BCG has no single global online test. In the US, Australia, New Zealand and some other offices it uses Casey, a chatbot-led online case of about eight to ten questions that ends with a short recorded recommendation, while the UK uses a short numerical assessment and German-speaking offices a short cognitive test, as one prep provider described them after checking BCG's country careers pages in October 2026. This page covers what the BCG online case is, its format and timings, how it is scored, the rules to know before you start, how to prepare and a practice plan.
What the BCG online case is
BCG's own careers pages describe a four-step process: the application, a skills interview about your experience and motivation, a case interview for client-facing roles, and a team interview. They describe case interviews as realistic business challenges without always a single right answer, where your approach and reasoning matter most, and they offer OneDay@BCG, a free job simulation. They do not describe Casey in detail, so the format here comes from prep providers. Casey presents one client case through a chat interface and mixes multiple-choice, numerical fill-in and open written questions, finishing with a recorded video recommendation; one guide reports BCG's figures as about 35 minutes for US undergraduates and about 40 for US MBA applicants. US undergraduates are reported to take a shorter screening assessment first, combining a behavioural profile with numerical reasoning, and a select group then gets Casey.
For the live rounds that follow, see consulting intern interview questions and estimation interview questions; to compare McKinsey's screen, see the McKinsey Solve assessment.
Format and timings
| Part | What it involves | Time and questions |
|---|---|---|
| Casey online case (US, Australia, New Zealand and some other offices) | A chatbot-led client case: multiple-choice, numerical fill-in and open written answers, ending in a recorded recommendation | About 35 minutes for US undergraduates and 40 for US MBA applicants, as one guide reports; candidates report 8 to 10 questions |
| Screening assessment (US) | A behavioural profile with numerical reasoning, taken before Casey | Not published |
| Numerical test (Australia and New Zealand) | Numerical reasoning for those shortlisted after the online case | Not published |
| Numerical assessment (UK) | A short numerical test | Short; not published |
| Cognitive test (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) | Numerical, verbal and logical items, without aids | About 30 minutes, as one guide reports |
| Case and team interviews | Live case interviews for client-facing roles, plus behavioural questions | Several conversations |
Total: about 35 to 40 minutes for Casey, as reported for US applicants; other offices use different, shorter tests, so your invitation is the authority.
How it is scored
- BCG does not publish how Casey is scored; guides note that the open answers and the recommendation show structure and judgment, not just arithmetic.
- Numerical questions have one right answer, so accuracy with units and percentages matters.
- BCG lists integrity, intellectual curiosity, creative thinking, a collaborative mindset and drive as what its interviewers look for, and a BCG recruiter says responses are reviewed against its values and core competencies.
- No pass rate or cut-off is published.
Rules to know before you start
- Take the online case alone, in one sitting, with no outside help; it is an assessment, not a practice tool.
- Use only the calculator and scratch paper the instructions allow; guides differ on what is permitted, so read the rules on screen.
- BCG's careers site says generative AI can help you prepare, from structuring a résumé to practicing for interviews, and warns that fabricating anything will backfire; that is not permission to use AI inside an assessment.
- Check which test your office uses before you prepare, because the format differs by country.
How to prepare
- Practice reading a short case brief and stating the client's objective in one sentence before answering anything.
- Do quick chart and table calculations: growth rates, market shares, breakeven and simple market sizing, with units written down.
- Practice open answers in three or four short sentences: the drivers, the risks and what you would check next.
- Record a recommendation of about a minute: the answer first, two supporting numbers, one risk and a next step.
- Try OneDay@BCG, BCG's free job simulation, to get used to the problems BCG works on.
A practice plan
- Day 1: confirm which test your office uses and the deadline in the invitation.
- Days 2 and 3: two short written cases a day: objective, structure, numbers, recommendation.
- Day 4: chart-reading and mental-maths drills with percentages, growth rates and breakeven.
- Day 5: record three short spoken recommendations and play them back.
- Day 6: one full timed mock of a chat-style case, typing answers under a clock.
- Day 7: rest, then take the assessment early in the window.
Related guides: what a case interview is, what an online assessment is, the pymetrics games.
On the day, and the mistakes to avoid
- Sit at a laptop with a webcam and microphone, because the last step is recorded.
- Keep paper for structuring and calculations, and use only the tools the rules allow.
- Read the client brief twice and write the objective at the top of your paper.
- Give numerical answers with units and sanity-check the size of each one.
- Keep open answers short and structured rather than long and vague.
- For the recording, lead with your recommendation, then the evidence.
Mistakes that cost candidates:
- Preparing for a long live case when your office uses a short numerical test, or the reverse.
- Writing an essay in an open-answer box instead of three clear points.
- Losing units or decimal places in quick calculations.
- Ending the recording without a clear recommendation.
- Waiting for hints: unlike a live interviewer, a chatbot will not steer you back on track.
What happens after the BCG online case
Passing leads to BCG's interview stages: a skills interview about your experience and motivation, case interviews for client-facing roles, and a team interview, as BCG describes its process. Practice cases out loud, because the live format rewards a clear structure and talking through the numbers. For the next stage, see case interview practice with AI.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
Online assessments are tests you take on your own: outside help is not allowed, and proctoring settings can flag other apps, tab switches or a second voice. Practice beforehand instead. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview prepares you for the interviews that follow the assessment, with questions built from your résumé and the job description and each spoken answer scored out of ten. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. Read the invitation carefully and follow your employer's rules.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What is BCG Casey?
A chatbot-led online case that BCG uses in the US, Australia, New Zealand and some other offices, as prep providers describe it, with multiple-choice, numerical and open questions and a recorded recommendation at the end.
How long is the BCG online case?
One guide reports about 35 minutes for US undergraduates and about 40 for US MBA applicants. Candidates report 8 to 10 questions.
Does every BCG office use Casey?
No. Prep providers report a short numerical test in the UK and a cognitive test in German-speaking offices, among other variations. Check your invitation.
Does BCG use the pymetrics games?
Some prep guides still cover them because some offices used them in earlier cycles. None of the 2026 office descriptions we checked listed them, so expect them only if your invitation names them.
Can I use AI tools during the BCG online case?
No, unless the instructions explicitly allow it. Assessments are meant to be taken on your own, and proctoring settings can flag other apps, tab switches or pasted code. Use AI tools to practice beforehand, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
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