All questions tagged BCG Potential Test - Consulting Q&A - PrepLounge.com

Hi there,

The 8-question test is the new chat bot version of BCG. It is structured in 2 parts:

• 8 questions to be taken in 25 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 questions instead of 23
2. 25 min instead of 45
3. No negative points
4. Calculators allowed
5. Presence of open questions
6. Video sum up at the end

The general logic though is similar to the old test.

I helped several candidates who did the chat bot test and succeeded in it. The main challenges based on their feedback are:

1. Time. Questions are not particularly difficult, however you will feel time constraints also due to the fact you don’t know how difficult could be the next questions - thus how much time they may require.
   • Implication --> Try to practice PST and/or BCG Potential Tests with a strict time constraint
2. Math. Candidates usually find the math challenging
   • Implication --> Many candidates said the old BCG Potential Test is the one resembling the most the math required
3. Chat bot 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. In that sense, it is not dissimilar from the old BCG Potential Test, where information was revealed step-by-step
   • Implication --> Practice on PST/Potential Tests working questions by questions, without skipping any

Please feel free to PM me for more info.

Best,

Francesco

Hi Floyd,

In regards to #1 you have to figure out what % of total revenues the "Other Costs" equals. The NBA's other costs are $10M and they have total revenues of $65M (5+10+50). As such, their other costs are 15.38%.

If our client could have the same cost structure, their "Other Costs" would be $4.77 ($31M times 15.38%). As such, their additional profit would be 5.33 (Current Other Costs of $10M minus the new costs of $4.77 = added pure profit).

Adding the additional profit to their existing profit gets us $7.33M, so the answer is C - $7M

Hi,

• McK Imbellus is a sort of game and no preparation is needed
• BCG potential test: when you finish all the mock test you can find on the internet, PST is a good exercise
• Bain math and verbal test: training with SHL will be enough. (with GMAT you overprepare it, but if you have time and you are also thinking about taking the GMAT for a future MBA application go for it)

With so many time I recommend you to set-up a structured prep plan also for the business cases, that will be useful also for the BCG test. For any tips about it feel free to text me.

Best,
Antonello

PS. There are many websites which offer mock SHL tests, here you can find 5 free practice tests:

• https://www.gradtests.com.au/test/starttest/TestType/2/TestId/45/practice/1
• https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk/jobtestprep/testPlayer.aspx?atr=1&skinid=9&localeSetting=en-GB&sLanguage=en-GB&test_id=E_FreeSHL_Numerical&mode=timed&template=FreeTestTemplate&endURL=%2ffree-shl-numerical-test-results-page&endURLName=Exit+Test&cancelURLName=Exit+Test&cancelURL=signout.aspx&ReturnURL=%2fmaster-ceb-shl-numerical-test&layoutype=1&layoutype=1&testTitle=Free+SHL-Style+Numerical+Test&adPageID=&itemCode=E_FreeSHL_Numerical
• https://www.wikijob.co.uk/aptitude-test/verbal-reasoning-practice
• https://www.practiceaptitudetests.com/sign-up/programme/shl
• https://www.shldirect.com/en/practice-tests

Hi there,

I think the other coaches here are a bit confused by your question.

Yes, you need to prepare for tests LIKE the McK PST. These are known as online assessments. The other Answers are talking about Imbellus, which you do have to prepare for. However, if applying to BCG/Bain you will ALSO have to prepare for their online assessments!

Lucky for you the McKinsey PST, BCG Online Test, Bain SOVA test, etc. are all quite similar so you really can leverage the practice tests for all of them in order to prepare:

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.

PRACTICE TESTS

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
• https://igotanoffer.com/products/free-bcg-potential-test
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_A.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_B.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_C.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_2011_version.pdf?601759184528580827
• http://media-publications.bcg.com/BCG-Online-Case-Example.pdf

CHART/GRAPH INTERPRETATION

Best Rote Practice

Rocket Blocks: https://www.rocketblocks.me/

Best Practice Strategy

1) Read the Economist (especially the daily graph and Financial Time frequently

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/05/29/america-first

2) Ask case partners to focus particularly on your chart-reading skills (i.e. by providing you with cases with many charts) - Bain and Deloitte cases tend to be chart heavy

Graph Interpretation Tips

1) Read the title - and understand it

2) Read the legends - and understand them

3) Remind yourself of the objective / hypothesis in the case, to see where this might fit

4) Find the differences - where does the line graph plummet or spike? Which column is a lot smaller or bigger than the others? Where does change occur? The differences are what matter

5) Talk outloud while interpreting - first, it helps you think and process your thoughts, second, it lets the interviewer provide guidance and course correct if needed.

Hi there,

Ok, this is very important. 6 months is way too much time to just study for this test!

Rather, you need to build your overall business knowledge/acumen, critical thinking skills, casing ability, etc.

This will provide the foundation for your ability to properly answer questions on the Potential Test. As such, my #1 advice is to prepare for the CASE interview. The rest will follow.

In the 1-2 months prior to the PST, you can directly prepare for it using the following:

• 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
• https://igotanoffer.com/products/free-bcg-potential-test
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_A.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_B.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_Test_C.pdf?601759184528580827
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0417/7869/files/McKinsey_PST_-_2011_version.pdf?601759184528580827
• http://media-publications.bcg.com/BCG-Online-Case-Example.pdf

Honestly, all of these online 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

Hi,

At BCG Germany everyone takes the quantitative test. Essentially, this test is about conducting a case study with specific quantitative questions. The objective is to test some deep dives that are might not be frequently tested in the verbal interviews. Focus is on logical reasoning and quick quantitative thinking.

Best,

Jan-Philipp

Hi,

Like any other test - it has a cut-off score. Otherwise, there would be no purpose in taking the test.

Best

Hi Anonymous,

The BCG Online Case - also called Potential Test in some offices - is a multiple choice computer test with 23 questions to be answered in 45 minutes.

It has one single case only. You receive +3 for each right answer, 0 for no answer and -1 for a wrong answer.

Calculators are generally not allowed, but there are exceptions in some countries - you can clarify that with HR if needed.

I recommend the following approach to prepare:

1. Look online for reliable BCG test simulations. You can find an example here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-test-1-13
2. If possible, don’t print the sample tests; rather, do the simulations on your computer. The day of the test you won’t be able write notes near the questions or turn pages. If you practice on a paper version, you will find different dynamics the day of the interview that could impact your performance. You should also do all the simulations with a time constraint
3. After each test write down the mistakes you did. You will probably find that the mistakes have something in common – eg wrong math, too much time wasted on some questions, wrong interpretation of graph
4. Work on each area of improvement. Many candidates do these simulations checking only the final score and don’t spend time analyzing the mistakes - thus they don’t improve
5. Once you have done all the BCG test simulations, move to PST practice. You can find a good number of PST tests online. The PST is different from the Potential Test – in the PST there are multiple cases, the types of questions are different and you have more time available. However, it may still help to improve your performance

As additional notes:

• Remember you are penalized for wrong answers - you should adapt your strategy accordingly
• Aim to identify the main areas of improvements already with the first test - the typical ones are math, graph interpretation and ability to absorb information quickly
• Try to distribute the tests between the day you start practicing and the day of the test for constant learning – avoid to do them just at the end

If you want to practice on a real example of a BCG Potential Test, you can find the one I created below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-testonline-case-1-13

With this test you will be able to:

• Prepare on the exact same format of the BCG Online Case – 23 questions in 45 minutes
• Identify your possible improvements thanks to detailed solutions for all the 23 questions
• Practice on material tested by multiple candidates who did the test and successfully passed the Potential Test.

Below you can find a screenshot of the test:

If you need additional support or have any feedback on the test feel free to PM me, I can provide additional tips for free.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

PrepLounge has solid materials to prepare for the McK PST, these tests are similar enough that prepping for one will also get you ready for the other.

Hi,

You'll never know the exact number since there is a range of factors that influence the cut-off:

• Country (office)
• Role (Associate, consultant)
• Economic cycle / hiring needs

Best,

Hi,

Depending on the role and country it will be either GMAT type test or a more sophisticated case type test. I've uploaded both examples:

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

Here are the general recommendations:

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 recource 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. If not - work on fastening your math

Best,

Vlad

The reason why BCG potential test is so difficult is because of the time constraint.

So what I did was work on any questions from the BCG potential test I could find and try to solve them super quickly. For example, this question should be solved in 30 seconds

"One of the biggest global airlines has decided to buy new aircrafts. The ratio of first class, business and economy seats in the new aircrafts will be 1 to 3 to 8 and the total number of seats will be 240.

Average ticket prices for popular destinations are expected to be €700 for first class, €300 for business and €150 for economy. The average duration of these flights is 3 hours.

First and business customers get free Wi-Fi on board but economy customers need to pay €2 / hour to use Wi-Fi.

Assuming that only 5% of economy customers use Wi-Fi all the time, what are the expected revenues from a flight to a popular destination using a new aircraft at its full capacity?

1. €56,048
2. €56,016
3. €56,480
4. €56,160"

Good luck on the test!

I recently took the BCG Potential Test.

You are put in a room with a computer to do the test as well as pen and paper.

Depending on the office you might be able to use a calculator, you can ask the HR about that.

Good luck!

Hi there,

First: There's not much preparation to do for the potential test other than get familiar with the format and prepare for case interviews.

Second: For any application you should be ready to interview in days. It may not be that fast, but it can be.

To calculate gross margin subtract Cost from total revenue and divide that number by total revenue.

In other words, divide the profit by the total revenue. So in the case of the NBA it would be 5/65, and for EBL 4/42 and so on.

So just add up all the profits (5+4+12+2=23) and all the revenues (65+42+67+31=205) and this would be 23/205, or approx 9%. None of the above.

Ciao!

Il test in uso uttualmente è un'insieme di quesiti di logica numerica e ragionamento verbale, sullo stampo di SHL.
Sentiti libero/a di contattarmi se vuoi approfondire come poter preparare il test e ricevere supporto.

Spero sia utile,
Luca

Hi Ilia,

thank you for asking your question on our Consulting Q&A!

There are two relevant Q&As on the McKinsey PST and BCG potential test that might be useful for you.

On the McKinsey PST, our expert Ignacio mentions the following:

The PST is a battle against time but the favourable aspect of the test is that it is not negatively marked so it's a no-brainer to attempt every single question.

Bear in mind that it's very easy to get caught up in the moment with a question - you feel like you've invested a lot of time thinking about a particular one and so feel it's worth taking more time again to get it right. It's important to be ruthless. Imagine someone was looking over your shoulder and giving you objective advice about when to move on. Put yourself in that 'mode'. It's too easy to waste time.

Focus on areas where you are naturally good and try to get better. There might be some areas that you are naturally weaker - don't stress too much about these. Get yourself to a level where you feel competent. It's difficult to be top notch in all areas but easier to be fantastic in one and fine in another. There is only so much practice you can do and so it’s more about developing a strategy to ensure you don't lose against time.

For the full Q&A and more information, please check the following link: McKinsey PST

On the BCG potential test, our expert Vlad gives four tips:

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 artticles 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 recource 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 remebmer calculator is allowed on BCG test. Make sure you know how to simplify calculations and use it fast

For the full Q&A and more infortmation, check the following link:

• Any tipps for BCG Potential Test?

Hope this helps!

Good luck for the test!

PrepLounge Community Management

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Hi Ben,

Both BCG and McK tests are similar: there are 4 stories with a pack of analysis attached. It includes graph analysis part, calculations, synthesis for each story. However recently BCG started using GMAT-like questions in their test.

To be honest, if you pass McKinsey PST, you will definitely pass BCG test. This works vice versa as well. For specific exapmles of BCG and McK tests you can use the following link:

BCG: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4tl5123a2uh17cg/AADFvljqkdM26p7KfigctHdTa?dl=0

McK:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v7tddzu6y0z4uaj/AACjBpMKQLcD9E_1Jh0O5hHea?dl =0

Hi Anonymous,

The two tests have similarities and the PST can be useful to complement the preparation, but I would recommend practicing on Potential Test samples for BCG as well to simulate as much as possible the real environment and reach your full potential in the preparation. Some of the main differences include:

• McK covers more critical reasoning questions than BCG, which is instead more quant-based
• McK PST is limited to 4 possible answers per question, while BCG Potential Test can have more than 4 options as a choice
• In BCG Potential Test you have less time available (23 questions in 45 mins vs 26 in 60 minutes)
• In BCG Potential Tests you are penalized for wrong answers, which is not the case in McK PST and has a different scoring system (+3 for each right answer, 0 for no answer and -1 for a wrong answer )
• You have three different cases in McK PST and one case in BCG Potential Test
• McK PST is paper-based, while BCG Potential Test is a computer-based, which may change the way you take notes and move between questions

At the following link you can find some specific tips for the BCG Potential Test:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/please-help-bcg-potential-test-in-a-week-2905

If you want to practice on a real example of a BCG Potential Test, you can find the one I prepared below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/bcg-potential-testonline-case-1-13

With this test you will be able to:

• Prepare on the exact same format of the BCG Online Case – 23 questions in 45 minutes
• Identify your possible improvements thanks to detailed solutions for all the 23 questions
• Practice on material tested by multiple candidates who did the test and successfully passed the Potential Test.

Below you can find a screenshot of the test:

Hope this helps,

Francesco