Yes. Deloitte uses the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as part of its online assessment stage for consulting graduate and experienced hire roles in the UK and several other markets. It typically appears 1–2 weeks after the initial application, alongside a situational judgement test, and before the video interview stage.

Big 4 firms do not officially publish their cut-off scores, but candidate reports and employer guidance consistently indicate that the 70th percentile is the minimum viable threshold, with competitive applicants reaching the 75th–80th percentile. On Form D (40 questions), this corresponds to roughly 32–36 correct answers. Aiming for the 75th percentile is the safest target.

No. MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) use their own proprietary assessments: McKinsey uses the Solve game and Problem Solving Test (PST), BCG uses the BCG Online Case and Pymetrics, and Bain uses a case-based online assessment. None of the MBB firms use Watson Glaser as a standard tool. However, the analytical reasoning skills developed through Watson Glaser preparation overlap with MBB case-style thinking.

Watson Glaser typically falls in the online assessment stage, which occurs after the initial application and CV screen but before telephone or video interviews and assessment centres. The typical timeline for a Big 4 consulting graduate role is: application (week 1) → online assessments including Watson Glaser (weeks 2–3) → video interview (weeks 4–5) → assessment centre (weeks 6–8) → offer decision.

Watson Glaser measures verbal critical thinking — evaluating the strength of arguments, identifying assumptions, and drawing logical inferences from written passages. KPMG's numerical reasoning test, by contrast, measures the ability to interpret data presented in tables, charts, and graphs, and to perform calculations under time pressure. They test different cognitive skills, so preparation for one does not substitute for preparation for the other. If KPMG includes both in its assessment suite for your role, practise both formats in combined sessions to manage fatigue.

Yes. Law firm applicants typically treat Watson Glaser as their primary cognitive screen and invest the most preparation time there. Consulting applicants must balance Watson Glaser prep with numerical reasoning, case study, and situational judgement preparation — Watson Glaser is one component of a broader assessment, not the central differentiator. Consulting applicants should still aim for the 75th percentile, but should not over-index on Watson Glaser at the expense of numerical reasoning practice.