FORMAT · QUESTIONS · PREPARATION
BCG Cognitive Test.
The BCG Cognitive Test assesses numerical, verbal and logical reasoning under considerable time pressure. Find out how the test is structured, how results are assessed and how to prepare effectively.
- 30 minutes
- Test duration
- 80 questions
- Number of questions
- Single choice
- Answer format
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Test format and administration
The BCG Cognitive Test is taken online. You have a total of 30 minutes to work through 80 questions.
Single choice
Each question has several answer options, from which you select one answer.
Free navigation between questions
During the test, you can move freely between questions, skip questions and return to them later. You can also revisit questions you have already answered.
No calculator
The questions are completed without a calculator. For numerical questions in particular, reliable mental arithmetic and an efficient approach are important.
Administration via Zoom
The test is accompanied by a Zoom session. Typically, around 30 to 40 candidates join a session. Numbers may vary between recruitment rounds.
Your camera must remain on throughout the test. Your microphone is muted while you work through the questions.
Once you have submitted your test, you can leave the Zoom session immediately. You do not need to wait for the other candidates to finish.
Which skills are assessed?
The BCG Cognitive Test covers three areas: numerical, verbal and logical reasoning. They make different demands, but all require you to grasp information quickly and find the correct answer under time pressure.
Numerical reasoning
This area requires confidence with numbers, quantities and ratios. You need to recognise quantitative relationships quickly, perform basic calculations and process numerical information accurately.
Verbal reasoning
This area tests your understanding of language and meaning. You need to interpret meanings precisely, recognise verbal relationships and draw logical conclusions from information.
Logical reasoning
This area involves recognising patterns, rules and spatial relationships. You need to understand how different elements relate to one another and use this to identify the correct solution.
Time pressure and test strategy
80 questions in 30 minutes — an average of 22.5 seconds per question.
Time pressure is one of the main challenges of the BCG Cognitive Test. The 22.5 seconds is a calculated average, rather than a fixed time limit for each question. Some questions can be answered very quickly; others require more thought.
During preparation, it is therefore important to develop a sense of which question types you find straightforward and which are particularly challenging or time-consuming. This helps you decide during the test which questions to tackle immediately and which to leave and return to later.
It also helps you focus your practice on question types you still find difficult or spend more time on than average.
How are the results assessed?
The BCG Cognitive Test considers more than the number of correct answers. The underlying assessment produces a differentiated performance profile, covering an overall intelligence score as well as various cognitive abilities and aspects of processing speed.
What is assessed?
- Accuracy:
- How reliably you answer questions correctly.
- Speed:
- How quickly you work through questions and make decisions.
- Cognitive abilities:
- How you perform in different areas of logical, numerical and verbal reasoning.
- Overall assessment:
- The test results are used to calculate an overall standardised performance score.
How does the test result affect the case interview?
The Cognitive Test forms part of BCG's first selection round and complements the case interview assessment.
Experience of the selection process suggests that the test result may be considered again if weaknesses emerge in the quantitative part of the case study. In this situation, a strong test result can provide further evidence of analytical and numerical skills and, to some extent, put a weaker quantitative case performance into perspective.
However, a good test result does not guarantee progression and does not replace a convincing case interview.
How can you prepare effectively?
Five practical preparation tips
Good preparation helps you become familiar with the requirements of the BCG Cognitive Test, practise common approaches and become more confident under time pressure. What matters is not just how many practice questions you complete, but above all how specifically you work on your weaknesses.
Get to know the question formats. Familiarise yourself with the different demands of numerical, verbal and logical questions. The sooner you recognise what a question requires, the more time you have to solve it.
Strengthen your core skills. Practise mental arithmetic in particular, confident handling of numbers and ratios, and quick recognition of logical and verbal relationships.
Practise under time pressure. Work through questions with a fixed time limit to develop a sense of your pace and improve your time management.
Identify your weaknesses. Notice which questions you find particularly difficult, which you often get wrong and which take you longer than average. Focus more of your practice on these areas.
Simulate full test runs. Practise longer runs with varied questions and a continuous timer. This develops not only individual skills, but also concentration, stamina and strategic use of the available time.
WAYMERIT PRACTICE TEST
Experience the test format for yourself.
Practise the BCG Cognitive Test question formats under realistic time pressure. The interface and navigation also follow the actual test.