Career in Consulting
280 Free Case Interview Examples
Do you want to get access to over 280 free case interview examples (with answers)?
If you have interviews planned at McKinsey , The Boston Consulting Group , or any other consulting firm, you are probably looking for case interview examples.
So, to help you prepare, I have compiled a list of 280 free case interview examples:
- Over 30 free case interview examples (+ interview prep tips) from the websites of top consulting firms
- More than 250 free case interview examples from top business school case books
Moreover, you’ll get my take on which case studies you will likely have in interviews.
In short, the resources listed hereafter will be very helpful if you are starting out or have already made good progress in preparing for your case interviews.
One last word : check out this free case-cracking course to learn how to crack the most recent types of case questions consulting firms use in actual interviews.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Get the latest data about salaries in consulting, mckinsey: tips and case interview examples.
McKinsey & Company’s website is definitely one of my favorites.
Because this gives so much insightful information about the role of a consultant and what the hiring process looks like.
Therefore, I highly recommend spending time on their website, even if you are not targeting McKinsey.
In the meantime, here are 8 McKinsey case interview examples
- Electro-light
- GlobaPharma
- National Education
- Talbot trucks
- Shops corporation
- Conservation forever
Check out the McKinsey Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at McKinsey.
Besides, here is another McKinsey case interview example.
This case interview question has been recently asked in a real interview:
𝘦𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘊𝘰, 𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉2𝘉 𝘴𝘦𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉2𝘊 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘊𝘰’𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘌𝘖 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵.
How would you approach this business problem?
When ready, check this video below where I present how to approach this problem.
BCG: Tips And Case Interview Examples
The Boston Consulting Group website states something very important: the goal of the hiring process is to get to know you better, which means, in the context of Consulting interviews, understanding how you solve problems .
Remember this: in case interviews, to show how you think is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than to find an answer to the case .
As a result, you will have case study questions to showcase your problem-solving skills. Likewise, fit interviews have the same purpose: to show what problems you faced and how you resolved them.
- BCG interview prep tips
- BCG’s interactive case tool
- BCG case interview example: climate change challenge
- BCG case interview example: GenCo
- BCG case interview example: FoodCo
Check out the BCG Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at BCG.
Bain: Tips And Case Interview Examples
Bain & Company’s website highlights something very important: successful applicants manage to turn a case interview into a conversation between two consultants .
In other words, you don’t want to appear as a candidate but as a consultant !
To do this, you need to master the main problem-solving techniques that consulting firms want to see.
- Bain interview prep tips here and here
- Bain case interview examples: coffee , fashioco
- Bain case interview sample videos: a first video , a second video
Check out the Bain Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at Bain & Company.
Deloitte: Tips And Case Interview Examples
As for the BCG’s section above, the Deloitte website clearly states that in case interviews , it is much more important to show how you think and interact with your interviewer than to find the right answer to the case.
- Deloitte interview prep tips
- Deloitte case interview examples: here (more than 15 case interview examples)
- Deloitte case interview example: Federal Agency
- Deloitte case interview example: Recreation Unlimited
- Deloitte case interview example: Federal benefits Provider
- Deloitte case interview example: Federal Civil Cargo protection Bureau
Get 4 Complete Case Interview Courses For Free
You need 4 skills to be successful in all case interviews: Case Structuring, Case Leadership, Case Analytics, and Communication. Join this free training and learn how to ace ANY case questions.
Oliver Wyman: Tips And Case Interview Examples
Like the Deloitte website, Oliver Wyman’s website points out that, above all, you must demonstrate your ability to think in a structured, analytical, and creative way.
In other words, there are no right or wrong answers, but only showing how you solve problems matters.
- Oliver Wyman interview prep tips
- Oliver Wyman case interview examples: here (Aqualine) and here (Wumbleworld)
Kearney: Tips And Case Interview Examples
Now it’s time to tell you something you could have heard a hundred times.
Yet too many candidates do it.
Do NOT force your solution to adapt to a standard framework . As a result, this will only take you to a place you don’t want to go: the pool of rejected candidates .
To learn more about this, check the “What Not To Do” section on the AT Kearney website .
- Kearney interview prep tips
- Kearney case interview examples: here and here
- Kearney case book: here
Strategy&: Interview Prep Tips
Strategy& doesn’t provide case study examples on its website, but it shares insights on career progression, which I recommend reading when you prepare for your fit interviews.
- Strategy& interview prep tips
Roland Berger: Tips And Case Interview Examples
I like the examples of case studies presented on the Roland Berger website .
Because the two examples of case studies are very detailed and illustrate the kind of solutions your interviewers expect during case discussions.
- Roland Berger interview prep tips
- A first Roland Berger case interview example: part 1 and part 2
- A second Roland Berger case interview example: part 1 and part 2
Alix Partners: Interview Prep Tips
Like Strategy&, Alix Partners doesn’t provide case study examples on its website.
However, they give an overview of what they are looking for: they want entrepreneurial, self-starter, and analytical candidates, which are skills that all consulting firms highly appreciate .
- Alix Partners interview prep tips
OC&C: Interview Prep Tips
Here are two case study examples from OC&C:
- Imported spirit
- Leisure clubs
253 Case Studies From Business School Case Books
Most of these 253 case study examples are based on case interviews used by consulting firms in real job interviews .
As a result, you can have a good idea of the case study questions you can have when interviewing at these firms .
The Full List Of 253 Free Case Study Examples
- Chicago business school
- Australian Graduate School of Management
- Columbia business school
- Harvard business school
- Wharton business school (2009)
- Wharton busines school (2017)
- Darden business school
Do you want to practice a specific type of case study? Now you can…
I have sorted this list of 253 case studies by type: profitability, market expansion, industry analysis, pricing, investment or acquisition, and guesstimates (also known as market sizing questions).
Bonus #1: Know The Types Of Cases You Are Likely To have During Your Interviews
- Profitability cases (29% of cases from that list)
- Investment cases (19% of cases from that list)
- Market sizing questions (15% of cases from that list)
As a result, assuming you’ll have 6 interviews (and therefore 6 case interviews) during the recruitment process:
- “Profitability cases are 29%” means that chances to have 2 profitability case studies during your recruitment process are very high
- “Investment cases are 19%” means that chances to have 1 investment case study during your recruitment process are very high.
- “ Guesstimates are 15%” means that chances of having 1 market sizing question during your recruitment process are high.
Bonus #2: The 10 Cases I Recommend You Doing Now
Over 250 examples of case interviews are a great list, and you may not know where to start.
So, I’ve compiled a list of my 10 favorite case studies.
The 5 case studies I recommend doing if you are a BEGINNER
1. stern case book: drinks gone flat (starting at page 24).
This is a good introduction to a common type of case (declining sales here). I liked the solution presented for this case, particularly how it started by isolating declining sales (what range of products? Volumes or prices, or both?).
2. Stern case book: Sport bar (starting at page 46)
This is an investment case (should you invest in a new bar). Even if the solution presented in this case book is not MECE , it covers the most common quantitative questions you might have in such a case. I recommend doing this case.
3. Stern case book: MJ Wineries (starting at page 85)
This is a profitability case. I liked the solution presented in this case because it illustrates how specific good candidates should be. The case concerns wine, so a good candidate should mention the quality of lands and grapes as important factors.
4. AGSM case book: Piano tuners (starting at page 57)
This is a typical market sizing question. How to answer this type of question is a must-know before going to your interviews.
5. Darden case book: National Logistics (starting at page 49)
Again, this is a very common case (how to reduce costs). I liked the broad range of questions asked in this case, covering key skills assessed by consulting firms during case interviews: brainstorming skills (or creativity), quantitative skills, and business sense.
The 5 case studies I recommend if you are more ADVANCED in your preparation
1. stern: the pricing games (starting at page 55).
This case study asks you to help your client assess different business models. I liked this case because the range of issues to tackle is quite broad.
2. Wharton 2017: Engineer attrition at SLS Oil & Gas Services (starting at page 55)
I liked this case study because the case prompt is uncommon: your client has been facing a very high attrition rate among its population of Engineers. As a result, it’s very unlikely that your solution fits a well-known framework, and you’ll have to demonstrate your problem-solving skills by developing a specific solution.
3. Wharton 2017: Pharma Company Goes International, Outsources Benefits, Integrates New Technology (starting at page 95)
This case is about a client considering outsourcing a part of their activity. Even though I don’t know if this type of case study is very common, I had many case studies like this when I passed my interviews a few years ago. And I always found them difficult!
4. Insead: Gas retail case (starting at page 73)
The question in the problem statement is very broad, making this case difficult. So, only good candidates can have a structured case discussion here.
5. Darden: Fire Proof (starting at page 84)
This is a market entry case. Try to solve it by developing a structure as MECE as possible.
CareerInConsulting.com's Free Resources
Access my exclusive free training to help you prepare for your case interviews .
Besides, you can learn my step-by-step guide to answering market sizing questions .
You’ll get my formula to solve all market sizing questions.
Moreover, if you are a beginner, you can read my article on how to solve business cases (+ a 4-week prep plan to get case interview ready).
Also, check these 11 must-know frameworks to ace your case interviews.
Finally, you can read the articles in the blog section of my website.
That’s quite a list.
To complete this list, check this free case interview course , where you’ll find case questions recently asked in actual interviews.
Now, I’d like to hear from you.
Which key insights were new to you?
Or maybe I have missed something.
Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below.
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You need 4 skills to be successful in all case interviews: Case Structuring, Case Leadership, Case Analytics, and Communication. Enroll in our 4 free courses and discover the proven systems +300 candidates used to learn these 4 skills and land offers in consulting.
Group case interviews: what to expect and how to prepare
It's no secret that leading consulting firms use case interviews to evaluate candidates before extending offers. But over the last several years, group case interviews have become more common at top firms like McKinsey, Deloitte, and EY.
Group case interviews demand the same analytical and communication skills as normal case interviews , but they take things a step further. They also evaluate a candidate's ability to work well with others in a high-pressure team environment.
In this guide, we'll examine group case interviews, their different formats, and key tips you can use to maximise your chances of getting a job offer. Here's an overview:
- What is a group case interview?
- Group case interview process
- Group case interview preparation
- Group case interview tips
- Group case interview examples
Click here to practise 1-on-1 with MBB ex-interviewers
1. what is a group case interview ↑.
A group case interview is a case interview performed by a team of 3-6 candidates. The cases themselves are similar to what you'd find in a normal case interview, but the added challenge is solving it collaboratively as a team.
Group case interviews are usually not used in the first round and typically come up in the second or final round of interviews. For example, PWC uses group case interviews for their Super Day (e.g. Assessment Centre), which is usually held during the second round of interviews.
To fully understand group case interviews, it's critical to first understand normal case interviews. If you'd like to learn more about the fundamentals of case interviews, check out our ultimate guide to case interviews .
Like in normal case interviews, the quality of your analysis and communication will be important in group case interviews. But, you will also be evaluated on additional collaboration and interpersonal skills.
You should approach a group case interview like you're solving a real business problem with your team. Don't focus on the fact that you are competing with the other candidates. Instead, concentrate on working together to come up with the best solution possible.
The consulting firm may actually award multiple offers to members of your group, so your first priority should be developing a great solution.
As a general rule, if something would be helpful and positive in a real work environment, it will probably reflect well on you during a group case interview. Similarly, if something would be rude or unhelpful in the real world, don't do it during your interview.
Let's now look at the process you can expect when facing a group case interview.
2. Group case interview process ↑
A. types of group case interviews.
First, it's important to know that there are different types of group case interviews. Each firm, and even different internal groups or geographies, may approach group interviews differently. But in our experience, there are two primary formats:
- Interview format
- Presentation format
The interview format uses a similar style of questions as normal case interviews. But with these, you would be working through the process with a group of 2-5 other candidates.
Presentation format requires you to analyse provided materials, in order to prepare a presentation with your group. After preparing, your team will present to a panel of interviewers, who will typically ask follow-up questions for a few minutes.
To further clarify the process, let's look at each of these two formats in more detail. Before you read the snapshot of each format below, it's worth noting that the details can vary, so check with your recruiter ahead of time if you're already in the application process.
B. Interview format
Here's a snapshot of what you can typically expect with the interview-format, group case interview:
- Candidates get divided into groups of 3 to 6
- Each group is given information about a case (i.e. a client facing a problem)
- You are given 10 minutes to review the materials by yourself or with another person in your group
- You are then asked to discuss a few questions with your group, for about 20 minutes in front of your interviewers
- Finally, the interviewers will ask a few questions to the group for 15 to 20 minutes
Okay, now let's take a look at the presentation format, which has some similarities and also important differences.
C. Presentation format
Here's what you can typically expect with a presentation-format, group case interview:
- You are given 1 hour to review, and prepare a group presentation
- An interviewer will watch during your prep time, but they won't intervene
- Your group delivers a 15-minute presentation to a panel of interviewers
- After you present, the interviewers will ask questions for 15-20 minutes
After reviewing the details on each format above, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect in your upcoming group case interview. As an additional note, for any type of case interview where you need to analyse written case materials, you may benefit from the tips outlined in our written case interview guide . Now let's turn our attention to preparation.
3. Group case interview preparation ↑
There are a few things you should do to prepare for your group case interview, that can make a huge difference in your performance.
Some of these steps apply to both group case interviews and normal case interviews , while others are specific to group case interviews.
Use the steps below, to help you maximise your chances of success:
A. Become really confident at maths.
Similar to normal case interviews, being able to perform maths calculations quickly and accurately, can mean the difference between an offer and no offer.
Check out our free guide for case interview maths if you'd like to learn more.
B. Develop a consistent method for cracking cases.
If you can't solve a case on your own, you probably won't know where to start in a group case interview. So it's important that you have this foundation.
C. Practice cases out loud.
For a group case interview, the ideal preparation would be to do mock interviews with a group of 3-5 other people. This might be possible if you are in a consulting club, professional organisation, or if you have a great network.
However, if this isn't realistic for you, you can still practice by yourself. Just ask and answer case questions out loud. This may feel odd at first, but it will help you hone your thinking and communication.
D. Learn from every mistake you make
During practice for both group case interviews and normal case interviews, you'll want to go for quality over quantity.
For example, successful candidates find it more valuable to do 20 cases thoughtfully than to rush through 40 cases. A great way to do this is by keeping a notebook, where you write down mistakes and improvement opportunities after each case. Then you can check your progress by re-doing old cases later. This will help you make sure you’re headed in the right direction.
E. Learn how you come across to others
A central focus of group case interviews is to evaluate interpersonal skills. You'll want to put your best foot forward and come across as someone the interviewers would like to work with.
It's very difficult to objectively evaluate your own tone and communication style. As a result, it can be really helpful to ask friends and colleagues for feedback.
Ask them to be honest, and you may be surprised what you learn. Now is the time to identify if you have any tendencies that sound abrasive, dismissive, etc. You'll want to be aware of these, so you can work on them before your interview.
F. Practice the art of debate
I would consider this an optional preparation step, but it could give you a leg-up on your competition.
An important skill for a group case interview is the ability to persuade others with grace and supporting evidence. Great consultants are skilled at communicating with tact and can disagree with a client in a way that creates a positive impression.
A good way to practice this type of communication is through academic style debate. Perhaps you can get involved with a local debate club, or participate in a Toastmasters event. Or, simply initiate a discussion with a friend.
4. Group case interview tips ↑
Now that we've reviewed preparation steps, let's turn our focus to the day of the interview. Here are 8 tips to follow during your group case interview, that can really set you apart from other candidates.
Tip #1: Speak with a purpose
A lot of candidates will want to speak their mind as they know participating is important. But, participation alone is not enough.
The QUALITY of your input is crucial. Sometimes, it's better to let two or three people speak first, and then make a very thoughtful point based on how they started the discussion.
Focus more on the quality of your input, and less on the quantity.
Tip #2: Involve everyone
Keep an eye on who's participating in the conversation and who's not.
If you identify a member of the group who's struggling to make themselves heard, you should not hesitate to help them by saying something like: "We haven't heard everyone's opinion on this yet. John, Rebecca what do you think?".
This is a sign of leadership, and will also help you develop a more thoughtful and balanced solution.
Tip #3: Summarise
Plan to summarise key points. This can be done during team discussion, when answering case questions, or when delivering a presentation.
Summarising will position you as the person bringing everyone together. It will also contribute to better alignment within the group and clearer communication with interviewers.
This is a skill used by partners in real-world conversations with clients. You should aim to do this at least once or twice during your interview.
Tip #4: Anticipate questions
This is most helpful for interviews that include a group presentation. However, it could also help you prepare for follow-ups to a normal case question.
While preparing your analysis, you may notice some weaknesses. It's good to carve out a couple of minutes, to think through potential challenges from the interviewers.
It can also be helpful to ask yourself questions, like "if I was hearing this for the first time, what would I ask about?". The interviewers won't always ask the questions you most expect, but if they do, you'll be prepared with a thoughtful response.
Tip #5: Don't be easy to read
A group interview is a good time to use your poker face.
Everyone is stressed, but you need to come across as confident. A good way to do this is to focus on basic body language: look at people in the eye, sit confidently, don't cross your arms, etc.
Tip #6: Don't Interrupt others
Consultants need to be client-friendly, and interrupting someone in a discussion is not client-friendly at all.
You should listen carefully to what others are saying. Try to have a genuine interest in what they think. Before making your point, summarise their point to show that you understand what they mean.
Tip #7: Don't spend too much time reading
It's important to understand the case materials, but if you're not careful it could consume your full preparation time.
A great way to prepare efficiently is to first scan through the provided materials and form one or two initial hypotheses. Then you can search for specific data points that confirm or disprove it before you finalise your approach.
Tip #8: Don't dominate speaking time
Some candidates are so eager to participate that they end up completely dominating the rest of the group without realising it. Don't be that person!
A practical way of avoiding this is to keep an eye on how much time you talk. If you are in a 5-person group you should aim to speak 20% (1/5th) of the time and really no more than 25%.
Interviewers pay close attention to this, so be intentional about balancing your speaking time. Not too much, not too little.
5. Group case interview examples ↑
At the end of the day, a business case is a business case.
You may solve the case independently or with a team. The content will vary, and the amount of data provided can differ, but the basic premise remains the same.
As a result, you can prepare for a group case interview, by practicing with cases from normal case interviews.
When searching for sample cases, it can be really difficult to know where to start. Especially when the quality of cases is unclear. That's why we put together this list of the best free practice cases available .
It contains links to cases provided directly by leading consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and more. It also contains case books from consulting clubs at leading target schools, like Harvard, London Business School, and MIT. This list is a great place to go for example cases.
6. How to prepare for case interviews
We've coached more than 15,000 people for interviews since 2018. There are essentially three activities you can do to practise case interviews. Here’s what we've learned about each of them.
6.1 Practise by yourself
Learning by yourself is an essential first step. We recommend you make full use of the free prep resources on our consulting blog and also watch some mock case interviews on our YouTube channel . That way you can see what an excellent answer looks like.
Once you’re in command of the subject matter, you’ll want to practice answering cases. But by yourself, you can’t simulate thinking on your feet or the pressure of performing in front of a stranger. Plus, there are no unexpected follow-up questions and no feedback.
That’s why many candidates try to practice with friends or peers.
6.2 Practise with peers
If you have friends or peers who can do mock interviews with you, that's an option worth trying. It’s free, but be warned, you may come up against the following problems:
- It’s hard to know if the feedback you get is accurate
- They’re unlikely to have insider knowledge of interviews at your target company
- On peer platforms, people often waste your time by not showing up
For those reasons, many candidates skip peer mock interviews and go straight to mock interviews with an expert.
6.3 Practise with experienced MBB interviewers
In our experience, practising real interviews with experts who can give you company-specific feedback makes a huge difference.
Find a consulting interview coach so you can:
- Test yourself under real interview conditions
- Get accurate feedback from a real expert
- Build your confidence
- Get company-specific insights
- Learn how to tell the right stories, better.
- Save time by focusing your preparation
Landing a job at a top consulting company often results in a $50,000 per year or more increase in total compensation. In our experience, three or four coaching sessions worth ~$500 will make a significant difference in your ability to land the job. That’s an ROI of 100x!
Click here to book a mock case interview coach with an experienced MBB interviewer.
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