Cornerstone Research Interview Questions

67 total interview insight submissions
Interview Experience (99%)

The Interview Experience is a score from 1 star (very negative) to 5 stars (very positive) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the donut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire dataset.

4
  • Very Negative
  • Negative
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Very Positive
Interview Difficulty (98%)

The Interview Difficulty is a score ranging from very difficult (red) to very easy (green) generated based on the Interview Insights at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. The higher the number, the more difficult the interviews on average. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few interview insights). Simply put, as a company gets more insights, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to its simple average and away from the average of the entire data set.

3.3
  • Very Easy
  • Easy
  • Average
  • Difficult
  • Very Difficult
% Interns - FT Offers (100%)

The % of Interns Getting a Full Time Offer chart is meant to provide a realistic estimate of the hiring practices of the company based on the reviews at this company.

The number you see in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the simple average of these scores. If you hover over the various sections of the doughnut, you will see the % breakdown of each score given.

The percentile score in the title is calculated across the entire Company Database and uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates (to account for companies that have few reviews). Simply put, as a company gets more reviews, the confidence of a "true score" increases so it is pulled closer to the simple company average and away from the average of the entire data set.

88%
  • 0%
  • 10%
  • 20%
  • 30%
  • 40%
  • 50%
  • 60%
  • 70%
  • 80%
  • 90%
  • 100%

Interviews at Cornerstone Research

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Filter by:
Year
Job Title
Group/Division
Location
Experience
Difficulty
1st Year Analyst
Year 2022
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Economic Consulting
Location Palo Alto
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2022
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Economic Consulting
Location Washington
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Analyst
Year 2021
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division Generalist
Location New York
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2022
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Economic Consulting
Location San Francisco
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
1st Year Analyst
Year 2021
Job Title 1st Year Analyst
Group/Division N/A
Location Menlo Park
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2021
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location Washington
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Difficult
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2021
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division N/A
Location Boston
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Intern
Year 2020
Job Title Intern
Group/Division Generalist
Location Boston
Experience
Neutral
Difficulty
Average
Consultant
Year 2018
Job Title Consultant
Group/Division Generalist
Location Boston
Experience
Very Positive
Difficulty
Average
Student / Prospective Monkey
Year 2020
Job Title Student / Prospective Monkey
Group/Division Economic Consulting
Location Washington
Experience
Positive
Difficulty
Average

Interview Questions & Answers - Cornerstone Research Examples

Summer Analyst Interview - Economic Consulting

Anonymous interview candidate in Chicago
Interviewed: October 2025
Date Submitted: Jan 28, 2026
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Personality Test
Interview
The first round was 2 back to back interviews on zoom with each one consisting of a behavioral section (tell me about yourself, walk me through your resume, why cornerstone, situation you failed), and then we walked through a case that the interviewer had prepared which consisted of understanding some graphs and tables, critically analyzing them with an understanding of data selection bias, mean vs median, the lack of standard deviationsa and the badly used sub-groups that are misleading.

For final round was 4 interviews in one day. They bring you into the office, have someone guide you who is also unoffically interviewing you for your personality (you talk to them for 30 minute break). Then there are 3 interviews like the first round that are just a bit harder and more rigorous and one interveiw with a principal that is all behavioral where they are checking for a fit. You need to make a good impression on all of them for the summer internship since it is more competitive than full time.
Interview Questions
1) Tell me about a time you failed
2) If we have a company which could be a closet passive investor, how do we show this, how would you approach this problem, what data would you need?
Sample Answer

Associate Interview - Finance

Anonymous interview candidate in Boston
Interviewed: November 2025
Date Submitted: Nov 30, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Group Interview
Skills Test
Interview
Two rounds of 45 minutes interviews. Both rounds asked about my research. One case in each round. Questions were straightforward.
Interview Questions
Why Econ consulting and not Academia? If you are going from PhD, I think you will hear a simialar question
Sample Answer

Summer Associate Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in Boston
Interviewed: November 2025
Date Submitted: Nov 21, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Employee Referral
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Most interviews consist of questions of past work and then a case interview about damage estimation. Last interview was entirely behavioral.
Interview Questions
One case was a bit tricky. A few questions about my past work were also a bit tricky.
Sample Answer

Internship Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in Boston
Interviewed: October 2024
Date Submitted: Oct 06, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Behavioural and technical interview for 1st round. They asked questions about my background, interest in econ consulting and cornerstone. Then they asked more technical questions based on information presented eg. graphs, charts etc.
Interview Questions
Evaluating stocks based on a graph
Sample Answer

Summer Analyst Interview - Economic Consulting

Anonymous interview candidate in New York
Interviewed: October 2025
Date Submitted: Oct 05, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
Went to an on campus event, asked a question and then submitted cover letter and cv. Understanding firm culture is really important and understanding why economic testimony also super important. Not like normal consulting need to emphasise that you understand that the firm does economic testimony.
Interview Questions
Questions are mix of ‘why cornerstone’ and case interview. Case interview is ok, just make sure you have a basic idea of economics, and be prepared to defend anything on your cv.
Sample Answer

Analyst Interview - Generalist

Anonymous interview candidate in Boston
Interviewed: September 2025
Date Submitted: Sep 29, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Interview
2 back-to-back virtual interviews, each half behavioral half case. Then super day consisting of 4-45 minute interviews + casual lunch with analysts.
Interview Questions
Walk me through one of your research experiences as if I have no knowledge in the field
Sample Answer

Summer Intern Interview - Generalist

Anonymous employee in Chicago
Interviewed: September 2024
Date Submitted: Mar 20, 2025
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
Group Interview
Interview
Start with a phone interview with the recruiter, followed with a zoom with 2 other analysts and then a superday
Interview Questions
They asked about a antitrust case that was quite unusual, but still doable
Sample Answer

Summer Associate Interview

Anonymous interview candidate in Boston
Interviewed: December 2024
Date Submitted: Feb 26, 2025
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
1-2 months
Application
Phone Interview
Interview
I applied late October and was invited for a first round interview in early November. The first round occurred in mid November and consisted of two back-to-back Zoom interviews. The first one was more behavioral in nature, asking questions such as why economic consulting, why Cornerstone, etc. Then the interviewer focused on my research and the practical implications of it, ending with a case that was not too bad. The second interview almost solely focused on my research and the practical implications of it, ending with a case that was not too bad. Both interviewers were very friendly and easy to talk to. I was notified two business days later that they were moving forward with my application to the second and final round which is a fly out consisting of five interviews and lunch. Everyone was very friendly. Four out of the five interviews were different from the first round in that they weren't really behavioral at all, but rather about my research. Only three of those four had cases which seemed more difficult than the cases in the first round, but as long as you are talking the problem through with them in a logical manner I think that is all they are looking for. The fifth and final interview was entirely behavioral it seemed. I left thinking I had a really good shot and was confident about my chances. However, they informed me about seven business days later that I did not get the position. I was not in the penultimate year of my Ph.D. so I think this may have did me in. So, if you are not either, just be wary that it seems they are really looking for fourth years. One of interviewers in the second round was even surprised when I said I was not a fourth year. Overall, great process and excellent people who are both personable and intelligent.
Interview Questions
Everything was pretty standard.
Sample Answer

Summer Analys Interview - Consulting

Anonymous employee in San Francisco
Interviewed: October 2024
Date Submitted: Dec 16, 2024
Outcome
Accepted Offer
Interview Source
College / University / On Campus Recruiting
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
Phone Interview
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
First round was 2 30 minute online zoom cases which discussed 2 economic frameworks. Final round was 4 back to back interviews in person followed by a lunch - very technical and thought provoking, but hard to prepare specifically as intuition and experience in research and economics is tested more rigorously.
Interview Questions
Just looked at a stock price chart and asked to consider different scenarios of litigation.
Sample Answer

Summer Analyst Interview

Anonymous interview candidate in Washington, D.C.
Interviewed: October 2024
Date Submitted: Dec 15, 2024
Outcome
No Offer
Interview Source
Applied Online
Length of Process
Less than 1 month
Application
1 on 1 Interview
Skills Test
Interview
First round interview was over Zoom, and was two cases back-to-back, each 30 minutes each. I got the invitation for the second round about a week later, and the interview was their superday, which was in-person at the DC office. This was four back-to-back interviews with people at different positions, each 45-minutes and a case. This was followed by a dinner with some of the analysts. I heard back less than a week later.
Interview Questions
The case interviews during the superday were more difficult than I anticipated, especially compared to the previous round. "How did they calculate these values based on the following table?"
Sample Answer
video
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