review – 10 min

You should then practice to stick to the time allocated, in order to maximize your final performance.

2. Practice graph interpretation

You will normally have to analyse graphs in a written case. The best way to practice is to take graphs from online resources and use a timer to test in how much time you can understand the key message. McKinsey PST graphs could be a good practice for that.

3. Work on quick reading and quick understanding of key information

You will not have time to read and prioritize everything, so you have to understand where to focus. The ideal way to practice is to use long cases such as HBS ones, and practice on reducing the time needed to absorb the key information that can answer a defined question. Quick reading techniques could also help.

4. Practice quick math

You will normally have math to do in a written case. GMAT and McKinsey PST math should work well to prepare on this.

5. Learn how to communicate your slides/answers (if required)

You may have to present your findings at the end of the case. I would apply the same structures of final sum up in a live interview case, that is:

Sum up the main questions you have to answer
Present your proposed answer and detail the motivation behind
Propose next steps for the areas you have not covered

As you will not be able to double check hypothesis with the interviewer as in the live case before the presentation, it could make sense to clearly state when you are making hypotheses and that you will have to verify them with further analysis.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

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