In this article
- Bocconi Entrance Exam Sample Questions & Practice (2026)
- Section A : Mathematics
- Section B : Logic
- Section C : Numerical reasoning
- Section D : Verbal reasoning
- Section E : Critical reading
Bocconi Entrance Exam Sample Questions & Practice (2026)
The single most effective way to prepare for the Bocconi Online Test is not to memorise theory. It is to answer questions under real timing and then review every mistake you make. Below are 20 original sample questions in the style of the test, covering mathematics, logic, numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and critical reading, each with a worked solution and a speed tip.
The best practice material is Bocconi’s own. The university runs an official online simulation that replicates the structure and format of the Online Bocconi Test (50 questions in 75 minutes), and a practice app with questions grouped by subject and topic. You’ll find both on the official Online Bocconi Test page. If you want a tutor to build your plan around your weak areas, compare our Bocconi preparation packs.
Sit it timed. Review every mistake. Come back to the ones you got wrong two weeks later with a clean mind. That is how you actually move your score.
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How to use this article
- Work through all 20 questions first : the solutions are hidden at the end of the article, one click each.
- Give yourself 15 minutes to do all 20 questions.
- Mark your answers. Check against the solutions.
- Review every mistake : and every correct answer you guessed or were unsure about.
Section A : Mathematics
Q1. If 3x + 2y = 18 and x – y = 1, what is the value of x?
A) 3 B) 4 C) 5 D) 6
Q2. A rectangle has a perimeter of 36 cm and an area of 72 cm². What is the length of its longer side?
A) 9 cm B) 10 cm C) 11 cm D) 12 cm
Q3. A fair six-sided die is rolled twice. What is the probability that the sum of the two rolls is 8?
A) 1/6 B) 5/36 C) 1/9 D) 1/12
Q4. If f(x) = 2x² – 3x + 1, what is f(3) – f(1)?
A) 8 B) 10 C) 12 D) 14
Section B : Logic
Q5. All roses in Mara’s garden are red. Some flowers in Mara’s garden are not roses. Which of the following must be true?
A) Some flowers in Mara’s garden are not red.
B) All red flowers in Mara’s garden are roses.
C) Some flowers in Mara’s garden are red.
D) No conclusion can be drawn with certainty.
Q6. Four friends, Ana, Bea, Chiara, and Dina, sit in a row. Ana is not at either end. Bea is to the immediate left of Chiara. Dina is at the left end. Which of the following must be true?
A) Ana sits next to Bea.
B) Chiara sits next to Dina.
C) Bea is at the right end.
D) Ana sits next to Chiara.
Q7. If today is Tuesday, then Paolo goes to the gym. Paolo did not go to the gym today. Which of the following must be true?
A) Today is not Tuesday.
B) Today is Wednesday.
C) Paolo never goes to the gym on Tuesdays.
D) Paolo only goes to the gym on Tuesdays.
Q8. In a group of 30 students, 18 study economics, 12 study statistics, and 6 study both. How many study neither?
A) 2 B) 4 C) 6 D) 8
Section C : Numerical reasoning
Q9. A company’s revenue grew from €400,000 to €500,000 over one year. What was the percentage growth?
A) 20% B) 25% C) 30% D) 40%
Q10. A product sells for €80. The seller offers a 15% discount, then charges 10% VAT on the discounted price. What is the final price?
A) €74.80 B) €75.20 C) €74.00 D) €76.50
Q11. In a bar chart, country A exports €120 million, country B exports €80 million, and country C exports €200 million. What percentage of the total does country A represent?
A) 20% B) 25% C) 30% D) 35%
Q12. A population of 20,000 grows at 3% per year, compounded annually. What is its size after two years (to the nearest whole)?
A) 21,218 B) 21,200 C) 21,800 D) 20,600
Section D : Verbal reasoning
Q13. Choose the word that best completes the sentence:
“Despite the overwhelming evidence, the defendant remained ______ that he was innocent.”
A) ambivalent B) adamant C) apathetic D) ambiguous
Q14. Select the word that best completes the analogy:
“PAINTING is to GALLERY as BOOK is to ______.”
A) author B) library C) page D) story
Q15. Which word is closest in meaning to “prodigious”?
A) wasteful B) enormous C) predictable D) cautious
Q16. Choose the sentence with correct grammar:
A) Neither the students nor the teacher were ready for the exam.
B) Neither the students nor the teacher was ready for the exam.
C) Neither the students or the teacher were ready for the exam.
D) Neither the student nor the teachers was ready for the exam.
Section E : Critical reading
Read the passage below, then answer Q17-Q20.
The economics of climate adaptation differ sharply from the economics of climate mitigation. Mitigation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is a classic global public good, where individual countries bear costs that benefit everyone, creating a well-known free-rider problem. Adaptation, by contrast, is largely a local private good. A sea wall built in Jakarta protects Jakarta, not Lagos. This localisation shifts the political economy. Adaptation projects are easier to justify to national voters because the benefits are visible and attributable. Yet adaptation faces its own challenge: timing. Adaptation investments must be made before damages occur, while the public pressure to fund them typically arrives only after disasters strike. Governments that wait for visible damage before acting will find that the cheapest window for adaptation has already closed.
Q17. According to the passage, what is the main difference between mitigation and adaptation?
A) Adaptation is more expensive than mitigation.
B) Mitigation benefits are global while adaptation benefits are mostly local.
C) Mitigation is a private good while adaptation is a public good.
D) Adaptation is only effective after disasters occur.
Q18. What does the author mean by “the cheapest window for adaptation has already closed”?
A) Adaptation projects become impossible after disasters.
B) Waiting for damage to occur raises the cost of adapting.
C) Governments should abandon adaptation in favour of mitigation.
D) Public pressure is always a reliable guide to policy.
Q19. The passage implies that adaptation projects are politically easier than mitigation projects because:
A) they are cheaper to implement.
B) they do not require international cooperation.
C) voters can see the direct benefits to their own region.
D) they are opposed by fewer interest groups.
Q20. The tone of the passage can best be described as:
A) alarmist B) analytical C) dismissive D) nostalgic
Solutions
Reveal each worked solution below : try to resist until you’ve committed to an answer.
Mathematics
Show solution : Q1
Q1. Answer: B) 4.
From the second equation, x = y + 1. Substitute into the first: 3(y+1) + 2y = 18, so 5y + 3 = 18, and y = 3. Therefore x = 4. Speed tip: solving by substitution is faster than elimination here because the coefficients on x and y in the second equation are already 1.
Show solution : Q2
Q2. Answer: D) 12 cm.
Let the sides be l and w. Then 2(l+w) = 36, so l+w = 18, and lw = 72. We need two numbers that add to 18 and multiply to 72: those are 12 and 6. The longer side is 12 cm. Speed tip: don’t solve this with the quadratic formula. Mentally search for factor pairs of 72 that sum to 18.
Show solution : Q3
Q3. Answer: B) 5/36.
There are 36 equally likely outcomes when rolling two dice. The pairs that sum to 8 are (2,6), (3,5), (4,4), (5,3), (6,2) : five of them. Probability is 5/36. Speed tip: memorise the counts for each sum of two dice. You’ll save time on the test.
Show solution : Q4
Q4. Answer: B) 10.
f(3) = 2(9) – 3(3) + 1 = 18 – 9 + 1 = 10. f(1) = 2(1) – 3(1) + 1 = 0. So f(3) – f(1) = 10 – 0 = 10. Speed tip: watch the middle term : -3x at x = 3 is -9, not -3. Slips on the easy questions cost more marks than the hard ones.
Logic
Show solution : Q5
Q5. Answer: D) No conclusion can be drawn with certainty.
We know all roses are red. We know some flowers aren’t roses. But the non-rose flowers could be any colour, including red. We cannot conclude anything about their colour. C fails too: the statements never say there is a rose in the garden at all. Speed tip: on Venn-diagram problems, draw the circles quickly on scratch paper. Visual aids beat verbal reasoning for logic questions.
Show solution : Q6
Q6. Answer: A) Ana sits next to Bea.
Dina takes seat 1. Ana is not at either end, so she sits in seat 2 or 3. Bea and Chiara must sit together, Bea on the left, so they need two neighbouring free seats. With Ana in seat 3 that is impossible, so Ana sits in seat 2 and Bea and Chiara take seats 3 and 4: Dina, Ana, Bea, Chiara. Ana sits next to Bea. Speed tip: place the fixed person first, then drop the block into the only gap it fits.
Show solution : Q7
Q7. Answer: A) Today is not Tuesday.
This is a contrapositive. “If today is Tuesday, then Paolo goes to the gym” is logically equivalent to “If Paolo did not go to the gym, then today is not Tuesday.” Speed tip: memorise the contrapositive rule. It comes up on every Bocconi Test.
Show solution : Q8
Q8. Answer: C) 6.
Using the inclusion-exclusion principle: students studying at least one subject = 18 + 12 − 6 = 24. Students studying neither = 30 − 24 = 6.
Numerical reasoning
Show solution : Q9
Q9. Answer: B) 25%.
Growth = (500,000 − 400,000) / 400,000 = 100,000 / 400,000 = 0.25 = 25%. Speed tip: always divide by the original value, not the new one. Confusing the base is the most common error on percentage questions.
Show solution : Q10
Q10. Answer: A) €74.80.
Discounted price = 80 × 0.85 = 68. With 10% VAT: 68 × 1.10 = 74.80.
Show solution : Q11
Q11. Answer: C) 30%.
Total exports = 120 + 80 + 200 = 400. Country A’s share = 120 / 400 = 0.30 = 30%.
Show solution : Q12
Q12. Answer: A) 21,218.
Year 1: 20,000 × 1.03 = 20,600. Year 2: 20,600 × 1.03 = 21,218. Speed tip: for compound growth over small numbers of periods, calculate step by step rather than using the formula. It’s actually faster.
Verbal reasoning
Show solution : Q13
Q13. Answer: B) adamant.
“Adamant” means firmly unwilling to change one’s mind. In context, the defendant is refusing to change his position despite evidence. “Ambivalent” means uncertain, which doesn’t fit. “Apathetic” means uncaring. “Ambiguous” means unclear.
Show solution : Q14
Q14. Answer: B) library.
A painting is housed in a gallery; a book is housed in a library. Both are institutional locations for displaying or storing the item.
Show solution : Q15
Q15. Answer: B) enormous.
“Prodigious” means remarkably great in size, extent, or degree.
Show solution : Q16
Q16. Answer: B) Neither the students nor the teacher was ready for the exam.
When “neither…nor” connects subjects, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Here the nearer subject is “teacher” (singular), so the verb should be “was.” Option C uses “or” instead of “nor” : grammatically wrong.
Critical reading
Show solution : Q17
Q17. Answer: B).
The passage explicitly contrasts mitigation as a “global public good” with adaptation as “largely a local private good.” Option C reverses the relationship. Speed tip: when a question asks for a main contrast, look for words like “by contrast” or “differ” in the text : the answer is usually right next to them.
Show solution : Q18
Q18. Answer: B).
The metaphor “cheapest window closed” refers to the fact that delaying adaptation until damage is visible raises the cost. Option A overstates (not “impossible”). Option C misreads the author’s position.
Show solution : Q19
Q19. Answer: C).
The passage says adaptation benefits are “visible and attributable,” making them easier to justify to voters. Option B is factually correct in the real world but not the reason the passage cites.
Show solution : Q20
Q20. Answer: B) analytical.
The author presents two concepts, contrasts them, and draws a conclusion. No emotional language, no urgency, no judgment. It’s a cool analytical tone.
How to use these questions effectively
Once you’ve done these twenty questions, don’t just tally your score. Do this instead:
- Identify your slowest section. Which section took you the longest per question? That’s your weakest area.
- Identify your silliest mistake. Which wrong answer made you think “of course, how did I miss that”? Write that error down in a notebook.
- Identify questions you got right but weren’t sure about. Those are lucky guesses. They’ll bite you on the real test.
- Review twice. Do one review the day you sit the practice questions, and a second review one week later.
Twenty questions is a diagnostic, not a full test. The real test is 50 questions in 75 minutes across four sections: mathematics, reading comprehension, numerical reasoning and critical thinking. Bocconi’s official simulation, linked above, is the closest rehearsal. See our 12-week Bocconi test preparation plan for how to build practice into your schedule, and Best Bocconi Test Study Materials & Resources for where to find more practice questions.
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FAQ
Is the official simulation exactly like the real test?
It replicates the structure and format of the Online Bocconi Test, but it is not proctored and its score cannot be used for selection. Treat it as a timed rehearsal.
What’s the best way to improve my maths speed?
Drill the arithmetic. Percentages, fractions, basic algebra, and common factor pairs should be automatic. If you pause to think about what 15% of 80 is, you’re losing time on every numerical question.
How many practice questions do I need before test day?
For a first-time test-taker targeting a score above 80, plan for at least 300 practice questions spread across every part of the test over six weeks.
Ready to put this into a proper preparation plan? Book a free strategy call and we’ll assess your current level and build a six-week prep schedule that fits your timeline.
Related articles:
- Complete Guide to Bocconi University: Requirements, Test & Application (2026)
- Bocconi University Entrance Exam 2026: Structure, Dates & Registration
- 6-Week Bocconi Test Preparation Plan
- Best Bocconi Test Study Materials & Resources
Before you practice, make sure you know the exam inside out: see the complete Bocconi test preparation guide.
Author
With a Bachelor's (LLB) from UCL and Assas, and the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, Adam co-founded Your Dream School in 2018. Since then the company has coached more than 1,000 students through university admissions and interview preparation for top global institutions.
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