Selection Process
Bachelor programs 2024/25 AY
Bocconi test: structure, time management and how to prepare for it
Test structure and subject areas
The Bocconi test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, divided in 4 subject areas:
- Mathematics: 28 questions
- Reading comprehension: 11 questions
- Numerical reasoning: 6 questions
- Critical thinking: 5 questions
MATHEMATICS
Algebra:
— Know how to solve and manipulate algebraic expressions with polynomials, powers, radicals.
— Know how to solve and interpret first and second degree equations with one unknown
— Given a relation among several quantities, know how to find one as a function of the others
— Know how to solve and interpret first and second degree inequalities with one unknown
— Know how to solve and interpret first and second degree systems of equations with two unknowns
— Know how to solve and interpret first and second degree equations and inequalities containing absolute values
Functions:
— Know the meaning of the mathematical notation and how to manipulate formulas
— Know the concepts of function, inverse function and composition of functions. Know the graphs of the elementary functions (powers, logarithms, exponentials, absolute value).
Plane Geometry:
— Know how to use the fundamental formulas of the main geometric shapes: Triangle, Circle, Square, Trapezoid, Rhombus.
Analytical Geometry:
— Know and know how to use the fundamentals of analytical representation of geometry: points and distance between points.
— Know and know how to interpret the analytical equations and properties of lines: parallel lines, perpendicular lines, slope of a line, intersection between lines, etc.
— Know and know how to interpret the analytical equations and properties of parabolas and circles. Know and know how to interpret the links and the relative positions of a line and a circle/parabola and their equations.
Trigonometry:
— Know how to use the main identities trigonometric. Know the functions: sin(x), cos(x), tan(x), their graphical representations and the applications to right triangles.
Sets:
— Know how to use di basic elements of set theory: inclusion, union, intersection, complement, cartesian product
Logarithms/Exponentials:
— Know the meaning of the logarithmic and exponential forms
— Know how to solve simple equations, inequalities, even graphical, involving logarithms and/or exponentials
— Know and how to interpret the fundamental identities involving logarithms and/or exponentials
Discrete Mathematics:
— Know the main formulas of combinatorics (permutations, combinations with and without repetitions) know how to apply them to simple problems.
— Know how to solve simple counting problems (sum rule, product rule)
Numbers:
— Know and know how to use the properties of the order in the real numbers set, with relation to the fundamental operations (sum, product, etc.)
— Know and know how to use percentage
— Know and know how to solve simple problems involving conversions between various units of measures
Probability:
— Know how to apply the basic properties of probability to solve problems.
— Know how to apply the basic properties of a probability measure (probability of union and intersection of events, total probability theorem, conditional probability, Bayes' theorem)
Problem solving:
— know how to solve simple application problems
Statistics:
— Know how to derive absolute and relative frequencies, conjoint and conditioned on frequency distributions given in tables or diagrams.
— Know the formulas for the main measures of central tendency and dispersion and kwno how to compute them starting from frequency distributions or raw data.
READING COMPREHENSION
The purpose of these questions is to test reading comprehension and the ability to process the information contained in the text. The passages should be read carefully. Several questions follow the reading. In order to answer correctly, the meaning and information contained in the text needs to be understood: some of these questions test comprehension of explicit information, while others relate to the implicit meaning of the passage as a whole or of some of its parts.
NUMERICAL REASONING
Advanced knowledge of mathematics is not required to answer these questions, because each time the task will be to solve the problem primarily through reasoning and by paying attention to the data you have been given. When calculations need to be made, these are generally simple, and more often than not, the biggest challenge lies in being able to read a chart or table correctly, understand it and differentiate between information that is critical and information that is superfluous to solving the problem.
CRITICAL THINKING
"Critical thinking" is the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize, apply, analyze, summarize and/or assess information.
Applicants’ ability to understand and interpret the meaning of a text, draw conclusions from it or exclude implications from it based solely on the information it contains (explicitly or implicitly) will be tested.
In the first type of question, data and statements will be presented. The applicant will have to choose which statements are true (or false) depending only on the data provided.
In the second type of question, a short passage will be presented that includes a number of assertions intended to convey information or convince the reader of an opinion. The passage is followed by an assertion, and the applicant must decide whether this information, based on what is given in the passage, is true, false, or it cannot be deduced from the text because information is missing.
Time management and score assessment
The online Bocconi test lasts 75 minutes.
The questions are distributed within the test in a mixed way both by difficulty level and by topic.
The time for the resolution of each question may vary depending on the type of question.
It is important that you work on your time management skills and on your ability to move smoothly from one topic to another as well as on developing a personal strategy that takes into account your areas of strenght and weakeness.
Scores are calculated as follows:
- Right answer: 1 point
- Missing answer: 0 points
- Wrong answer: — 0.2 points.
For questions of the "critical thinking" area that give only three possible answer options, the penalty will be — 0.33 points
Applicants who receive a total score (penalties included) lower than 17 will not be considered in the selection process.
In addition, those students who have the Bachelor in Mathematical and Computing Sciences for Artificial Intelligence among their choices, will need to obtain at least 11 points out of 28 in the "Mathematics" area of the Bocconi online test to be considered for that program.
Support for students with disabilities and learning disorders
Further information are available on the webpage dedicated to students with disabilities/learning disorders.
How to prepare for the test: online simulation
There are no official Bocconi test preparation textbooks.
In order to practice for the test, you can try the Bocconi online test simulation.
The simulation consists of 50 questions to be answered in 75 minutes, regulated by a timer.
Please note that, unlike the actual Bocconi online test, during the simulation the proctoring system will not be activated and at the end you will be able to see a revision of your performance (correct, wrong, blank answers).
Access the Bocconi online test simulation
Practical information on the Bocconi online test
Registering and taking the test
THE WEBTESTING PLATFORM
The Bocconi online test is held through an external webtesting platform implemented with a proctoring system, available at this link:
Starting from 10 July, applicants will be able to create their account on the webtesting platform and register for a test date.
Applicants will be able to take their online test starting from 12 July 2023 on.
| Bocconi online test |
| available from 12 July 2023 to 10 April 2024* |
*During this period, different dates will be available for taking the test and applicants may choose according to their preferences, upon availability of test slots.
The webtesting platform will not be available:
- from 6 through 23 August 2023
- from 22 September through 1 October 2023
- from 7 through 10 December 2023
- from 23 December 2023 through 1 January 2024
- from 26 January through 4 February 2024
Please consider that the webtesting platform will close a few days before the application deadline and students should schedule their test accordingly.
Attention! For each round of selection, the last day to take the test is two days before the deadline for submitting the application (for example: if the admission application deadline is Friday 10th, the last available day to take the test will be Wednesday 8th, provided it is booked by Monday 6th).
When scheduling and booking your test, please take into account that test dates that are just before the deadlines are the most popular so they might run out of places very fast.
Please consider that days close to the deadlines are highly requested and book your preferred test date well in advance to avoid possible sold-out options.
CREATING AN ACCOUNT AND TAKING THE TEST
On your first access, you should register and create a personal account. Once your account has been activated, you can use it to log in to the webtesting platform at any time.
On the webesting platform you can:
- see the test dates available and book a test attempt
- purchase a "test attempt" (max 3 per academic year)
- take the online test
- see and download your test score reports.
Applicants can take the test max. 3 times per academic year, during the entire period abovementioned.
They can't take the test twice on the same day or two days in a row.
After obtaining a test score, applicants might want to review their performace and take their time to prepare for the next attempt.
Only students who are graduating from high school in 2023/24 (or already graduated) have the right to take the Bocconi online test.
Students who take the test when not eligible (for example those graduating later than 2023/24) will have their test voided and will be excluded from any future round of selection.
For each test attempt, applicants are required to pay a 60€ test fee.
Access to the online test is subject to the payment of the test fee.
You can purchase a test attempt and book a test slot in advance, and log in to the webtesting platform to take your test later.
After purchasing a test attempt, the test will be available within about 48 hours. This means that you will need to complete the purchase by September 17 if you would like to take the test on September 19, and so on.
Once the applicants have obtanied their test score, it's their decision whether to apply for admissions or not and which test score to use (if they have took the test more than once).
Instructions and rules of conduct
To better prepare for your test, it is essential that you get to know what devices and technical requirements are needed, what rules of conduct apply and what steps you will go through to start and finish your test.
On this webpage in the "Focus on" area, you can find the document "Instructions and rules of conduct" that includes all the abovementioned information. Read it carefully before your test day!
Violation of the regulations indicated in the document "instructions and rules of conduct" might result in the test being voided and/or in the applicant being excluded from the round/s of selection for AY 2024-2.5.
Test score report
The test score report sums up the performance of your test attempt.
It will be available for download in your webtesting platform's personal area, about 48hrs after your test.
The test score report includes your total score, subject areas scores, number of correct, wrong, not answered items. It is indeed very useful to review your performance and understand your area of weakness and strenght for your future test attempt(s).
On your test score report you will find a REFERENCE NUMBER made up of ten alfanumeric characters.
This code is a unique identifier of your test attempt and will have to be indicated in your online admission application as it appears on your test score report in the section "ref. no." (example: 24UE3aK1v5).
Contacts and technical assistance
For assistance on the purchase of a test attempt on the webtesting platform, refund policy, technical issues and/or disconnection during the test, etc. please send an email via this form: support.giuntipsy.com
The above-mentioned form is the only one that can be used to report technical problems during the exam. Reports arrived via other addresses or other systems (e.g., phone calls or chat) will not be considered in any way.
The assistance service is active Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00, and on Friday from 9:00 to 16:30. Reports received on Saturday and Sunday will be handled starting from the following Monday. Responses to emails received for cases not included in the FAQ will be provided within the next 48h working hours.
Reports of technical problems must be received within 24 hours of taking the test. For example, if you take the test on Monday at 15:00, you will need to report any technical problems you have encountered by Tuesday at 15:00.
For information and clarifications relating the rules of conduct, test scores and admissions results, etc. please write to: admissionsoffice@unibocconi.it or call +39.02.5836.3344
