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Morgan Stanley Placement Papers 2025

Overview

This page is a working set of Morgan Stanley placement papers from 2025: from student reports questions, the 2025 online assessment pattern, and step-by-step solutions. Use it to see what Morgan Stanley actually asked in the latest cycle, how hard the rounds were, and which themes (DSA, system design, aptitude, or role-specific topics) mattered most. Practice the problems below under timed conditions, then cross-check with the interview and preparation guides if you are targeting an upcoming Morgan Stanley drive.

Morgan Stanley Online Assessment 2025 pattern

Section Questions Time Difficulty Focus Areas
Coding Problems 2-3 60-90 min Medium-Hard Arrays, trees, graphs, DP
Mathematical Aptitude 5-7 15-20 min Medium Probability, statistics, quantitative

Total: 2-3 coding + 5-7 math, 90 minutes Platform: HackerRank or Codility Languages Allowed: C, C++, Java, Python Success Rate: ~15-20% cleared OA and advanced to interviews

Key insights from 2025 Morgan Stanley Online Assessment

  1. Coding Section is Critical: Must solve 2-3 coding problems correctly to advance
  2. Mathematical Aptitude: Strong emphasis on probability, statistics, and quantitative reasoning
  3. Time Management: 2-3 coding problems in 60-90 minutes + 5-7 math questions in 15-20 minutes requires excellent speed
  4. Success Rate: Only 15-20% cleared OA and advanced to interviews
  5. Platform: HackerRank or Codility
  6. Focus Areas: Arrays, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, probability, statistics
  7. Enhanced Emphasis: Optimal solutions and financial knowledge

Morgan Stanley Placement Papers 2025 - actual questions & solutions

This section contains practice questions styled on Morgan Stanley placement papers 2025 (recent-cycle pattern), with worked solutions. Use them as timed sectional drills - from student reports drives vary by college and role, so treat this as a high-signal practice bank, not an official paper dump.

Question 1

Q1: A number is increased by 20% and then decreased by 20%. Find the net percentage change.

Solution:

Let original = 100. After +20% → 120. After −20% → 120 − 24 = 96.

Net change = 100 − 96 = 4. Net % = 4% decrease (always a loss of (20/10)² %).

Answer: 4% decrease

Question 2

Q2: A train 240 m long crosses a pole in 16 seconds. Find its speed in km/h.

Solution:

Speed = distance/time = 240/16 m/s = (240/16) × (18/5) = 54 km/h.

Answer: 54 km/h

Question 3

Q3: Pipe A fills a tank in 12 hours, pipe B in 18 hours. How long to fill together?

Solution:

Combined rate = 1/12 + 1/18 = (12+18)/(12×18). Time = 12×18/(12+18) = 7.2 hours.

Answer: 7.2 hours

Question 4

Q4: A shopkeeper marks goods 50% above cost and gives a 20% discount. Find the profit percentage.

Solution:

Let CP = 100. MP = 150. SP after 20% discount = 120.

Profit % = 120 − 100 = 20%.

Answer: 20%

Question 5

Q5: Pointing to a photo, Ravi said, ‘He is the son of my grandfather’s only son.’ How is the person related to Ravi?

Solution:

Grandfather’s only son = Ravi’s father. Son of Ravi’s father = Ravi himself (or his brother).

In standard puzzle framing with one son implied for the speaker context: the person is Ravi’s brother (or Ravi). Most campus keys take Brother.

Answer: Brother

Question 6

Q6: In a row of 41 students, A is 9th from the left and B is 11th from the right. How many students are between A and B if A is to the left of B?

Solution:

Positions from left: A = 9, B = 41 − 11 + 1 = 31. Students between = 31 − 9 − 1 = 21.

Answer: 21

Question 7

Q7: Choose the synonym of ‘Abundant’.

Solution:

In placement verbal sections, ‘Abundant’ is closest in meaning to Plentiful among common options.

Answer: Plentiful

Question 8

Q8: Identify the error: ‘Neither of the boys have submitted their assignment.’

Solution:

‘Neither’ is singular → verb should be has, not have.

Correct: Neither of the boys has submitted his/their assignment.

Answer: have → has

Question 9: reverse a string

Show solution

Problem Statement: Given a string, return it reversed.

Example:

Input: "placement"
Output: "tnemecalp"

Solution (Java):

public String reverse(String s) {
    return new StringBuilder(s).reverse().toString();
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(n)

Question 10: two sum

Show solution

Problem Statement: Given an array of integers and a target, return indices of two numbers that add up to target.

Example:

Input: nums = [2, 7, 11, 15], target = 9
Output: [0, 1]

Solution (Java):

public int[] twoSum(int[] nums, int target) {
    Map<Integer, Integer> map = new HashMap<>();
    for (int i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) {
        int need = target - nums[i];
        if (map.containsKey(need)) return new int[]{map.get(need), i};
        map.put(nums[i], i);
    }
    return new int[]{};
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(n)

Question 11: maximum subarray sum

Show solution

Problem Statement: Find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.

Example:

Input: [-2, 1, -3, 4, -1, 2, 1, -5, 4]
Output: 6  // [4, -1, 2, 1]

Solution (Java):

public int maxSubArray(int[] nums) {
    int best = nums[0], cur = nums[0];
    for (int i = 1; i < nums.length; i++) {
        cur = Math.max(nums[i], cur + nums[i]);
        best = Math.max(best, cur);
    }
    return best;
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(1)

Morgan Stanley 2025 interview experiences

Based on recent candidate experiences from 2025 Morgan Stanley interviews:

2025 Interview Process:

  1. Online Assessment (90 minutes): 2-3 coding problems + 5-7 mathematical aptitude questions
  2. HireVue Assessment: Video-based behavioral and technical questions
  3. First Round Interview (45-60 minutes): With an Associate - technical and behavioral questions
  4. Second Round Interview (45-60 minutes): With a VP - deeper technical and fit questions
  5. Final Round Interview (45-60 minutes): With an MD - final assessment and fit

2025 Interview Trends:

  • Increased emphasis on financial modeling and market awareness
  • More focus on HireVue video interviews
  • Enhanced behavioral questions about problem-solving and difficult situations
  • Questions about recent deals and market trends at different levels

Common 2025 Interview Topics:

  • Coding: Arrays, strings, trees, graphs, dynamic programming
  • Financial/Technical: Financial modeling, valuation techniques, market trends
  • Behavioral: Problem-solving, difficult situations, teamwork, motivation
  • Industry Knowledge: Investment banking, market trends, recent deals

2025 Interview Questions Examples:

Behavioral Questions:

  • “Describe investment banking to someone who’s never heard of it.”
  • “What is a difficult situation you’ve been in in the past?”
  • “Describe a time you took initiative in a team.”
  • “Tell me about a time you dealt with failure.”
  • “How do you stay motivated?”
  • “Describe a leadership experience.”

Technical/Finance Questions:

  • “Walk me through a DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) model.”
  • “How do you value a company?”
  • “What are the three financial statements and how do they link?”
  • “Walk me through how an acquisition works.”
  • “What trends are impacting the M&A market right now?”
  • “What is EBITDA and why is it useful?”
  • “Explain a financial crisis and how you’d respond.”
  • “If you spot an error in a team’s analysis, what’s your next step?”

Success Tips:

  • Strong coding performance is essential - solve problems optimally
  • Practice financial modeling - DCF, valuation, financial statements
  • Prepare behavioral examples using STAR format
  • Stay updated on recent deals and market trends
  • Practice HireVue video interviews thoroughly
  • Understand investment banking industry and Morgan Stanley’s business model
  • Be ready for questions at different levels (Associate, VP, MD)

For detailed interview experiences from 2025, visit Morgan Stanley Interview Experience page.

Preparation tips for Morgan Stanley 2025 pattern

  1. Master Coding Fundamentals: Focus on solving 2-3 coding problems correctly - arrays, trees, graphs, DP
  2. Practice Mathematical Aptitude: Strong focus on probability, statistics, quantitative reasoning
  3. Financial Modeling: Learn DCF models, valuation techniques, financial statements
  4. Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve Morgan Stanley OA papers from 2020-2025 to understand evolving patterns
  5. Time Management: Practice completing 2-3 coding problems in 60-90 minutes, math questions in 15-20 minutes
  6. LeetCode Practice: Solve 200+ LeetCode problems focusing on arrays, strings, trees, graphs (medium-hard difficulty)
  7. HireVue Practice: Practice video-based interviews and behavioral questions thoroughly
  8. Financial Knowledge: Understand investment banking, M&A trends, market dynamics
  9. Behavioral Preparation: Prepare examples using STAR format - leadership, resilience, problem-solving
  10. Mock Tests: Take timed practice tests to improve speed and accuracy
  11. Stay Updated: Read financial publications and stay updated on recent deals and market trends
  12. Optimization Focus: Emphasize optimal solutions with better time/space complexity

Comments & Suggestions

2024 papers

Coding questions

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