How many cases do I have to solve before becoming proficient?
So far I've done only 60 cases and I'm just a little anxious about being unable to knock down cases more easily. I still find difficulties and surprises with new cases, and it's causing me to freak out a little. Applications deadlines are nearing and I just don't know if I'm in a very bad situation and how to improve.
Help plz.
I'll start by saying that 60 cases is a bit much in my view (but I'm a proponent of sticking to minimum required levels of proficiency, i.e., big fan of "good enough").
Now, you still get surprised by some problems? That is fine, some cases are weird and a bit of a curve ball, and it's normal to be surprised by those. As long as you're not surprised at every pricing or growth or acquisition case you do, should be fine. Focus on the patterns you observe in cases about the same topic.
As for freaking out, you would need to get that under control. First, acknowledge that not knowing happens and it's ok. Second, you are not expected to know everything all of the time, but to ask pointed questions and show you can operate fairly independently but following a good structure. Third, if you feel overwhelmed or lost, take a few moments to recap the problem statement, your structure, and what insights you have gathered so far (keep track of those somewhere if you can).
I'll add that when I asked a bunch of MBB consultants how many cases they did/recommended, I got a range of 5 to 100. The median settled around 20-30.
As many as it takes to get proficient
This sounds obnoxious to hear, but the number is different for everyone depending on how much business experience/math skills/natural ability for casing they have
Do as many as needed till an MBB consultant says you’re at MBB level
I'm also terrible with cases and did ~40-50 myself, so I can understand where you're coming from.
I'd say with casing, the way I learned how to improve was to basically separate the different parts to solving the case and figuring out where I was getting derailed the most.
For me, and I imagine most folks, the hardest part of the case was the diagnosis and creating a framework that was both detailed enough that it could be spoken on but not too detailed that I was making assumptions or couldn't easily speak/structure it.
The other aspects of the case, like asking hypothesis-driven diagnostic questions, solving the quantitative analysis, or providing a synthesized recommendation, I was pretty decent at. But I did like ~10-20 cases without understanding where to improve until I deconstructed my case compared to the gold standard, a LOMS sample, and noticed where my weak points lie.
Now, I'd argue that since you've done 60 cases, the reason you're getting freaked out is because of the diagnosis, my own fear of misdiagnosing a case and being a nonstarter, or structuring a framework surrounding the suggested answer.
If you'd like some resources, send me a PM.
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