Does Everyone Get McKinsey Solve Invitation?

To be a McKinsey consultant, every candidate who passes the resume screening round must pass the McKinsey Solve before taking the case interviews. 

However, while many candidates can easily “pass” the resume screening, many fail the Solve test. 

This article will explain who gets the McKinsey Solve invitation and the reason behind it, and help you know what to do when receiving that invitation. 

Who gets invited to the McKinsey Solve?

80-90% of McKinsey candidates get invited to McKinsey Solve

According to our research, 80-90% of candidates who send their resumes to McKinsey will get the invitation to play Solve. 

If you fail at the resume screening round, your resume is probably filled with red flags, grammar and format errors, or simply too uninteresting compared to other candidates.

McKinsey allows many candidates to pass the resume screening round because it helps them gather more data on each candidate before deciding who has more potential to be a McKinsey consultant. 

No one can skip the McKinsey Solve

Taking the McKinsey Solve is now mandatory for all candidates. 

In the past, some senior consultant positions recruitment at McKinsey did not require taking Solve, but now everyone must take it. This is a shift towards a more uniform assessment approach.

Only one in three candidates can pass the McKinsey Solve

While many people get invited to play Solve, only 20-30% of those who take the Solve can move on to the interview round. 

This means you need to do well in Solve to have a chance at getting hired.

What should I do after getting invited to take McKinsey Solve?

Remember to schedule the test!

• Please remember to plan and register a date to take the test. 

If you accidentally forget this somehow, say goodbye to your McKinsey dream. Now, you have to wait for at least one more year before you can apply again.

• If there is any change in your schedule, you must notify McKinsey early. 

You should do this one week or more before the date. If you inform McKinsey too late, you may only be able to change the hour of the day you picked before or even be unable to change the date at all. 

Get a suitable device and place for the McKinsey PSG

• You should have a 1080p screen and a modern CPU that is not over five years old. 

While a 1080p screen or better can show you more detailed pictures. A CPU that is not over five years old means it can run decently without too many problems.

If you want to use a laptop to take the test, remember to keep it charging while you are taking it. This means your computer can always keep up - your battery may run out without charging. 

If your PC cannot work smoothly and decently, consider borrowing one from a friend or going to a library or internet hub. 

• You also need a stable internet connection because the test is web-based. 

A 20Mbps connection or above would be fine. 

• You must take care of the environment around you. 

You don’t want to be disturbed during the test, so you can ask people around you to be quiet while taking the test. 

You can also ask them to stop using the same internet router as you do to ensure your connection remains fast and stable. 

How to practice for the McKinsey Solve Test

Hypothesis-driven problem-solving approach

Read more: Issue Tree, MECE

Every consulting candidate must learn the hypothesis-driven problem-solving (HDPS) approach. After all, that is how consultants approach real projects.

You can master this approach by applying it to everyday problems and cases you read in business publications.

Practicing case interviews also helps with the McKinsey Solve as well.

Mental math and fast reading skills

Read more: Consulting Math, Fast Reading

The McKinsey Solve Test requires strong numerical and verbal skills to process and analyze large amounts of data quickly. These skills are also essential for case interviews and actual consulting work.

Therefore, including math and reading practice in your preparation is crucial.

You can learn some tips to speed up your mental math calculation by 300% in this article.

Take McKinsey Solve simulations

This helps you familiarize yourself with test formats, interface, and time pressure. This will enhance your skills, performance, and then increase your chance of passing the test.

You can look for McKinsey Solve simulations here. MConsultingPrep offers three simulation packages to fit your needs and budgets. 

Besides, MConsultingPrep has recently released a McKinsey Solve free trial to help you visualize the real test and better prepare for it. It’s completely free, so take your free trial now!