No online test appears anywhere in ADL's own materials
Arthur D. Little publishes three interview preparation pages and a downloadable case interview guide. Across all of them, there is no mention of an online test, an aptitude test, a psychometric screen or a written case. Every published assessment method is either a behavioural interview or a case.
That is an absence of published information rather than a guarantee, and ADL publishes no step-by-step process page at all, so round counts and timelines are unknown. But it does mean that for this firm, preparation time is best spent entirely on cases and stories, not on numerical reasoning drills.
The five-step case method ADL asks you to follow
The firm publishes its own sequence, and the framing behind it is worth noting: ADL says the case is there to "assess your ability as a consultant and not to test your business sense or sector knowledge."
- Listen actively. "Make sure you take notes and focus on the core issue."
- Ask for clarification. "Don't be afraid to restate the question back to the interviewer and agree on the objective and case context."
- Structure your process. "Ask for time to structure your case, you should present at least two layers and be ready to discuss them." Two layers is a specific instruction, and most candidates present one.
- Solve the case. "Follow your structure and make sure you ask questions and request data when necessary."
- Close the case. "Reconcile the outcomes of the previous step and be prepared to defend the side you choose."
What ADL says it is scoring: intellectual curiosity, problem-solving with critical thinking, how you use data and how fast you calculate, and confidence in your recommendation.
The behavioural interview
ADL describes this as its chance to see "communication and interpersonal skills" and cultural fit. It publishes its own sample questions, which are unusually direct and repay having answers ready: why do you want to work with us, what company is facing difficulties and what would you recommend, what attributes would you bring to a case team, what experience are you most proud of, and what makes a good management consultant.
The practice case ADL publishes
"Lux Flex" runs in four exercises: build a structured framework, work a quantitative analysis (a city of five million residents, a market worth 300 million euros annually, calculate what share of non-exercisers must join to hit a revenue target), brainstorm additional revenue streams grouped into three distinct categories, then deliver a final recommendation. The guide includes ADL's own arithmetic tip, which is to drop the zeros when adding large numbers under time pressure.
ADL publishes no application deadlines. Roles are posted continuously across internships and experienced hires, with a separate portal for parts of Europe.
Official sources: Case interview · Behavioral interview · Practice case study · Case interview guide (PDF) · About ADL