BCG Cognitive Test vs Potential Test — which one am I taking?
BCG has used several reasoning tests over the past decade. Most offices have moved to the Cognitive Test (and the newer CCA) but a handful still use the older Potential Test. Both reward speed and accuracy on similar question types.
| Cognitive Test | Potential Test | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Current — used in most offices | Legacy — used in a few offices |
| Duration | 20–30 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Sections | Numerical, verbal, logical | Numerical, verbal, abstract |
| Calculator | Usually not allowed | Usually not allowed |
| Difficulty | Tightly time-pressured | Slightly easier per question, more total questions |
| Best preparation | 200+ timed numerical and verbal items | Mix of cognitive and abstract reasoning drills |
Takeaway
If you've been invited recently, you're almost certainly taking the Cognitive Test. The skills overlap heavily — practicing the Cognitive Test bank covers most of what shows up in the Potential Test.
Train on cognitive items →Frequently asked
Cognitive Test runs 20–30 minutes. Potential Test runs 45 minutes.
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