Consulting casebooks: which are public and how to use them

Darden's book names these stages. In our reading, Notre Dame's and Penn's cases follow the same order.

1. Prompt

   The client and the question

   Darden says every prompt introduces the company, the industry and what the client wants, and some leave the main objective vague.

2. Clarifying info

   Facts given only when asked

   Notre Dame's cases list facts to "provide this information only if the candidate explicitly asks for it".

3. Framework

   A sample structure

   Notre Dame notes that its sample framework is one example, not the only right answer.

4. Exhibits and math

   Charts and numbers to work through

   Penn marks the slides to show the interviewee. Darden adds guides to reading exhibits and doing case math.

5. Conclusion

   The recommendation

   Darden says the close should state the action the client should take and cite the key insights.

Our own cases, with the prompt, exhibits, math and a model answer on the page. None is from a club casebook.

1. Profitability

   Cold storage profits

   A Midwest cold storage company with six warehouses and a profit question.

   Cold storage profitability case

2. Market sizing

   Data center cooling

   Size next year's market for a maker of immersion cooling for data centers.

   Data center cooling market sizing case

3. Acquisition

   A sensor supplier

   Should a construction equipment maker buy its sensor supplier?

   Sensor supplier acquisition case

4. Market entry

   Clothing rental

   A fast-fashion retailer with flat revenue weighs a move into clothing rental.

   Clothing rental market entry case

5. Pricing

   Seeds in a drought

   Price a new corn seed that keeps most of its yield in a drought.

   Drought seed pricing case

6. Private equity

   A freight brokerage buyout

   A fund weighs buying a US truckload freight broker.

   Freight brokerage buyout case

7. Product

   Grocery delivery

   A restaurant delivery app thinking about groceries.

   Grocery delivery product case

8. Growth

   A cruise line's private island

   A cruise line with 10 ships looks for more profit from a private island.

   Cruise private island growth case

1. Step 1

   Start at the easy end

   Notre Dame sorts its cases into five difficulty levels and Darden rates each one. Do two or three easy cases before the hard ones.

   From Notre Dame 2026 Case Book and Darden Case Book 2018-2019.

2. Step 2

   Don't read the case you'll solve

   Penn's guide says it plainly: for the cases where you are the interviewee, "DO NOT LOOK AT THE CASE." Let your partner give it to you.

   From Penn Career Services.

3. Step 3

   Run it out loud, on a clock

   Penn's cases are built for 45 minutes. Darden gives the case itself 20 to 30 minutes of an interview. Speak every step, math included.

   Free sample case, no sign-up

   From Penn Career Services and Darden Case Book 2018-2019.

4. Step 4

   Score it, then redo the weak part

   Darden's book puts a score sheet at the end of each case. Redo the framework, the math or the close, whichever scored lowest.

   Case interview math

   From Darden Case Book 2018-2019.

5. Step 5

   Swap roles

   Giving a case teaches you what interviewers listen for. Take turns with a classmate, one case each.

   How to practice cases alone

6. Step 6

   Add cases you haven't seen

   Casebooks repeat, so mix in the firms' own cases and fresh ones before a final round.

   Case interview examplesFree case interview practiceMcKinsey case interviewBCG case interviewBain case interview

The most common casebook case.

1. 1

   Your client is a regional grocery chain. Profits are down 20% over two years. How would you structure the problem?

   What a strong answer does

   Splits profit into revenue and costs, asks for the numbers by line, and finds which part moved before naming causes. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Revenue is flat. Where do you look next?”
   • “Which cost would you check first, and why?”
2. 2

   An airline's profits are falling even though it is carrying more passengers. What is going on?

   What a strong answer does

   Notices that more volume with less profit points to price or cost per passenger, then tests each with data. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Average fares fell 8%. What could explain it?”
   • “How would you check if fuel is the issue?”
3. 3

   A clothing retailer needs to cut costs by 10% without hurting sales. Where would you look?

   What a strong answer does

   Sizes each cost bucket first, then targets the big ones that customers don't see. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Store labor is 30% of costs. What would you do with it?”
   • “What cut would hurt sales most?”

Should the client go, and how?

1. 4

   A European e-bike maker is thinking about entering the US market. How would you structure the decision?

   What a strong answer does

   Covers the market, competitors, the client's ability to win and the cost to enter, and ends with a go or no-go. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “How would you size the US e-bike market?”
   • “Build, buy or partner?”
2. 5

   A US coffee chain is considering opening in India. How would you approach it?

   What a strong answer does

   Tailors the structure to India, from tastes and price points to real estate and local rivals, and ties it to a decision. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Which city first, and why?”
   • “What would make you say no?”
3. 6

   A gym chain wants to double its revenue in five years. How would you approach the problem?

   What a strong answer does

   Lists growth levers by size, such as more members, higher spend and new sites, and checks which can reach the goal. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “How many new gyms would it take?”
   • “Which lever is cheapest?”

Set a price or judge a deal.

1. 7

   A software company is launching a new analytics add-on for its existing customers. How would you set the price?

   What a strong answer does

   Uses value to the customer, competitors' prices and cost, and says which one sets the price. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Per user or per company?”
   • “How would you test the price?”
2. 8

   Your client's main competitor has just cut prices by 20%. How should the client respond?

   What a strong answer does

   Asks why the rival cut, how customers will react and what matching would cost before picking a response. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “How many customers would you lose by not matching?”
   • “Is there an option besides price?”
3. 9

   A large food company wants to acquire a plant-based snack startup. Should it?

   What a strong answer does

   Weighs the target's value, the fit and synergies against the price, and gives a clear yes or no. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Which synergies would you count on?”
   • “What is the most it should pay?”

The parts casebooks drill on their own.

1. 10

   How many gas stations are there in the United States?

   What a strong answer does

   Picks a clear route, such as cars and fill-ups per station, states each assumption and sanity checks the answer. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “What would you check the number against?”
   • “How would the answer change for a rural state?”
2. 11

   A coffee chain is opening a new store. How many cups a day does it need to sell to break even?

   What a strong answer does

   Divides fixed costs by the margin per cup, does the math out loud and says whether the number is realistic. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “Rent goes up 20%. What happens?”
   • “Is that many cups a day realistic for one store?”
3. 12

   You have finished the analysis on a market entry case and the CEO walks in. What is your recommendation?

   What a strong answer does

   Leads with the answer, gives two or three reasons with numbers, then the risks and next steps. Practice it, see a model answer

   • “What is the biggest risk?”
   • “What would you do in the first 90 days?”

• Reading the answer first

  A case you have read is a case you can't practice. Have a partner give it to you cold.

• Practicing silently

  The interview is spoken. Say the framework, the math and the close out loud, every time.

• Using one book for everything

  One club's cases share a style. Mix books, firm cases and fresh cases.

• Ignoring a book's sharing notice

  Kellogg's 2016 cover says the book is for club members only. Respect what each club says about sharing.