Short answer
First confirm which test the email names: Casey (the Online Case Experience) or the CCA, which is different. Note the deadline, reported at about 3 to 7 days, and test your webcam for the video step. Then run one timed practice case as a baseline and plan your remaining days around what it shows.
Key takeaways
- Read the test name before anything else. "Casey", "Online Case Experience" or HireQuotient means the chatbot case; "Consulting Career Assessment" means the CCA, which needs different preparation.
- Candidates report a window of about 3 to 7 days. Plan to finish a day before the deadline, not on it, so a technical problem does not cost you the test.
- A timed baseline case in the first 24 hours tells you whether to spend your days on math, exhibits or the video. Without it you will practice what you already do well.
In this article
- What should you do in the first 24 hours?
- Step 1: which test is it?
- Step 3: why test the camera now?
- Step 4: what should the baseline tell you?
- How should you plan the days you have left?
- If you have 2 days
- If you have 4 days
- If you have 7 days or more
- Which first-day mistakes cost candidates the most?
- Should you email your recruiter?
- What should your desk look like on test day?
- What happens after you submit?
- Where can you practice before the deadline?
Part ofBCG Casey Online Case: The Complete Guide
The email from BCG is in your inbox, the deadline is days away, and every guide you open is 5,000 words long. Close them for now. In the first 24 hours you need to do five things, none of which take long, and one of which (a timed baseline case) decides how you spend the rest of the week. After that, this article gives you a day-by-day plan for whatever time you have left: two days, four days or a full week.
What should you do in the first 24 hours?
| # | Job | Why | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm which test the email names | Casey and the CCA are different tests with different preparation | 2 minutes |
| 2 | Write down the deadline, with time zone | Candidates report windows of about 3 to 7 days; a time-zone slip can cost a day | 2 minutes |
| 3 | Test your webcam and microphone | Casey reportedly ends with a recorded 60-second video | 5 minutes |
| 4 | Run one timed practice case, cold | Shows whether your days should go to math, exhibits or the video | About 45 minutes |
| 5 | Book your test slot | A day before the deadline, at the time of day you think best | 2 minutes |
Step 1: which test is it?
BCG runs more than one online test, and the name in your email decides what you prepare for.
| The email says | It is | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| "Casey" or "Online Case Experience" | The chatbot case | One business case run by a chatbot, about 30 minutes in English (BCG says) |
| HireQuotient | Also the chatbot case | MyConsultingCoach reports HireQuotient as the vendor that runs Casey |
| "Consulting Career Assessment" (CCA) | The CCA | An SHL-built assessment of "cognitive functioning and behavioral traits", 30 to 35 minutes, calculator allowed, no retakes (BCG's FAQ) |
| Something else, or both | Ask | Some applicants take both; your recruiter can confirm |
If your email is for the CCA, most of this article does not apply. BCG's own FAQ says there is no need to study or prepare in advance for it. Our Casey vs CCA comparison covers the CCA in detail.
Step 3: why test the camera now?
Candidates report that Casey ends with a video recommendation: about 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to record, and most candidates report one take. Finding out on test day that the browser cannot see your camera is avoidable. Open any video call, check the picture, the sound and the light on your face, and fix what you need to while there is still time.
Step 4: what should the baseline tell you?
Do one full timed case in a chatbot format, without preparing. Then write down three things:
- Which question took the longest, and whether it was a calculation, an exhibit or a judgement call.
- How many minutes you had left at the end, or how many questions you had not reached.
- How the video went: did you state a recommendation in the first sentence and finish on time?
Those three notes are your plan. Slow math means drills. Misread exhibits mean chart practice. A rambling video means scripting practice.
How should you plan the days you have left?
Pick the row for your days remaining after the first 24 hours. Each day takes 45 to 90 minutes.
If you have 2 days
| Day | Focus | Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your weakest area from the baseline | 30 minutes of math drills or chart drills, then three 60-second video recordings |
| 2 | Rehearsal, then rest | One full timed case in the morning; test that afternoon or the next day |
If you have 4 days
| Day | Focus | Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Math | 30 minutes of timed drills: percentages, growth, margins, breakeven. Read Casey math |
| 2 | Datasets and exhibits | Five dataset-selection exercises with the elimination rule; 15 chart drills |
| 3 | Full case and video | Second timed case, forward-only, with the video structure |
| 4 | Light | 15 minutes of drills, set up the desk, rest; test the next day |
If you have 7 days or more
Follow the four-day track, then add a third timed case in a new industry, a review day where you redo every missed question untimed, and a day of video practice on unfamiliar cases with only 60 seconds to prepare. Our BCG online case guide has a full 14-day plan if your deadline allows it.
Which first-day mistakes cost candidates the most?
| Mistake | What happens | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing for the wrong test | A week of chatbot practice for a CCA invitation, or the reverse | Read the test name before anything else |
| Misreading the deadline | The time zone in the email is not yours, and a day disappears | Convert the deadline to your local time and write it down |
| Leaving the test to the last evening | A browser or camera problem has no time to be fixed | Book a slot a day before the deadline |
| Practicing without a clock | The real difficulty, reported as time pressure, never shows up | Time every practice case from the first one |
| Skipping the video | The last minute of the test is the one you have never rehearsed | Record at least three 60-second answers before test day |
Should you email your recruiter?
Only when you need something specific. Three cases justify it:
- A real conflict with the deadline, such as an exam or travel. Ask early, give a reason and propose a specific new date. BCG does not publish an extension policy, so do not assume one.
- A technical failure during the test. Email the same day with what happened and when. Screenshots help.
- An invitation that does not say which test it is. Ask which assessment it is and how long it takes.
Keep it to three or four lines. Recruiters handle many candidates, and a short, specific email gets a faster answer.
What should your desk look like on test day?
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Calculator, if your invitation allows one | Candidates report a calculator is allowed; BCG has not published a Casey rule, so follow the email |
| Several sheets of paper and a pen | For the objective, a running issue tree and the numbers you will reuse in the video |
| Charged laptop on a stable connection | The clock reportedly cannot be paused |
| Working webcam and microphone, light on your face | For the 60-second recording |
| Closed apps and a quiet room | One focused half hour; no notifications |
What happens after you submit?
Candidates report a pass or fail result within a few days to about two weeks, with no score breakdown. A pass usually leads to first-round case interviews. In some offices Casey runs alongside the first round, so your live performance is weighed too. Use the waiting time to practice live cases from the free case library; if you pass, you will need them within days.
BCG has not published a Casey retake policy, and its CCA FAQ says the CCA cannot be retaken. If something goes wrong technically during the test, email your recruiter the same day with what happened.
Where can you practice before the deadline?
Your baseline needs a timed case in a chatbot format. DrillCase's free demo case (Union Commercial Bank) runs in a chat panel with exhibits beside it, 12 questions on a 40-minute clock, and ends with the 60-second video step. The math drills and chart drills are free. The paid Casey-style practice adds more full cases in the same format for the days after your baseline.
DrillCase is independent and is not affiliated with BCG. None of it is BCG material; it is practice built to match the format candidates report.
The free Casey Invite Decoder does steps 1 and 2 for you: pick the test your email names, see its clock and what candidates report, and get one task a day by email until your test date. It stops the day your test is done.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to complete BCG Casey after the invite?
BCG does not publish a standard window, and the deadline is in your email. Candidates and prep sites report about 3 to 7 days. Read the date and time zone as soon as the email arrives, and plan to finish at least a day early.
Is the BCG invitation for Casey or the CCA?
The email names it. Casey appears as Casey or the Online Case Experience, and some candidates report that it names HireQuotient, the vendor that runs it. The CCA appears as the Consulting Career Assessment, an SHL test of reasoning and behavioral traits. Some applicants take both.
What happens after you submit BCG Casey?
Candidates report a pass or fail result within a few days to about two weeks, with no score breakdown. A pass usually leads to first-round case interviews. In some offices Casey is taken alongside the first round, so your live case performance is weighed as well.
Can you retake BCG Casey?
BCG has not published a Casey retake policy. Its CCA FAQ says the CCA cannot be retaken. Treat your first attempt as the one that counts, and ask your recruiter if something goes wrong technically.
Do I need a webcam for BCG Casey?
Candidates report that Casey ends with a 60-second recorded video recommendation, with about 60 seconds to prepare. You need a working webcam and microphone, so test both on the day the invitation arrives.
Should I ask for more time?
Only for a real conflict, such as an exam or travel, and ask as soon as possible. BCG does not publish an extension policy. A short, polite email to your recruiter with a specific new date is the best approach.
Practice what you just read
Rehearse the chatbot case in the same kind of screen
Reading about Casey helps. Answering a timed question while an exhibit sits next to the chat is what builds the habit. Each DrillCase case runs in a chat panel with exhibits you open as you go and a clock that keeps running.
- chatbot-style cases
- 29
- case questions
- 275
- free demo case
- 1
- 29 cases and 275 questions: calculations, chart reading, data choices and written answers
- Exhibits open beside the chat, as in the format candidates describe
- Start with the free demo case, then buy 14 or 20 cases, or all 29 with the All-Access Pass
Complete refunds within 7 days if you have opened no more than 3 cases (the free demo case included). Starter is final sale, so try the free demo case first. All-Access has a 7-day money-back guarantee. Refund policy. DrillCase is independent practice material and is not affiliated with McKinsey, BCG or Bain.
Sources
- BCG Careers, Mexico: Online Case Experience (OCE) and CCA description
- BCG, Consulting Career Assessment (CCA) FAQs for candidates (last updated January 2025)
- Hacking the Case Interview, BCG Casey: How to Prepare and Pass the Test (updated 19 March 2026)
- StrategyCase, The Complete Guide to the BCG Online Case Casey (updated 13 July 2026)
- MyConsultingCoach, BCG Casey: OCE, HireQuotient and online case prep (updated 11 July 2026)
- MyConsultingCoach, BCG Online Assessment: Which Test Did You Receive?
- MConsultingPrep, BCG Online Case Chatbot guide
- Online Case Secrets, BCG Online Case: The Ultimate Guide (updated September 2026)