Analysis Group Case Interview: Process, Question Types, and How to Prepare (2026)

Analysis Group's official materials emphasize behavioral, research, and analytical discussion more than a standard management-consulting case. Candidate reports still suggest that some roles include applied economic case discussions. The practical prep answer is simple: do not walk in expecting only fit questions, and do not prepare as if this were McKinsey.

Here's what AG interviews can look like, and how to prepare for the components you are most likely to see.

What Analysis Group Is (and Why It Matters for Prep)

This distinction drives the interview. AG isn't looking for the same skills as McKinsey or BCG. They want:

• Strong quantitative and econometric analysis ability
• Deep research experience (thesis work, academic projects, prior internships)
• Applied microeconomics knowledge (competition policy, pricing, game theory)
• Ability to explain technical analysis clearly to lawyers and executives

If you've been preparing primarily for strategy consulting cases, you'll need to shift your approach for AG.

Interview Process: Common Patterns

Early Round: Behavioral or Research-Focused Screen

Candidate reports commonly describe an early virtual or phone conversation with one or two consultants. It is often behavioral and research-focused, though the exact length and structure can vary.

What they ask:

• Walk me through a quantitative project you've worked on
• Tell me about a time you worked with messy data and how you handled it
• Describe a research paper or thesis you wrote: what was your methodology?
• Why economic consulting over strategy consulting?
• Why Analysis Group specifically?

What they're actually evaluating:

• Whether you can speak precisely and technically about analytical work
• Whether your quantitative experience is substantive (not just Excel-level)
• Whether you understand what economic consultants do

Key preparation: Pick 2–3 research or analytical projects from your resume and prepare to discuss them at a technical level: What data did you use? What analytical method? What were the limitations? What did you find?

Final Round: Several Consultant Conversations

For Analyst roles, candidates often report several interviews with consultants at different levels, including behavioral, research discussion, and occasional case components.

For Associate roles, final rounds can involve more senior conversations and may put heavier emphasis on research fit, technical depth, and practice alignment.

Components you should prepare for:

1. Behavioral deep dives (same as Round 1, but more senior interviewers)
2. Research walk-through: You may be asked to discuss your most significant research project in depth: methodology, data, regression approach, findings, and limitations
3. Case discussion (not always formal): A business or economic scenario presented as a discussion, not a structured case
4. Micro-economics concepts: Some interviewers test basic microeconomics (supply/demand, elasticity, Nash equilibrium, game theory scenarios)

The AG Case: What Economic Consulting Cases Look Like

AG cases differ from standard consulting cases in three key ways:

Sample AG Case Scenario

Case prompt (from Wall Street Oasis, 2025): "Two major US airlines want to merge. They've hired AG to analyze whether the merger will harm consumers. Walk me through how you'd approach this analysis."

Strong answer framework:

1. Define the market: Which routes overlap? What's the geographic and product market definition? (Price, quality, alternatives)

2. Competitive effects analysis:

   • Horizontal overlap: on overlapping routes, both carriers compete directly
   • Pricing effect: are these routes highly concentrated (HHI analysis)? Will removing one competitor cause fares to rise?
   • Coordinated effects: even on non-overlapping routes, will the merger facilitate tacit collusion?

3. Efficiencies and consumer benefits:

   • Cost synergies from combined operations
   • Network effects: does the merger improve connectivity for travelers?
   • Are benefits large enough to offset competitive harm?

4. Data and methodology:

   • Regression analysis of historical price effects at merging airports
   • Diversion ratio analysis (what % of passengers would switch to the other carrier vs. alternatives)
   • Upward Pricing Pressure (UPP) test

5. Conclusion: AG would assess whether efficiencies outweigh anticompetitive effects and advise the client accordingly.

How should you align your Analysis Group resume and cover letter before this interview?

Make the analytical question, method, and conclusion visible without assuming one practice, degree, or software requirement. The target role and office decide which research evidence is relevant.

• Before: Conducted quantitative analysis.
• After: Tested the demand question across two data cuts and summarized the result for the project sponsor's decision.

Check that you can explain why the method fit the question and where the evidence stops. Recruiters read the documents together: the resume shows credible analytical work, while the letter explains why that evidence fits the selected role. Use the guide's economic-case section to rehearse assumptions and communicate a bounded conclusion.

Revise one analytical line, rehearse the method, and carry the conclusion into the next case practice rep.

What Economics Knowledge to Review

Most AG candidates come from economics or quantitative backgrounds. Brush up on:

If you studied economics at undergrad level or above, most of this should be familiar. If not, a 20-hour review of Pindyck & Rubinfeld's "Microeconomics" covers the core concepts.

Comparison: AG vs. Other Economic Consulting Firms

See our Charles River Associates case interview guide for a detailed comparison with CRA's process, and how economic consulting fits among the main types of consulting firms to place Analysis Group against strategy, operations, and Big 4 practices.

Preparation Checklist

Execution checklist

• ✓

  Prepare 3 quantitative project stories (STAR format with technical detail). AG often evaluates research depth more heavily than standard case skill

• ✓

  Review antitrust economics basics: HHI, market definition, pricing effects. Economic cases at AG require vocabulary and concepts beyond standard business frameworks

• ✓

  Read AG's published reports and expert declarations. Understand what the firm's work actually looks like; name specific cases or reports in your 'why AG' answer

• ✓

  Practice articulating statistical findings to non-technical audiences. You'll often explain regression results to lawyers; clarity is as important as technical accuracy

• ✓

  Prepare a clear 'why AG vs. strategy consulting' narrative. This is a common interview theme, and a specific, research-motivated answer demonstrates genuine interest

Connecting to Broader Prep

AG interviews are less about case frameworks than most consulting interviews. Still, MECE thinking, structured problem decomposition, and case interview communication tips all apply to the economic case discussions.

For the behavioral component, review behavioral interview consulting and practice STAR-format stories specifically about quantitative and research projects.

Sources and Further Reading (checked June 17, 2026)

• Analysis Group Interview Tips and Tricks (official PDF): analysisgroup.com/globalassets/careers/interview_tips_and_tricks.pdf
• Analysis Group FAQ, Careers: analysisgroup.com/careers/faqs
• Hacking the Case Interview, Analysis Group Guide: hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/analysis-group-case-interview
• Wall Street Oasis, Analysis Group Interview Reports: wallstreetoasis.com/company/analysis-group/interview
• Management Consulted, Analysis Group Profile: managementconsulted.com/analysis-group