How long is the BCG online case?

Casey runs roughly 25–35 minutes including the video. The CCA is a different, separate test (approximately 30 minutes, work-style questions plus numerical reasoning, no case, no video) — not a longer Casey variant.

Is the BCG online case timed?

Yes — the assessment is timed and strictly linear; you cannot go back or skip. Some candidates report per-question limits, others a single overall timer with periodic reminders.

How is the BCG online case scored?

BCG doesn't disclose how the online case is scored and publishes no scoring key. Its recruiting pages state that AI is never used to make hiring decisions and that recruiters and hiring managers decide. Candidates don't report being given a score.

What score do you need to pass?

BCG publishes no cutoff, pass mark or advancement rate, and no reliable candidate-sourced figure exists. Treat any pass rate or percentile you read online as unverified.

Do you need a webcam for the BCG online case?

Yes. The 60-second recommendation is recorded on camera. Candidate reports describe the webcam being used only for that final video.

How is the BCG online case different from a live case?

There's no interviewer to clarify the prompt, throw you a hint, or steer your structure. You commit to a first answer and move on — no backtracking, no conversation.

Can I retake the BCG online case?

BCG publishes no retake or reapply rule for the online case, and candidate reports disagree on the waiting period. Ask your recruiter before you plan around a date.

How much prep time do you need?

Two to four weeks of focused practice is enough for most candidates: five to eight full timed simulations, mental math drills, and a handful of recorded video pitches.

What's the best way to practice?

Full timed simulations of the exact format — chatbot flow, exhibit questions, and the 60-second video. Partial practice builds bad time-management habits.

BCG Online Case — Format, Scoring & Prep Plan

Q: What is the BCG online case?

It's the pre-interview case exercise BCG uses to screen candidates before any human interview. In most offices it's delivered as Casey — a roughly 25–35 minute chatbot case ending in a recorded 60-second video pitch.

The BCG online case is a roughly 25–35 minute AI-run case delivered as the Casey chatbot in most offices. It's strictly linear, ends with a recorded 60-second video pitch, and screens most candidates before any human interview. This guide covers what to expect and how to prep in four weeks.

What is the BCG online case?

The BCG online case is a pre-interview screen BCG uses to filter candidates before any human interaction. In most offices it's delivered as Casey, a chatbot-driven linear case. Some candidates are sent the CCA instead of the online case, or as well as it. BCG publishes no rule for who gets which. The older Potential Test has been retired.

It typically comes after the CV screen and before the fit/case interviews. BCG does not publish advancement or pass rates for the online case, and no reliable candidate-sourced figure exists — so treat any number you see quoted as unverified.

Why BCG uses an online case

BCG designed the online case to test the same skills a first-year consultant uses on a live client project: structured problem-solving, disciplined math, clean chart reading, and executive communication. Delivering it as a chatbot lets BCG screen candidates at global scale before committing interviewer time.

The formats you might see

Casey (dominant): ~25–35 minute linear chatbot with 8–10 questions and a 60-second video pitch. See the full Casey guide.
Cognitive Test (Germany, Austria, Switzerland): a roughly 30-minute aptitude test with no case, reported by candidates in place of Casey in these offices. See the Cognitive Test guide.
CCA: an approximately 30-minute work-style and numerical-reasoning test with no case and no video. Some candidates get it alongside the online case, some instead of it. See the CCA guide.
Potential Test (retired): The pre-Casey aptitude test, since replaced by the online case and the CCA — kept as reference on the Potential Test page.

Check the invitation email from BCG's recruiting team — it names the exact format.

Walkthrough of a typical online case

Prompt. A client and a decision, in about 100 words.
Structuring. Open text answer laying out your framework.
Quant. Three to five short numeric questions.
Exhibits. One to three charts or tables — pull the insight, not the description.
Synthesis. A short text or multi-select building toward the recommendation.
Video pitch. 60-second recorded recommendation to the client.

What changes vs the in-person case

No interviewer. No one clarifies the prompt or nudges your structure.
Strictly linear. Every submit is final. No going back.
Camera on for the last step. The recommendation is recorded.
No scoring key. BCG doesn't say how answers are marked. It does state that AI is never used to make hiring decisions.

The recorded video recommendation

BCG doesn't disclose how the score is weighted, but the 60-second video is widely treated as a significant component — practise it as seriously as the written questions. A structure that fits 60 seconds: Recommendation → 3 reasons → 1 risk → next step. State the recommendation in the first five seconds. Skip preamble. Skip "so, in summary". Speak as the consultant briefing the client.

5 mistakes that kill BCG online case candidates

Poor math discipline. Chasing exact numbers instead of rounding fast.
Ignoring exhibits. Describing the chart instead of naming the driver.
Weak video recommendation. Burying the recommendation in the last 10 seconds.
Over-structuring. Five buckets when three would land.
Perfectionism. Spending 4 minutes on structuring and then rushing three math questions.

A 4-week prep plan

Week 1 — Format & fundamentals. Read this guide and the Casey guide. One untimed simulation. 20 min/day mental math.
Week 2 — Structured cases. Two timed Casey simulations. Rewrite each structuring answer after review.
Week 3 — Video & synthesis. Five recorded 60-second pitches on old case prompts.
Week 4 — Dress rehearsal. Two full simulations under exact test conditions. Rest the day before.

Free practice options

CaseyPrep's free tier includes full timed Casey-format simulations with AI scoring and a coach report. Paid tiers unlock the full case library and analytics — see pricing.

Related: Casey chatbot · Online assessment hub · Pymetrics · Cognitive Test · CCA.

The BCG online case: format, scoring, and a 4-week prep plan.