Bloomberg Assessment Test (BAT) Prep Courses?

I'll be writing the BAT at my school this Friday, March 15th. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good preparatory resources that may be useful in reviewing/studying for the test. I would have preferred to have left myself more than 4 days but unfortunately, I was busy with other exams. Also, if anyone has other previous experience with the test, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I can't post a link but if the BAT sounds interesting to you Google "Bloomberg Assessment Test" and click the first link for an explanation of what it is.

 

It's so broad from my rememberance that you really can't prepare. Just be refreshed and thinking clearly for the test. Maybe go through some of your basic finance class concepts? (WACC, Valuations, CAPM, Accounting Methods, Economics, etc.)

Blue horseshoe loves Anacott Steel
 

Thanks, I found this quote:

AF777:
I took this recently, with no preparation, and think I did well. That being said, I wouldn't exactly call it easy.

I will comment section by section since I have a little time and I'm a nice guy.

Economics - Very simple stuff, but watch out for trick questions. Review the specifics of GDP and the rules surrounding what's included in it.

Financial Statement Reporting and Analysis - Very basic, but again with trick questions designed to make sure you understand some of the subtleties. Just know how basic financial statements work; what they are, what impacts them, etc.

Valuation - Know valuation methods and which to use when. Time value of money.

Investment Banking - Corporate Finance and Financial Advisory - My memory is foggy here, this was quick and easy

Investment Banking - Capital Markets Issuance / Syndication - Also quick, lots of hypothetical questions

Global Markets - Highest number of questions in this section, basically a combination of all the other finance/econ sections but with some FX stuff in there

Investment Management - Easy

Verbal Skills - Read news articles and answer questions about them. Much like the SAT reading comprehension

Math Skills - Similar to SAT math, but easier

Situational Judgment - subjective section designed to assess how you would handle certain situations in a business setting

Ethical Reasoning - same as situational judgment but the situations are ethical dilemmas

Tasks - a news item pops up, how does it affect the value of a certain trade/position?

Analytical Reasoning - logic word problems. if you are not flying through the test and think you might need the full time, DONT LEAVE THIS SECTION TILL LAST, I think it took the longest

Basically, if you paid attention in basic finance/econ courses and have some experience trading anything you should do as well as you would do on a standardized test.

People unfamiliar with finance/econ/accounting would bomb this though.

EDIT: Also it's worth mentioning that I used the full three hours. I think each section is weighted equally and wrong answers count the same as blank answers, so answer everything and don't spend too much time on a section and not finish.

From this thread: http://www.wallstreetoasis(dot)com/forums/bat-bloomberg-assessment-test

Seems like a pretty good summation of everything that's included.

 

It's all fairly easy except the analytical reasoning section which is some crazy brainteaser stuff that takes way too long to solve. Make sure you leave enough time for that section.. it's not that many questions so it's deceiving.

 

Hey rcm,

brainteasers like the sort of thing they ask you at interviews? Or those number sequence kind of thing? Damn I can never get those quick enough.

How about the analytical/numerical side of things? I've heard preparing for the CFA 1 helps, but I've essentially practised it again and again and there are a lot of quant stuff involved.

============================================================= Pursue Excellence, and Success will chase you, pants down.
 
straightnochaser:
Hey rcm,

brainteasers like the sort of thing they ask you at interviews? Or those number sequence kind of thing? Damn I can never get those quick enough.

How about the analytical/numerical side of things? I've heard preparing for the CFA 1 helps, but I've essentially practised it again and again and there are a lot of quant stuff involved.

Check out their website. They have sample questions of each section.

https://www.bloomberginstitute.com/bat/start/getToKnowTheBat.pdf

The sample question they have for analytical reasoning on there is really easy compared to what I got on the actual test though.

 

Yup I did go through the sample questions on the website, but they're suspiciously manageable and I've heard that they're a terrible representation of the true difficulty of the BAT. They'll only be providing the calculator found on Windows PCs, and it's terrible to do quant without a proper calculator. Bah.

JasonLoh, I can't really say because an 80 doesn't actually state anything about your comparative ability. Hope you fared well among the global cohort!

============================================================= Pursue Excellence, and Success will chase you, pants down.
 
straightnochaser:
Yup I did go through the sample questions on the website, but they're suspiciously manageable and I've heard that they're a terrible representation of the true difficulty of the BAT. They'll only be providing the calculator found on Windows PCs, and it's terrible to do quant without a proper calculator. Bah.

JasonLoh, I can't really say because an 80 doesn't actually state anything about your comparative ability. Hope you fared well among the global cohort!

It's been a while, but I don't remember the math being anything too complicated that you can't do easily on the Windows calculator

 
midtowngal:
Here come the tips: that test is useless shit. Been there and done that. Nothing.

Hey MTG, why'd you say that? Hmm, just something to add to the resume though. Plus I get off work 3 hours earlier too LOL

============================================================= Pursue Excellence, and Success will chase you, pants down.
 
midtowngal:
Here come the tips: that test is useless shit. Been there and done that. Nothing.

I am guessing the test is well designed. But I also think Bloomberg Assessment Test" tested your ability to use a Bloomberg terminal.

It's like telling somebody your score on China's Gaokao - I am sure it is impressive if you know what is it is, and how scores are distributed. But hardly anyone does. This is why everybody puts SAT/gmat scores on their resumes.

 

it's pretty useless as anything other than a "testing your finance knowledge to make yourself feel good" kind of thing. I'm in the top 50 globally, it's been about two years since I took the test (was top 25 at the time, slowly drifting down) and the connections that have been made have been offered to me have been terrible. i don't put it on my CV because no one knows what it is about most people assume it has something to do with your ability to use Bloomberg terminal.

 

I doubt this will ever become the industry standard. Banks have made due without it for years, and have their own methods of teaching incoming analysts how to use Bloomberg, it isn't particularly challenging for most people to pick up on the fly. There are also existing certifications one can get, and they never held much weight when picking analysts. Learning how to search on bloomberg or display data is the easy part of the job.

 
GutShot:
I doubt this will ever become the industry standard. Banks have made due without it for years, and have their own methods of teaching incoming analysts how to use Bloomberg, it isn't particularly challenging for most people to pick up on the fly. There are also existing certifications one can get, and they never held much weight when picking analysts. Learning how to search on bloomberg or display data is the easy part of the job.
The test has nothing to do with using the Bloomberg platform.
 

Industry standard? That test is a walk in the park.

[quote]The HBS guys have MAD SWAGGER. They frequently wear their class jackets to boston bars, strutting and acting like they own the joint. They just ooze success, confidence, swagger, basically attributes of alpha males.[/quote]
 
SonnyZH:
Industry standard? That test is a walk in the park.

I have to admit it was pretty easy. I scored in the 90th percentile for corporate valuation and I know very little about that subject. everything I know came from the book Investment banking by Rosenbaum

When luck shuts the door you gotta come in through the window - Doyle Brunson
 

To be honest, I feel with the amount of kids trying to break into finance these days, a test is going to happen sometime down the line.

European banks and Asian banks already give you tests. Some banks give you tests at the end of the SA program just to figure out who really learned their stuff.

I think it'll take a while for the US to adopt this but I can see Asia picking this up pretty fast.

 

It doesn't cost the students anything to take and I believe is free to access to terminal users? Either way if it is helping new grads even in the smallest way got to count for something!

 

I scored in the top 3%. I put it on my CV, and my interviewer (now my employer) briefly asked me about it. I got contacted by a couple of companies, but didn't pursue any.

It's free, you might as well.

 

I've taken it. Got in the 99th percentile but my score was only like 670/800 so not even that high. I think a lot of the people who take it are not very knowledgeable about finance since its open to anyone.

I was contacted one time for an interview by a small hedge fund (~$400M AUM) in NY for an operations role. I don't think employers have really heard of the BAT.

 

Take it right after you take CFA level 1 or the GMAT as it incorporates elements from both. Probably not worth studying for if you're taking it on its own as there's too much material (like CFA), but the test doesn't have a lot of value (unlike CFA). As an aside, the BAT is really fast paced so you really have to hustle to get all the questions done on time.

 

Thanks rafiki, so you took the test? How did you prep? Did you end up working at the firm that contacted you for an interview?

I am planning on taking next friday's. I wasn't sure a week is good to prep. I know everyone's saying it's pretty basic material but I want to make sure I do the best I can.

 
JJstar:
Thanks rafiki, so you took the test? How did you prep? Did you end up working at the firm that contacted you for an interview? I am planning on taking next friday's. I wasn't sure a week is good to prep. I know everyone's saying it's pretty basic material but I want to make sure I do the best I can.

I took the BAT in early February and scored in the 88th percentile with no preparation (taking into account I'm an economics and finance major so not a lot of new stuff). Also, its not necessarily "basic" material depending on your knowledge level in business. The post above mine did a great job of laying out the components of the test so be sure to prepare most for your weaker parts.

That said, sadly, its a little late for the test to matter this year since firms are finishing the hiring process now.

How do you think you did on test?

 

Any more info on this...? Have they released more than those few sample questions?

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 

I took this recently, with no preparation, and think I did well. That being said, I wouldn't exactly call it easy.

I will comment section by section since I have a little time and I'm a nice guy.

Economics - Very simple stuff, but watch out for trick questions. Review the specifics of GDP and the rules surrounding what's included in it.

Financial Statement Reporting and Analysis - Very basic, but again with trick questions designed to make sure you understand some of the subtleties. Just know how basic financial statements work; what they are, what impacts them, etc.

Valuation - Know valuation methods and which to use when. Time value of money.

Investment Banking - corporate finance and Financial Advisory - My memory is foggy here, this was quick and easy

Investment Banking - Capital Markets Issuance / Syndication - Also quick, lots of hypothetical questions

Global Markets - Highest number of questions in this section, basically a combination of all the other finance/econ sections but with some FX stuff in there

Investment Management - Easy

Verbal Skills - Read news articles and answer questions about them. Much like the SAT reading comprehension

Math Skills - Similar to SAT math, but easier

Situational Judgment - subjective section designed to assess how you would handle certain situations in a business setting

Ethical Reasoning - same as situational judgment but the situations are ethical dilemmas

Tasks - a news item pops up, how does it affect the value of a certain trade/position?

Analytical Reasoning - logic word problems. if you are not flying through the test and think you might need the full time, DONT LEAVE THIS SECTION TILL LAST, I think it took the longest

Basically, if you paid attention in basic finance/econ courses and have some experience trading anything you should do as well as you would do on a standardized test.

People unfamiliar with finance/econ/accounting would bomb this though.

EDIT: Also it's worth mentioning that I used the full three hours. I think each section is weighted equally and wrong answers count the same as blank answers, so answer everything and don't spend too much time on a section and not finish.

 

OP you should try the search function. Not because I'm trying to be a dick but prior to your post just now I had never heard of BAT. Just searching for it here on WSO gave me like dozen threads on BAT and it looks like the all the answers you seek are in those threads.

 

You aren't meant to study for it but you definitely could, I think it would help. And I have received some interest from employers (4 of them) through the BAT test but none have lead to anything. I still think its a good thing to do, helps your resume for sure.

--Florida
 

Is the BAT only restricted to current students or is open to the public? I'm trying to get in the door into IB but graduate in 2008 (which was not available then). Have Financial operations and Credit risk experience. Also for people who have taken the exam, is the BAT exam more difficult than the CFA level 1? (can't image it being harder than CFA level 2 but could be mistaken) Thanks for your help

 

I got the same score as you (didn't have time to finish last two sections). It's a horrible score because a lot of the people taking the BAT don't know much about finance. It does however show that you're interested in finance.

 

I scored in the 99th percentile. That is with guessing on some of the math problems because I didn't want to spend too much time on them. I was incredibly surprised I scored so high, so I would not say a 76th percentile is impressive. Keep it off the resume. You have taken it and know what to expect. Since it is free, take it again if you want. It seems like it is the common consensus that the BAT is worthless though.

When a plumber from Hoboken tells you he has a good feeling about a reverse iron condor spread on the Japanese Yen, you really have no choice. If you don’t do it to him, somebody else surely will. -Eddie B.
 

Got in the 90th percentile. Had a decent amount of resume requests from it but nothing ever solidified. It is something interesting to bring up in interviews, but make sure the interviewer knows it doesn't mean you are "Bloomberg Certified." That can easily become awkward.

 

Scored in the 84th percentile and from a liberal arts background now in MBA program. Seems to be that unless you have work experience that is relevant to finance you should include it in your resume to show employers your interest is not an afterthought.

 

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-KMR
 

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