Online Assessments
Updated November 5, 2026What happens after an online assessment?
Hitting submit on an online test ends the part you control. What happens next depends on the firm, but the US firms that describe it follow the same pattern: an instant score, a review that weighs it with the rest of your application, and then either a video interview invite or a rejection. Here is that sequence for the summer 2028 cycle, with the timings firms publish.
3 weeks
Goldman Sachs update window
after HackerRank
60 days
Bain response window
after the digital assessment
Instant
Aon test scoring
Not shared
EY and PwC results
Quick answer
Your result is scored right away and added to your application, then a recruiter reviews it alongside your resume. If you pass, the next step is usually a recorded video interview, then interviews or a superday. Goldman Sachs says to expect an update within three weeks of its HackerRank test, and Bain says within 60 days. Most firms do not share your score.
Key points
- Online tests are scored instantly; on Aon ability tests, points are added for correct answers and usually deducted for wrong ones.1
- Firms weigh the result with the rest of your application: Goldman Sachs, Bain and BCG all say so.2,3,5
- At UBS, passing the Aon tests can lead to a recorded video interview and then final round interviews.4
- EY and PwC do not share assessment results with applicants.6,7
Right after you submit: scoring and review
Your answers are scored as soon as you finish. Aon explains that its online tests are scored instantly and accurately, so the firm can see results quickly. On ability tests, points are usually added for each correct answer and deducted for each wrong one; personality questionnaires have no right or wrong answers and are read for fit with the role.1
The score then joins your application rather than deciding it alone. Goldman Sachs says its HackerRank results are evaluated along with your other application material.2 Bain calls its digital assessment one part of the review process, and BCG says its assessment results are always considered alongside other elements of your application.3,5
So a strong test does not guarantee an interview, and a middling one does not always end your chances. The resume and how well you fit the posting still carry weight in the same review.
How long until you hear back
Goldman Sachs gives the most precise window: after the HackerRank assessment, expect an update from campus recruiting within three weeks, and check the candidate portal for status.2 Bain says applicants can expect to hear within 60 days.3
Other firms do not publish a window, so the portal is your best signal. J.P. Morgan shows the status of an active application in your candidate profile, and says that if an application drops out of the active list, the opportunity may have closed or you may no longer be under consideration.8
Aon's advice for the gap is simple: once you have finished every test, the company will be in touch about the results and next steps.1 Use the wait to prepare for the next round, because invites can come quickly.
What usually comes next
For many US banks the next stage is a recorded video interview. UBS sends a pre-recorded interview link after you pass its online assessments, and then holds final round interviews, virtual or in person. UBS also says its people, not AI, make the decisions.4
Barclays ran the same order in New York investment banking for summer 2027: an SHL test a few days after applying, a HireVue after passing it, and a superday invite a few weeks later.9
You may also meet the test again. Aon notes that firms sometimes ask interview candidates to repeat a module from the online assessment to confirm the result.1
US firms that use it
Each line links to that firm's own process page.
- Goldman Sachs: HackerRank results are weighed with your application, with an update within three weeks.2
- Bain: The digital assessment is one part of the review; expect to hear within 60 days.3
- UBS: Pass the Aon tests and fit the role, and a pre-recorded video interview can follow, then final rounds.4
- BCG: Assessment results are considered alongside the rest of your application.5
- Barclays: The SHL test came first, then a HireVue, then a superday invite a few weeks later (summer 2027).9
How to prepare
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
Keep the result in mind for reapplying
Some firms reuse your score. PwC keeps a result valid for 120 days, so a second PwC application in that window uses the same one.7
This answer is general guidance for orientation, not a guarantee. Test formats, timings and employer cut-offs change, so verify the details on the provider or employer site before you apply. Last updated November 5, 2026.
Sources
- 1.Prepare for your Online Assessment, Aon. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 2.Your Guide to HackerRank Success, Goldman Sachs. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 3.Digital assessment, Bain & Company. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 4.Early careers (archived Oct 7, 2026), UBS, via the Wayback Machine. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 5.Consulting Career Assessment (CCA) FAQs, Applicants to US offices (Jul 2024), BCG. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 6.Early Careers skills assessment, frequently asked questions (archived Sep 30, 2025), EY, via the Wayback Machine. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 7.Entry Level Assessment FAQs, PwC. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 8.Hiring FAQs, JPMorganChase. Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 9.Candidate report on a public forum: Summer Analyst interview, Investment Banking, New York (Feb 2026). Read Nov 5, 2026.
- 10.About Assessments, SHL. Read Nov 5, 2026.