BCG Cognitive Test: a 30-minute aptitude screen in BCG's German-speaking offices.
BCG's Cognitive Test is a timed aptitude screen of about 30 minutes that candidates report in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, covering numerical, verbal and logical reasoning — no business case. BCG publishes no official specification, so the question count, calculator and proctoring rules are not confirmed. Speed and clean mental math help.
By CaseyPrep editors · Last updated
- Questions
- Not confirmed
- Time
- ~30 min (reported)
- Sections
- Numerical, verbal and logical (reported)
- Calculator
- Not confirmed
- Negative marking
- Not confirmed
- Proctoring
- Not confirmed
- Regions
- Germany, Austria and Switzerland (reported)
What is the BCG Cognitive Test?
The BCG Cognitive Test is a timed aptitude screen of about 30 minutes, reported by candidates in BCG's German, Austrian and Swiss offices; Germany adds a separate "Real Life Assessment". Candidates describe numerical, verbal and logical reasoning and no case framework. BCG publishes no official specification: the question count, the split between sections, calculator rules and proctoring are not confirmed by any source we could verify.
Elsewhere, BCG uses Casey or the CCA. Check your invitation email to confirm which assessment you'll face — see the online assessment hub.
Format at a glance
- About 30 minutes (candidate-reported).
- Three areas reported: numerical, verbal and logical reasoning.
- No business case. A different process from Casey.
- Question count, calculator and proctoring: not confirmed. Follow the instructions in your invitation.
- Negative marking: not confirmed. BCG publishes no scoring model.
Numerical reasoning
Tables, ratios, percentages, growth rates. The traps: multi-step conversions between units, and questions where the "obvious" answer is close but wrong. Drill rounding — knowing 12% of 487 is "about 58" in two seconds beats computing 58.44 in twenty.
Sample numerical question
A store's revenue grew from €4.2m to €5.3m in one year. What is the closest annual growth rate?
- A. 18%
- B. 22%
- C. 26%
- D. 30%
Answer: C. (5.3 − 4.2) / 4.2 ≈ 26%.
Logical reasoning
Sequences, matrices, and syllogisms. Pattern recognition speed matters more than depth of proof. If you can't see the pattern in 10 seconds, flag and move on.
Verbal reasoning
Candidates report a verbal section alongside the numerical and logical items. BCG publishes no item format for it. Our verbal reasoning guide covers how to practise it.
Scoring
BCG publishes no scoring model, cutoff or pass rate for the Cognitive Test, and whether wrong answers are penalised is not confirmed. (Don't confuse this with the retired Potential Test, which did penalise wrong answers.)
Proctoring and test conditions
BCG publishes nothing about how the Cognitive Test is supervised, and no source we could verify describes it. Read your invitation for the rules on camera, paper, calculator and second screens, and follow them exactly.
Timing strategy
- First pass, fast. Answer everything you can solve in under 20 seconds. Flag the rest.
- Second pass, patient. Return to flagged items only after clearing the fast wins.
- Skip discipline. If a question isn't yielding after 10 seconds on the first pass, move on. Sunk cost is your enemy.
2-week study plan
- Days 1–3: Numerical fluency — mental math drills 30 min/day at exam pace.
- Days 4–7: Logical sequences and matrices.
- Days 8–12: Two mixed 30-minute timed sets.
- Days 13–14: One final simulation focused on skip discipline. Rest the day before.
Related: Casey · CCA · Pymetrics · Online assessment hub.
Frequently asked questions
A timed aptitude screen of about 30 minutes that candidates report in BCG's German, Austrian and Swiss offices, covering numerical, verbal and logical reasoning with no business case. BCG publishes no official specification.