how hard are EB technicals/topics to study and focus on
I want to join an EB for summer '27. Is it feasible to land an offer as non DEI if I start studying technicals now? Anyone have any advice on how to navigate?
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Yea study hard - we're all taking networking calls already too so make sure to be on top of that because no matter how hard you study, if you don't have an in then you can't even interview. You need to know the basics well like accounting, valuation, M&A, LBO, and depends for like quite a few EBs they ask RX questions too esp if its a generalist program. good luck and please study hard, most of us EB banks don't ask simple stuff like the BBs just to keep that in mind
wow are EBs that much harder than BBs? Then why do people even want to do EBs if they give similar exit ops?
EBs are a lot more meritocratic (especially in London) so it ain't rlly the case that more people want to go for EBs per say but it's just that they're not as aggressive with DEI hiring so all the capable students that may not be given interview opportunities (due to the sheer randomness of their screening process) are more likely gonna be given opportunities in EBs.
hows your corp fin to begin with? do you know what drives value in M&A? what’s accretion/dilution and why it matters? do you know the main ways to structure consideration (cash/stock/debt) and when each makes sense vs. not? buyer-seller incentives/conflicts?
also, hows your valuation?
lot of ppl memorize merger model steps or multiples, but can’t explain why EV/EBITDA vs. P/E, or why a strategic might pay more than a sponsor. at the end of the day, it’s less about knowing formulas and more about making a sound argument on why a deal creates value (or doesn’t). Recommend people use general/popular technical question banks like marginofalpha which help you drill deep.
May I ask for some books/resources recommendations? Many thanks!
I swear EBs are so toxic nowadays doing so many screener chats and literally asking technicals in coffee chats further down the road. What is the point of all of this..
Why is that considered toxic. EBs are hardo central and always have been. The exposure you get at an EB is much much greater than at BB and it is only possible if the candidates already got the basics drilled down.
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