Applying to Bain & Company for summer 2028? US offices require a digital assessment as the last step of the Associate Consultant Intern application. Most US applicants take TestGorilla: four tests in one sitting, each on its own clock of 9 or 10 minutes, in numerical reasoning, business judgment, leadership and people management, and problem solving. Try the four tests below in that format, then read what Bain says, how TestGorilla differs from Sova (which your email may name instead), worked examples and what comes next.
Key facts
- Who takes it: Bain's Atlanta, Boston, New York and Chicago offices require a digital assessment as the final step of the ACI application. An application is not considered if the assessment is not done by the deadline.2,1
- Platform: Most US offices use TestGorilla. The email after you apply says which you take, and it may name Sova instead.1,3,7
- TestGorilla: Numerical reasoning (12 questions in 10 minutes), business judgment (10 minutes), leadership and people management (10 minutes) and problem solving (12 questions in 9 minutes), each on its own clock.3,10,11,12,13
- Going back: On TestGorilla, Next moves you on and you cannot return to a question. Next with no answer asks you to confirm the skip, and a skipped question counts as wrong.14
- Length: About 30 to 40 minutes. The email gives your deadline.1
- When: For ACI, US offices send the assessment closer to the next application deadline. In some markets the link comes within a week of applying.2,1
- Calculator: A pen, paper and calculator are allowed in the assessment, but calculators are not allowed in the interviews that follow.1
- Sittings: TestGorilla is taken in one sitting. Sova can be split, as long as every section is done by the deadline in your email.1
- Rules: AI tools are strictly prohibited, including recording, screenshots and any software that transcribes or gives feedback. Take it on your own.1
- Retakes: If you have already completed the assessment, you do not need to take it again unless Bain tells you to.1
Bain's US office pages say no preparation is required and there is nothing to study. The assessment is one part of your application review, alongside your resume, cover letter and transcript.2
Try the games
The four tests of Bain & Company's TestGorilla assessment on TestGorilla's screens, as the app draws Bain & Company's sitting, in its order. Each test has its own visible clock, every question is multiple choice, and there is no going back. Each opens in its own window at the real pace, with a report at the end.
Numerical Reasoning
Interpret tables, charts and ratios under time pressure.
4 questions · 3:20
Business Judgment
Business trade-offs: strategy and innovation, sales and marketing, and performance, organization, finance and acquisitions. Pick the most effective course of action.
4 questions · 2:40
Leadership & People Management
Situations from leading a team: handing over work, developing people, giving feedback and winning support for a plan. Pick the most effective way to lead the person in each one.
4 questions · 2:30
Problem Solving
Four kinds of task: read a timetable, work out a rate, put jobs in the order the rules demand, and draw a conclusion from a table.
4 questions · 3:00
What the Bain & Company online assessment looks like
Which test you get
Submit the ACI application and an email follows saying whether your assessment is TestGorilla, as in most US offices, or Sova. Read it closely: it also carries your deadline, and the two platforms have different rules.1,2,3
When the link comes
For ACI, US offices send the assessment closer to the next application deadline, so applying early does not always mean testing early. If the link does not arrive, check your spam folder, then reply to your Bain email.2,1
TestGorilla: the four timed sections
Take it in one sitting on a laptop or desktop, in Chrome if you can. Pen, paper and a calculator are allowed. It runs as four tests, each on its own clock: numerical reasoning (12 questions in 10 minutes), business judgment (10 minutes), leadership and people management (10 minutes) and problem solving (12 questions in 9 minutes), all multiple choice. Each test opens with practice questions, and you can take a break between tests but not inside one. Next moves you on for good, and Next with no answer asks you to confirm the skip, which counts as wrong. Expect your webcam to be on and browser extensions to be switched off.1,3,10,11,12,13,14
If your email names Sova instead
Bain points you to Sova's Candidate Preparation Hub, which has practice questions. Sova builds each assessment from parts the employer picks, such as reasoning tests, situational judgment and questionnaires, and each part opens with a practice question that does not count. You can split it across sittings if every section is done by the deadline.1,4
Video questions
The assessment can come with optional video interview questions marked as non-evaluative. Treat any video prompt as part of your first impression anyway: short, clear and specific to Bain.5
After you submit
The assessment is one part of the application review. Bain says to expect to hear within 60 days. The first round has been two 30-minute interviews over Zoom.1,2,5
The assessment at a glance
- Invitation email After you apply
- Names Sova or TestGorilla and gives the deadline.
- TestGorilla 4 tests, 39 min of clocks
- Numerical reasoning (10 min), business judgment (10 min), leadership and people management (10 min), problem solving (9 min). One sitting.
- Sova Set by Bain
- Parts chosen by the employer, each opening with an unscored practice question. Can be split across sittings.
- Video questions Optional
- Optional prompts marked non-evaluative, where they appear.
Bain puts the whole assessment at about 30 to 40 minutes. The four tests are the ones prep sites list for Bain's US TestGorilla assessment; the clocks are TestGorilla's own.1,3,10,11,12,13,4,5
Before you start the assessment
- Check which platform your email names, and the deadline and time zone.
- A laptop or desktop with a stable connection, in Chrome. Other browsers work but are less reliable.
- Pen, paper and a calculator on the desk.
- For TestGorilla: a 45-minute block with no interruptions, webcam working, browser extensions off.
- For Sova: try the practice questions on Sova's Candidate Preparation Hub first.
- No AI tools, recordings, screenshots or help from anyone else.
- If you need an accommodation: TestGorilla takes requests on its setup page; for Sova, contact Bain before you start.
The sections, one by one
Bain says the assessment reflects the skills consulting needs: problem solving, communication and analysis. The question types below are those of the TestGorilla version; a Sova sitting is built from Sova's own reasoning, judgment and questionnaire parts.1,3,4
- Numerical reasoning: Charts, tables and word problems: percentages, ratios and rates, 12 questions in 10 minutes.
- Business judgment: A business situation and the best course of action: pricing, resources, competitors, risk.
- Leadership and people management: Workplace scenarios on motivating a team, resolving conflict and delegating. No math.
- Problem solving: Schedules, rules-based ordering, rate and time puzzles and data to interpret, 12 questions in 9 minutes.
Here is each of the four TestGorilla tests as it appears in Intervyo. Each runs on its own clock, Next moves you on for good, and a skipped question counts as wrong.3,10,11,12,13,14
1.Numerical reasoning10 min
12 questions in 10 minutes, about 50 seconds each. Each gives a table, a chart or a short word problem and asks for one figure: a share of a total, a percentage change, a ratio or interest on a sum. Pick one answer and select Next.3,10
What it measures: How quickly and accurately you read business figures and do the arithmetic behind them.
How to answer it well
- 1Name the row, the column and the period before you calculate.
- 2Percentage change is over the earlier figure; check the unit the answer asks for.
- 3At about 50 seconds a question, estimate first and use the answer spread to settle it.
2.Business judgment10 min
Short business cases, each with four courses of action. You pick the most effective one. Expect strategy, sales and marketing, and performance and finance situations: a capital request, a pricing move, a weak unit.3,11
What it measures: Commercial judgment: weighing trade-offs and choosing the move that fits the facts given.
How to answer it well
- 1Find the decision being asked for before you read the options.
- 2Distrust options that act on one number alone; prefer the one that finds the cause first.
- 3Rule out the reflexes: price wars, blanket cuts, closing a site without a reason.
3.Leadership and people management10 min
Situations leading a team member: handing over work, developing someone, giving feedback, winning support for a plan. Four responses each; you pick the most effective. No math.3,12
What it measures: How you match the direction and support you give to a person's skill and confidence for the task.
How to answer it well
- 1Read the person first: how skilled are they at this task, and how confident?
- 2A capable person who has lost confidence needs support, not a list of fixes.
- 3Someone new to a task needs clear direction; a skilled, willing one needs room.
4.Problem solving9 min
12 questions in 9 minutes, about 45 seconds each. A table or schedule and a set of rules: which job goes second, which supplier meets every requirement, when a task can finish.3,13
What it measures: Applying rules to information in order and reaching a decision under time pressure.
How to answer it well
- 1Apply the rules in the order given; the first rule usually removes most of the table.
- 2Cross out rows that fail any requirement before comparing the rest.
- 3Write times and running totals on paper rather than holding them in your head.
Question types and how to approach them
Numerical reasoning"A client's sales rose from $240M to $276M while units sold rose 5%. Roughly how much did the average price change?"3
- 1Find the sales growth first: $276M over $240M is 1.15, so 15%.
- 2Sales growth is price growth and unit growth combined: 1.15 = 1.05 x price change.
- 3Divide: 1.15 / 1.05 is about 1.095.
- 4Read the answer choices before you refine: about 9.5%.
Tip: With about a minute per question, estimate to two digits and pick the closest choice instead of calculating to the decimal.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Up about 9.5%. Sales grew 15% and units 5%, so price grew 1.15 / 1.05 = 1.095.
Business judgment"A regional gym chain is losing members to a low-cost rival that charges half its price. Which response is best: match the price, add premium classes and raise the price, cut staff to protect margin, or study which members are leaving before deciding?"3
- 1Ask what the question really wants: the best next step with the information given.
- 2Rule out the reflexes: a price war with a cheaper rival, or cost cuts that ignore the cause.
- 3Prefer the option that finds out who is leaving and why, since the right move depends on it.
- 4Check the choice still acts quickly: a short study before deciding, not an open-ended one.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Study which members are leaving, and why, before deciding. If the price-sensitive members are leaving, a cheaper tier may follow; if not, the premium route may hold the rest.
Leadership and people management"A teammate has missed two internal deadlines on a project due to the client on Friday. What do you do first?"3
- 1Talk to the teammate privately and early: find out what is blocking them.
- 2Agree a plan together, such as splitting the work or resetting an internal date.
- 3Tell the manager if Friday is at risk, with the plan attached, rather than escalating first.
- 4Avoid both extremes: silently doing their work, or going straight over their head.
Tip: In these questions the strongest answer usually combines collaboration, clear communication and action.
Problem solving"Three analysts must each review 4 reports; one review takes 45 minutes, and no analyst can work more than 2 hours before a break. What is the earliest the 12 reviews can be done if all three start at 9:00 AM and breaks last 15 minutes?"3
- 1Work out one analyst's load: 4 reviews of 45 minutes is 3 hours.
- 2Apply the break rule: 2 reviews (1.5 hours) fit before 2 hours, a third would pass it, so a break comes after 2 reviews.
- 3Lay out the day: 9:00 to 10:30, break to 10:45, then 10:45 to 12:15.
- 4All three run in parallel, so the answer is one analyst's finish time.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
12:15 PM. Each analyst does two reviews, takes a 15-minute break at 10:30, then finishes the other two by 12:15.
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How long to hear back after the online assessment
Bain sends ACI assessments closer to each application deadline and says to expect to hear within 60 days. First rounds have followed within a few weeks of each deadline.2,1,6
Jul 2025 (summer 2026)
Associate Consultant Intern, San Francisco
A TestGorilla skills and cognition test, then an online behavioral test, then two interview rounds. Offer within a couple of days of the second round.7
Oct 2026 (summer 2027)
ACI, Atlanta
The online skills assessment after applying, with optional video questions marked non-evaluative. Then two 30-minute Zoom interviews and two 45-minute interviews in the office. Under a month in all.5
For summer 2027, Bain's ACI deadlines were Mar 29 and Aug 31, 2026, with applications reviewed after each one and interviews a few weeks later.6
Best guessExpect the assessment link in the weeks around the deadline you applied to. If the deadline passes with no link, check your spam folder and reply to your Bain email.
What happens after the online assessment
Online application
Done. A resume, cover letter and non-official transcript in the US offices; ACT or SAT scores encouraged.2
Digital assessmentYou are here
This page. TestGorilla's four timed tests in most US offices, or Sova if your email names it, about 30 to 40 minutes.1,2,3
First-round interviews
Two interviews of about 30 minutes each, over Zoom.5
Final-round interviews
Two interviews of about 45 minutes, in the office.5
TestGorilla vs Sova at Bain
Most US offices use TestGorilla, and Bain's email tells you which one you have. The rules differ in ways that matter on the day.
Clock
No clock on screen; the time on each question is recorded.8
Practice
Know the four sections before you start.3
FAQ
What online assessment does Bain use?
TestGorilla in most US offices: four tests, each on its own clock of 9 or 10 minutes. Bain's email after you apply says which one you take, and it may name Sova instead. Bain puts the assessment at about 30 to 40 minutes.1,3,7,10,11,12,13
What is on the Bain TestGorilla assessment?
Four timed, multiple-choice tests: numerical reasoning (12 questions in 10 minutes), business judgment (10 minutes), leadership and people management (10 minutes) and problem solving (12 questions in 9 minutes). There is no going back, and a skipped question counts as wrong. Take it in one sitting with your webcam on; pen, paper and a calculator are allowed.3,10,11,12,13,14,1
Is the Bain digital assessment required for interns?
Yes in Bain's US offices: the ACI application ends with it, and an application is not considered without it completed by the deadline.2,1
Can I use a calculator in the Bain assessment?
Yes. Pen, paper and a calculator are allowed in the digital assessment, though not in the interviews that follow.1
Can I use AI tools in the Bain assessment?
No. Bain strictly prohibits AI tools, including recording, screenshots and software that transcribes or gives feedback during the assessment. Take it on your own.1
Does the Bain assessment have a video?
It can. The assessment can come with optional video questions marked non-evaluative. Answer them as if they count: short, clear and specific to Bain.5
How long after the Bain assessment will I hear back?
Bain says to expect to hear within 60 days, depending on the role and office. First rounds have come a few weeks after each application deadline.1,6
Do I need to retake the Bain assessment if I apply again?
Not if you have already completed it, unless Bain tells you otherwise.1
Online assessment at other firms
Sources
Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 4, 2026.
- 1Bain & Company: Digital assessment
- 2Bain & Company: Associate Consultant Intern (hiring process, US office panels)
- 3Hacking the Case Interview: Bain TestGorilla Assessment: How to Pass (2026) · prep site
- 4Sova: Candidate Preparation Hub
- 5Candidate report on a public forum: ACI interview, Atlanta (Oct 2026)
- 6Yale Office of Career Strategy, via the Wayback Machine: McKinsey, Bain, and BCG Application Deadlines for 2027 Summer and Full-Time Roles · prep site
- 7Candidate report on a public forum: Associate Consultant Intern interview, San Francisco (Jul 2025)
- 8Record of a full Bain & Company Sova online assessment sitting (Oct 7, 2026)
- 9CaseBasix: Bain TestGorilla Assessment: Complete Guide (2026 Edition) · prep site
- 10TestGorilla: Numerical Reasoning test factsheet
- 11TestGorilla: Business Judgment test
- 12TestGorilla: Leadership & People Management test
- 13TestGorilla: Problem Solving test factsheet
- 14TestGorilla: Taking your assessment (candidate help center)
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