Cases

Sample Case Questions

There are two major categories of case questions, “back of the envelope” and business cases. Interviewers can use generic questions focusing on topics that candidates use in everyday life, such as videos, ice cream, and airplanes or they can focus on their own industry and their own set of problems. Cases can be about a real company with real problems or a made-up situation. More…

Written Questions

McKinsey & Company now requires that non-MBA graduate candidates take a written quantitative test. “The test is testing problem solving in a written format; folks will be surprised that the straight “quant” questions are the minority. It’s not like a GRE quant test,” explains a senior McKinsey recruiter. More…

Small Group Breakouts

Candidates work through a case in a small groups of three to four students. Recruiters are looking at how individuals interact and communicate with your peers: Are you a team player? Do you interact well with others?  Are you inclusive of the other students in the discussion?

Making Charts

There is another new twist this year: making charts.  The recruiter hands you a few pages of data and asks that you draw up (on paper) some Power Point slides.  You are then expected to present them during the case as you would during a presentation to a client.

PEI’s are Personal Experience Interviews.  

McKinsey and other firms are now conducting PEIs. Be prepared to give examples of the following:

  • times when you influenced or persuaded a group,
  • your relationship building style
  • goals that you have set and were successful meeting.