Written, presentation and group cases: formats and technique
What happens in each format, regional differences, and an original practice pack with worked answers.
Firm processes and online tests change from year to year and differ by office. Use this to prepare, and confirm the exact current steps on the firm's own careers page.
Key takeaways
- The practice pack is original. It teaches the format; it does not copy any firm's written or group case.
- Read the questions first, then skim the pack to see what each page covers.
- Write your answer-first storyline before you build anything.
- Do only the math that answers the questions, and label every unit.
Official facts come from the firms' own pages. Reported facts come from candidate accounts, university career centres and prep sites, and they vary by office and recruiting cycle. Your invitation always wins: follow what it says. We re-check this page at least every 90 days.
Not every case is a one-to-one conversation. Some firms and offices add a written case, a presentation case or a group case, usually in a later round or at an assessment centre. The skills are those of a live case: structure, numbers, exhibits and a clear recommendation. What changes is how you show them.
Written and presentation cases
You receive a pack of material, such as client background, market data and financial tables, plus one or more questions. You work alone under a time limit, often building a few slides or filling in a template, and then present your recommendation to one or more interviewers who question your numbers and logic.
Official
- BCG in the Netherlands lists a final round of four interviews: a personality-based interview with a recruiter (45 minutes), two case interviews (60 minutes each), and a written case of about 2.5 hours.
Reported (varies by office; confirm with your invitation)
- Oliver Wyman: some offices give a written case in the final round, reported as about 30 minutes to review a pack and about 30 minutes to present and take questions.
- Bain: reported to use written cases in some offices, mainly in Europe and Asia, with about 55 to 90 minutes depending on the office.
- Timing, pack size, and whether you work on a computer or on paper vary by office.
How to run a written case
- 1Read the questions first, then skim the pack to see what each page covers.
- 2Write your answer-first storyline before you build anything.
- 3Do only the math that answers the questions, and label every unit.
- 4Build few, clear pages: one message per page, written as a full-sentence title.
- 5Keep the last 10 minutes to check your numbers and rehearse your opening sentence.
- 6When questioned, defend your answer with the data, and change your view if the interviewer shows you a real error.
Group cases
In a group case, several candidates work on one business problem together for a set time while assessors watch. Groups of four to six candidates and 30 to 45 minutes are commonly reported, and some formats end with a group presentation. Assessors mainly watch how you help the group move forward, not who has the cleverest idea.
Reported (varies by office; confirm with your invitation)
- Deloitte is reported to add a group case in its final round in some countries, and some regions run assessment centres with group, individual and behavioural parts.
- EY-Parthenon may include a group case, depending on the office and the invitation.
- Your invitation states whether a group exercise is included. Read it closely.
How to perform in a group case
- Propose a simple structure early, then invite changes to it.
- Keep track of time out loud, so the group finishes.
- Bring quieter members in by asking for their view.
- Build on other people's points by name.
- Disagree with data, politely, and let the group decide.
- Offer to summarise at the end, giving credit to the group.
How it runs by region
- Europe: written cases and assessment centres appear in some offices, for example the written case in BCG Netherlands' final round. Formats vary by office, so check the local careers page.
- India: we found no reliable public source describing a standard group or written format for Indian campus drives. Each drive is run with the school's placement cell, so follow the process your placement cell and the firm share for your own drive.
- Gulf (GCC): we found no public source describing a Gulf-specific case format. Bain's Middle East offices are reported to use the Sova online test. Some firms run programmes for GCC nationals; PwC Middle East, for example, has a careers page for them. Check the regional careers page for your office.
Practice pack (original, written for this platform)
Your client, a mid-sized retailer, wants to cut costs and has shortlisted two options. The question: which option should it choose, and why?
| Option | Upfront cost ($M) | Yearly saving ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| A: automate the warehouse | 2.4 | 0.8 |
| B: renegotiate freight contracts | 1.5 | 0.6 |
So-what
Option B pays back faster, but Option A saves more each year, so the answer depends on the time horizon.
What is the payback period of Option A, in years?
What is the payback period of Option B, in years?
Over five years, ignoring the time value of money, how much more net saving does Option A give than Option B, in millions of dollars?
How much less upfront cost does Option B need than Option A, in millions of dollars?
Which opening sentence is strongest for your presentation?
The practice pack is original. It teaches the format; it does not copy any firm's written or group case. So What Club is not affiliated with or endorsed by any firm or test provider named here.
Sources, official first (checked 28 September 2026)
- BCG careers, application process at BCG in the Netherlands (official): https://careers.bcg.com/global/en/locations/the-netherlands
- PwC Middle East, opportunities for GCC nationals (official): https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/careers/watani_nationals_careers.html
- Road to Offer, written case interview guide: https://www.roadtooffer.com/blog/written-case-interview-guide
- Hacking the Case Interview, Oliver Wyman case interview: https://www.hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/oliver-wyman-case-interview
- Road to Offer, Deloitte case interview guide: https://www.roadtooffer.com/blog/deloitte-case-interview-guide
- Road to Offer, EY-Parthenon case interview guide: https://www.roadtooffer.com/blog/ey-parthenon-case-interview-guide
- StrategyCase, Bain SOVA test: https://strategycase.com/bain-sova-test/
Sources for this lesson (7)
- BCG careers, application process at BCG in the Netherlands (official)
- PwC Middle East, opportunities for GCC nationals (official)
- Road to Offer, written case interview guide
- Hacking the Case Interview, Oliver Wyman case interview
- Road to Offer, Deloitte case interview guide
- Road to Offer, EY-Parthenon case interview guide
- StrategyCase, Bain SOVA test
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