Best Bocconi Test Study Materials & Resources (2026)

The Bocconi Online Test doesn’t have a single official preparation book the way the SAT has Khan Academy or the GMAT has the Official Guide. This means students end up cobbling together resources from forums, tutoring services, and generic test-prep websites — and most of what they find is either too easy, too hard, or just not relevant. This article is a curated list of the materials that actually work, organised by section, with honest notes on what to use and what to skip.

The 3 resources every serious candidate needs

1. Bocconi’s own official sample test (free, on the admissions page)
2. One strong general reasoning/aptitude book or question bank for drilling
3. A timed simulation environment (even if it’s just a printed practice test + stopwatch)

Everything else is optional. Don’t waste money on paid courses until you’ve exhausted the free stuff.

1. The one official resource (free)

Bocconi Official Sample Test — published on the Bocconi Admissions Office website.

This is the single most important resource. It shows you exactly what the current year’s test looks like — question style, difficulty, interface, timing. Every student we coach starts here.

How to use it: Don’t sit it cold in the first week of prep. Save it for week 3 or 4, after you’ve done enough general practice to actually benefit from the feedback. Sitting the official sample test without any prep is a waste of a limited resource.

Caveat: The sample test is updated each year. Always use the current year’s version. Old versions from forums may not match the current format.

2. Mathematics resources

The Bocconi Test’s maths section is roughly equivalent to SAT Math or the easier end of GMAT Quant. Resources that work well:

For foundations:

• Khan Academy — Algebra, Geometry, and Probability modules (free). Covers the maths content you need at the right level. Skip the calculus modules — you won’t need them. Focus on: linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, basic coordinate geometry, counting/probability, percentages, and word problems.
• Art of Problem Solving — Introduction to Algebra and Introduction to Counting & Probability (paid books, moderate price). If you want deeper foundations and enjoy slightly harder problems than what you’ll see on the test, these are excellent. Not strictly necessary.

For timed drilling:

• SAT Math official practice tests (free on College Board’s site). The SAT Math difficulty and style overlap significantly with the Bocconi Test maths section. Sit the SAT Math sections with a tight timer (Bocconi-style, ~1 minute per question) and you’ll get solid practice.
• GMAT Quant sections (from Official Guide or free samples). Slightly harder than what you’ll see on the Bocconi Test, which is fine for training. If you can handle a GMAT Quant question in 90 seconds, you can handle a Bocconi maths question in 60.

What to skip: Italian test-prep books written for the Italian high-school system. They’re often focused on topics (calculus, advanced analysis) that don’t appear on the Bocconi Test.

3. Logic resources

This is often the highest-ROI section for students, because logic is highly trainable and most students have never practised it before.

For foundations:

• LSAT Logic Games (plenty of free samples online, and the LSAT Logic Games Bible is a well-regarded paid book). LSAT logic games are harder than Bocconi logic questions, which is exactly why they’re useful training. If you can handle LSAT logic, Bocconi logic feels easy.
• GMAT Critical Reasoning practice questions. These teach you to spot assumptions, identify conclusions, and think about logical structure. Directly useful.
• Free online “IQ test” question banks for pattern recognition and sequences. These are often low quality, but the format is similar to some Bocconi logic questions.

For drilling:

• Do 20–30 logic questions per day for two weeks. You will measurably improve. Logic is the most trainable section.

What to skip: Philosophy logic textbooks (too theoretical). Formal symbolic logic courses (overkill).

4. Numerical reasoning resources

Numerical reasoning on the Bocconi Test is percentages, ratios, table and chart interpretation, and simple calculations under time pressure.

For foundations:

• SHL numerical reasoning practice tests (available on several psychometric testing sites, some free samples). These are actually closer to the Bocconi numerical reasoning section in style than anything else we’ve found — tables, charts, percentages, quick calculations.
• Kenexa / IPC / Saville numerical tests (similar psychometric test format). Free samples online.

For drilling:

• Practice percentages in your head every day. “What’s 15% of 340?” “If revenue grows from 80 to 100, what’s the growth rate?” “If this table shows sales by region, what’s region B’s share?” Mental arithmetic speed is the single biggest determinant of performance on this section.

What to skip: Complex statistics textbooks. You don’t need standard deviation formulas for this section.

5. Verbal and critical reading resources

This is where non-native English speakers lose the most ground, so pay attention.

For foundations:

• SAT Reading & Writing sections (free on College Board’s site). Closest available match for Bocconi verbal style. Vocabulary in context, sentence structure, analogies, and reading comprehension.
• GRE Verbal Reasoning practice questions. Slightly harder vocabulary than SAT but similar structure. Useful for stretching if you’re scoring well on SAT verbal.
• The Economist or Financial Times articles (available free through most libraries or digital subscriptions). Read one article per day. Mark the words you don’t know. Look them up. This builds vocabulary and reading speed faster than dedicated vocab lists.

For critical reading:

• LSAT Reading Comprehension passages (harder than Bocconi but excellent training). If you can handle LSAT reading comprehension in time, Bocconi critical reading feels easy.
• GMAT Reading Comprehension passages (closer to Bocconi difficulty). Good middle ground.

What to skip: Vocabulary flashcard apps with lists of “SAT words” memorised out of context. Useless. Learn vocabulary from actual reading.

6. Tools and platforms

Timing tools:

• A simple phone stopwatch is enough. You don’t need fancy software.
• For full simulations, print a practice test and sit it with pen and paper under a strict 75-minute timer. Practising on a laptop is closer to test day conditions.

Question banks and apps:

• Magoosh GMAT / GRE (paid, subscription). Good quality question banks with explanations. Useful if you want a single platform covering multiple sections.
• Kaplan test prep (paid). Solid but commercial. Worth it only if you’re willing to pay for convenience.

Free online communities:

• Reddit r/Bocconi and similar forums. Good for asking format questions and getting answers from current students. Be cautious about scoring advice — many posts are outdated or from students who didn’t actually get admitted.
• The Student Room (UK-based forum with active Bocconi threads). Useful for UK applicants.

7. Paid courses — worth it?

Paid Bocconi-specific prep courses exist. Our honest take: they’re usually not worth it for most students.

When paid courses make sense:

• You have the budget and want the structure of a scheduled course
• You are significantly below the competitive threshold (e.g., cold score below 60) and need hand-holding
• You’ve already used free resources and hit a plateau

When paid courses don’t make sense:

• You’re already scoring in the 70s or 80s on practice tests — the marginal improvement from paid courses is small
• You have limited budget — spend it on application fees, English tests, or travel instead
• You haven’t yet finished the free resources — start with those first

What to watch out for:

• Courses that promise specific score improvements (“guaranteed 90+!”). These promises are unreliable.
• Courses that sell “leaked questions” or “real test questions.” These are usually scams or old material.
• Courses that don’t show you sample lessons or practice materials before you pay.

If you decide to use a paid course, look for: structured curriculum, real practice questions with explanations, access to instructors or a community, and free trial content so you can assess quality before paying.

8. Building your study library — a minimum kit

Here’s the minimum kit we recommend for most students:

1. Bocconi official sample test (free, save for week 3+)
2. Khan Academy SAT prep (free, for maths and verbal foundations)
3. SAT official practice tests (free, for timed drilling)
4. A LSAT logic games sample book or free resource (for logic training)
5. Financial Times or Economist subscription or equivalent (for reading and vocabulary)
6. A stopwatch or timer (free, on your phone)

Total cost: under €20 (or free if you can access the Financial Times through a library). That’s enough to prepare properly.

If you want to go further, add:

1. Magoosh or Kaplan question bank for extra practice
2. LSAT Logic Games Bible if logic is your weakness
3. GRE Verbal practice if your English is your weakness

9. What to skip entirely

Save your time and money by avoiding:

• Random YouTube videos claiming to “leak” the Bocconi Test. They don’t.
• Paid Telegram groups selling “exam leaks.” Scams.
• Old practice tests from 2015 or earlier. The format has changed.
• Italian high-school maths textbooks unless your maths is genuinely weak. Too broad.
• Philosophy-style logic textbooks. Wrong format.
• SAT vocabulary flashcard apps. Inefficient.
• Generic “how to improve at tests” books. Too vague.

10. How to structure your reading

A common mistake: students read articles, watch videos, and download PDFs without actually doing questions. Reading about the test is not the same as practising for the test.

Rule of thumb: Spend 80% of your prep time on timed practice questions and 20% on content review. If you’re reversed (80% reading, 20% questions), your score will not improve.

After every practice question, ask yourself:

1. Did I get it right?
2. If yes, did I use the fastest method, or did I get there the slow way?
3. If no, where did my reasoning go wrong?
4. Would I get a similar question right next time?

Keep a mistake log. Review it weekly. That’s how your score actually moves.

11. FAQ

Do I need to buy books to prepare?
No. The core resources (Khan Academy, SAT practice tests, Bocconi’s official sample test) are free.

How many practice tests should I sit before the real test?
At least two full timed simulations. Ideally three or four.

Should I use ChatGPT or AI tutors to explain questions I get wrong?
Carefully. AI tutors can be helpful for explanations, but they sometimes produce wrong answers confidently. Always cross-check with official solutions.

Is there a Bocconi Test study guide Bocconi itself publishes?
Bocconi publishes the sample test and general guidance on their admissions page. They do not publish a full prep book.

What’s the single most valuable resource?
The Bocconi official sample test combined with timed SAT Math and Reading practice.

Need help building a prep library that actually fits your level? Book a free strategy call and we’ll point you at the right resources for your specific gaps.

Related articles:

• Complete Guide to Bocconi University: Requirements, Test & Application (2026)
• Bocconi University Entrance Exam 2026: Structure, Dates & Registration
• Bocconi Entrance Exam Sample Questions & Practice
• 6-Week Bocconi Test Preparation Plan

Author

About Adam Girsault

With a Bachelor's (LLB) from UCL and Assas, and the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, Adam has over 10 years of experience in education and student mentoring. Passionate about helping students achieve their academic dreams, he co-founded Your Dream School to guide students through university admissions and interview preparation for top global institutions.

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