Short answer
Many consulting applications end at the online test, before any live case interview. Five mistakes cause most of the damage. Candidates prepare only for case interviews, practice without a clock, never try the real format, skip sections they find dull, and trust outdated guides. Each is fixable with timed, format-specific practice started early.
Key takeaways
- The online assessment comes first, so preparing only for live case interviews is the most damaging mistake.
- Timed digital formats punish slow reading and arithmetic; practice with a clock from the start.
- Check that your prep materials match the current format of the test you will actually take.
In this article
Many consulting applications end before a live case interview. The online test comes first: McKinsey Solve, BCG Casey (or the CCA) and Bain's Sova or TestGorilla assessment. The mistakes that end applications at this stage are mostly about format, not ability.
These five come up again and again in candidate reports and prep-site guidance (see Sources). None of them needs talent to fix, only the right practice at the right time.
Mistake 1 — Preparing for Case Interviews Instead of the Online Test
Candidates spend weeks on frameworks for profitability, market entry and M&A, and treat the online test as an afterthought. But the three tests are not case interviews:
| Firm | Test | What it actually is |
|---|---|---|
| McKinsey | Solve | Ecology-themed games; McKinsey says no business knowledge is needed |
| BCG | Casey | A business case run by a chatbot, about 30 minutes |
| BCG (some offices) | CCA | An SHL test of behavioral traits and reasoning |
| Bain | Sova or TestGorilla | Timed reasoning and judgement questions, about 30 to 40 minutes |
Mistake 2 — Practicing Without a Clock
Every one of these tests is timed, and time pressure changes how people perform. "Ran out of time" is the most common complaint in candidate reports.
- BCG Casey: candidates report 8 to 10 questions in about 30 minutes, with no going back.
- Bain on TestGorilla: each section is hard-timed; prep sites report about 50 seconds per numerical question.
- Bain on Sova: no per-question countdown, but prep sites report that completion time is recorded.
- McKinsey Solve: each game runs on its own clock, and the invitation sets the total.
Untimed practice gives false confidence. Answering correctly in two minutes does not help if the test allows fifty seconds.
Mistake 3 — Never Practicing in the Real Format
Reading about a format (including this article) is not the same as working inside it. Candidates who only read descriptions of the Casey chatbot are often surprised by how exhibits appear, how the chatbot paces questions and how the timer feels.
Mistake 4 — Skipping the Sections You Find Dull
On the Bain test, many candidates practice numerical reasoning because it feels business-relevant, and skip verbal, logical and situational judgement items. Bain does not publish how sections are weighted, so an uneven preparation is a gamble. The same happens with Solve, where candidates rehearse Redrock and ignore Sea Wolf.
Mistake 5 — Trusting Outdated Guides
Formats change between recruiting cycles. Candidates report Redrock replacing Plant Defense, the Ecosystem game phased out of most invitations, and the Sustainable Futures Lab added to some invitations. Bain moved some processes from Sova to TestGorilla. BCG now uses the CCA alongside or instead of Casey in some offices. A guide that does not mention these changes is probably out of date.
How DrillCase fits
DrillCase is practice material for these tests, and we sell it, so read this section with that in mind:
- Format-specific practice: 25+ BCG Casey-style chatbot cases, 450+ Bain-style aptitude questions and 20+ McKinsey Solve-style scenarios.
- Timed by default: the simulators run on a clock.
- Free starting points: a free demo case and demo scenario, free math, market-sizing and chart drills, and the free 63-case library.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of candidates fail online assessments?
Firms do not publish pass rates, and the third-party estimates in circulation are not based on disclosed data, so we do not quote one. What candidates consistently report is that many applicants are screened out at this stage, which is why format-specific preparation matters.
Can you retake consulting firm assessments?
Usually not within the same application. BCG's CCA FAQ says the CCA cannot be retaken, and BCG has not published a Casey retake policy. For McKinsey Solve, coaches most often report a 12-month wait before reapplying, and some prep sites report longer. Bain says you will not need to retake its assessment unless told otherwise. Treat your first attempt as the one that counts.
Why do candidates fail consulting online assessments?
Mostly for format reasons rather than lack of skill: they prepare only for live case interviews, underestimate time pressure, never practice in the real format, skip sections, or use outdated materials. Each of these can be fixed with timed, format-specific practice.
How do I know if my prep materials are outdated?
Check the date and whether the material describes the current format. McKinsey Solve now usually means Redrock and Sea Wolf, sometimes with the Sustainable Futures Lab; older guides still describe games candidates no longer report seeing. Bain uses Sova or TestGorilla depending on the invitation, and BCG uses Casey, the CCA or other variants by office. Undated material is a warning sign.
FreePick your test
Your invitation already names your test. Prepare for that one.
McKinsey, BCG and Bain each screen with a different test on a different clock. Practice for the wrong format and test day is the first time you see the real one. Open the free check for yours: it reads what your invitation says, then sends a plan to your date if you want one.
- If it saysMcKinsey SolveYour invitation's length tells you which games you'll play and on what clock.Decode my Solve invite
- If it saysBCG CaseyCasey or the CCA: see which test BCG named and how its clock runs.Decode my BCG invite
- If it saysBain online testSova or TestGorilla: the clock, the sittings, and whether you can go back.Check my Bain platform
Practice what you just read
Applying to more than one firm? Practice all three formats
Each firm tests something different, so each needs its own practice. DrillCase has a simulator per format and a free case library for the skills they share.
- simulations across 3 firms
- 75
- practice questions
- 1,333
- free library cases
- 63
- 29 BCG Casey-style cases, 21 McKinsey Solve-style scenarios, 476 Bain-style questions
- 63 free library cases and 582 drill questions (math, charts, market sizing)
- The All-Access Pass unlocks every firm product for one payment; the top tier of each bought separately comes to $457
The All-Access Pass ($250) carries a 7-day money-back guarantee. Refund policy. DrillCase is independent practice material and is not affiliated with McKinsey, BCG or Bain.