Boston Consulting Group
Case Interview + Written Case (Platinion) + Fit Interview
Interview Format
Case Interview (2 rounds)
Traditional conversational case. Interviewer-led (first round) or candidate-led (final round). Profitability, market entry, M&A, growth strategy.
Written Case (select tracks)
60-minute written analysis of a business problem with charts, slides, and data. You present a 3-slide recommendation deck to the panel.
Fit / Behavioral Interview
30 minutes. BCG probes leadership stories, your 'why consulting', motivation, and cultural fit. Less intense than McKinsey's PEI but still story-driven.
What They Actually Test
- →Structured problem decomposition — MECE, logical flow, no overlapping buckets
- →Qualitative reasoning — beyond the numbers, what does this mean for the client's strategy?
- →Communication clarity — can you explain complex analysis in plain language?
- →Intellectual curiosity — do you push beyond the obvious and challenge assumptions?
- →Commercial acumen — do you understand how businesses create value?
Real-Style Sample Questions
Your client is a European airline losing money on domestic routes. Profits are down 30% in 2 years. What's driving this and what should they do?
A private equity firm wants to acquire a mid-size hospital chain in India. Should they? Walk me through how you'd evaluate this.
Why BCG specifically — not McKinsey, not Bain? What's your understanding of how BCG is different?
Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult team member to deliver a result.
Based on the market data provided, which of the three expansion options creates the most value for the client? Prepare a one-page recommendation.
Scoring Philosophy
BCG places heavy weight on synthesis — the 'so what' of your analysis. A strong candidate connects insights to action. They also evaluate coachability: do you incorporate the interviewer's hints gracefully? The written case evaluates structure, data interpretation, and slide-quality communication.
Insider Tips
For conversational cases, take 60 seconds to structure silently before speaking. BCG interviewers expect a pause — rushing into frameworks looks reactive.
Prove commercial acumen: reference real companies, real market dynamics, and real numbers (order of magnitude is enough).
For written cases, use 3-slide logic: Situation → Insight → Recommendation. Don't over-decorate — clarity wins.
Your 'Why BCG' answer must be specific. Mention practice areas (Social Impact, BCG X, Platinion), office culture, or a BCG publication you actually read.
Ready to practice?
Start a case structuring session calibrated for Boston.