Consulting online assessments compared, firm by firm

McKinsey Solve, the BCG Casey chatbot case, Bain's online test and the numerical tests at Oliver Wyman, Kearney and EY-Parthenon: formats and prep. 7 min readUpdated 11 November 2026By the Prepper team

Most consulting firms now screen with an online assessment before the first case interview. They test similar skills in very different wrappers, so it pays to know which one you are facing.

The big three

McKinsey Solve. A game-based assessment with several scenarios, such as the Red Rock Study, in which you gather data, do calculations and make recommendations. No business knowledge is needed, but the calculations are timed. See the full McKinsey Solve guide.
BCG Casey. A chatbot-led case of around 35 minutes with eight to ten questions, including one answer recorded on video. It is a real case in miniature: structure, maths, a chart and a recommendation.
Bain. Some offices use an online test of numerical and logical reasoning before interviews. Later rounds often include a written case.

Other firms

Oliver Wyman uses a numerical reasoning test; its cases are quantitative and often set in financial services.
Kearney runs an online assessment in some offices and favours operations cases.
EY-Parthenon starts with a numerical test, then cases with a due-diligence and market-sizing flavour.
Strategy& uses the PwC online tests before its case rounds.
Monitor Deloitte combines online tests and a video interview, then a group exercise or written case.
Roland Berger runs assessment days with a group case in its European offices.

What they all measure

Reading data quickly. Finding the right number in a chart or table without re-reading.
Arithmetic under time pressure. Percentages, growth rates, weighted averages, break-even.
Structured decisions. Choosing what information matters and what to ignore.

A two-week plan

Days 1 to 4: ten minutes a day of mental maths, plus two chart-reading drills.
Days 5 to 9: one timed practice assessment a day in the format of your firm.
Days 10 to 14: review every wrong answer and classify it: misread, arithmetic slip, or ran out of time. Fix the most frequent cause.

Then move on to full cases with the case interview guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the BCG Casey case harder than a live case?
The content is simpler, but there is no interviewer to steer you, and you cannot go back to earlier questions, so pacing matters more.
Do all Bain offices use an online test?
No. Use of the online test varies by office and role, so check what your recruiter sends you.
Can I use a calculator in consulting online tests?
It depends on the test. Several allow or include one, but the time limits mean fast mental maths still makes the difference.

Is the BCG Casey case harder than a live case?

The content is simpler, but there is no interviewer to steer you, and you cannot go back to earlier questions, so pacing matters more.

Do all Bain offices use an online test?

No. Use of the online test varies by office and role, so check what your recruiter sends you.

Can I use a calculator in consulting online tests?

It depends on the test. Several allow or include one, but the time limits mean fast mental maths still makes the difference.