Chart Drills

This practice package has been developed to provide samples of the actual math calculations candidates have to perform throughout the management consulting recruiting process, including the entrance test (E.g.: McKinsey Problem Solving Test, BCG Potential Test) and case interviews. The materials in this package are designed to assess and enhance your ability to accurately and quickly calculate chart-based and exhibit-based business math problems. This practice package contains 100 questions and 34 Charts and Exhibits. All questions in this package are based on charts or exhibits. Users have to extract conceptual and quantitative data from various real consulting charts and exhibits and perform calculations upon them. This practice package contains the following:

• 30 Full chart problems
• Full keys and detailed explanations.

Depending on your target (entrance tests or case interview), you can adjust the focus on each of the two criteria (1) accuracy and (2) speed.

• Accuracy is more important in case interviews. Interviewers would rather allow more time for candidates to perform calculations correctly than to have a quick but incorrect answer.
• A balanced approach should be aimed for in entrance tests (McKinsey PST or BCG Potential Test). As the time allowance in those tests is very tight, slowing down to get accurate answers may not be the best approach.

Depending on your purpose, the appropriate methods for using this package are different.

• Case Interview Prep: Divide your practice into small hurdles, 5 or 10 questions each. Target 100% accuracy. Any score less than 100% is considered as failed. When you can consistently pass hurdles, try to reduce the time. You may practice calculating out loud as if you are presenting your calculation to interviewers.
• Entrance Test Prep (McKinsey PST or BCG Potential Test): Divide your practice into smaller hurdles, 5 or 10 questions each. Only allow yourself 30 – 45 seconds per question (start with 45 and then gradually move down to 30). Then try to increase the number of correct answers within the pre-targeted time allowed.