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When the invite arrives
- Note the length in your invitation (65, 85 or 95 minutes) and the deadline. McKinsey says the length is in the email; candidates report that it tells you which games you'll get. What each length means.
- Check your computer: McKinsey says Solve runs on a PC or Mac only, not an iPad or phone. A mouse is optional and you don't need sound.
- If you need an accommodation for a disability, a health condition or a learning difficulty, ask your recruiter now, before you start. McKinsey only allows outside help that it has approved in writing.
- Pick your language. Solve is offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.
A week before
- Read the guide for each game on your invite: Red Rock Study, Sea Wolf and, on 85 and 95-minute invites, the Sustainable Futures Lab.
- Play each simulator once, slowly, to learn the screens: Red Rock and Sea Wolf each have a free scenario.
- Drill the traps that cost the most points in practice: percent versus percentage points, weighted averages and probability in Red Rock, and attribute averages out of range in Sea Wolf. See what 265 practice runs show.
Two or three days before
- Do one full timed run of everything on your invite, in order and in one sitting. Our full timed mock does this for the 65 and 85-minute versions.
- Re-read McKinsey's rules (below, under "On the day") so nothing on the day surprises you.
The day before
- Book a slot where nobody will interrupt you. McKinsey suggests exactly that, and candidates report you can't pause once a game's clock is running.
- Charge or plug in the laptop, update the browser, turn off notifications and close everything you won't need.
- Put out a pen and blank paper for working. McKinsey bans pre-prepared notes; blank scrap paper for working is widely reported as fine. If you want certainty, ask your recruiter.
- Save McKinsey's support address, gbil-support@mckinsey.com, somewhere you can see it without leaving the test.
On the day
- Run the tech check at the start. It tells you whether your device meets the minimum requirements.
- Read each tutorial. McKinsey says every game starts with an untimed tutorial, so the clock only starts after it.
- Work alone. McKinsey doesn't allow applications, websites, AI tools or pre-prepared notes, and you may not record or screenshot any part of the test.
- If something breaks, contact support at the time it happens, by email or the live chat. McKinsey says they can add time or reset your link, and that it can't make exceptions if you didn't contact them during the problem.
- Each game runs on its own clock, and candidates report unused time doesn't carry over. Finish each game properly rather than rushing to bank time.
After the test
- McKinsey weighs Solve with the rest of your application; it doesn't decide on Solve alone, and it doesn't publish a pass mark. What's known about the scoring.
- McKinsey may ask you, at random, to do an additional task in person or to explain your logic. Your recruiter tells you if so.
- Your recruiter contacts you about next steps.
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FAQ
Can I use a calculator in the McKinsey Solve?
McKinsey's rules ban applications, websites, AI tools and pre-prepared notes, and don't mention a physical calculator. Candidates report that Red Rock has its own on-screen calculator. If you want to use anything else, ask your recruiter first.
Can I take the McKinsey Solve on an iPad or phone?
No. McKinsey says Solve is only available on a PC or Mac. A mouse is optional and sound isn't needed.
What if my McKinsey Solve crashes?
Contact McKinsey's support team while it's happening, at gbil-support@mckinsey.com or through the live chat. McKinsey says they can add time or reset your link, but can't make an exception if you didn't contact them during the problem.
Is this checklist from McKinsey?
No. SolveForge wrote it from McKinsey's public Solve page and FAQ, plus candidate reports where it says so. Your invitation email and the test's own instructions come first.
SolveForge is an independent practice tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by McKinsey & Company. This checklist is built from the firms' public pages and candidate reports; your invitation email and the test's own instructions are the final word.