According to some (WSMM) it only takes 20 hours to learn technicals for IB. I have also heard from other people that it takes months. I have plenty of time before I interview, I just wanted to know how long it actually takes.
P.S. I am studying form BIWS and I also have the WSP videos. If there are better ones then I would love to hear. Any study methods are welcome.
| +324 | UBS Tech MD hires Son (from no-name college) as an Intern | 54 | 14h |
| +89 | [Official] 2026 IB Analyst Bonus Megathread (with 2025 Consolidated Pay and Perks/Benefits) | 12 | 1d |
| +75 | Evercore Intern Seizure | 16 | 14m |
| +54 | Is DCM actually underrated ? | 20 | 11h |
| +46 | Are all Tech / TMT groups sweaty? | 33 | 6h |
| +41 | UBS Groups Ranked by Future Outlook | 20 | 5d |
| +41 | JPM M&A is Gone??? Purely Coverage Banking??? | 20 | 19h |
| +37 | Am I behind? 31 Year Old Analyst | 9 | 23h |
| +36 | Losing my personality in Banking | 5 | 1d |
| +32 | UVA McIntire vs Cornell Dyson for IB | 19 | 3d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
There is also Rosenbaum and Pearl. Honestly, I'm not sure. I would say about 2 weeks if you are an intern. Not to learn them, but just to get good at them. But I also practiced modelling before I started practicing technicals. Keep in mind, there are a lot and I mean a lot of analysts who will ask you questions that they know are not in the books. Make sure you understand the content and try to master merger math and brainteasers and you should be fine.
Thanks, I already took modeling class also but I realized I needed to understand concepts first before modeling. maybe people disagree. I just found it hard to build a DCF model before I really understood what a DCF is.
Yeah, I felt the same way a couple of years ago. You might want to practice building LBOs though. It really comes in handy for interviews if you can understand the concepts.
Thanks, very helpful
Most will just ask basic technicals from the guides. Just need to know the concepts inside out and yuo should be fine. If you studied finance, then should take a couple days of hardcore studying. If you didn't then you probaly need at least a week or two because it's hard to talk about $10 of depreciation when you don't know what revenue is.
I would say 20 hrs makes sense. To be rlly polished - must go through multiple mock interviews. From when I studied, I went heavy studying for 2 weeks whenever I had free time - between classes, weekends, at night. After I went through multiple mocks, I have learnt much more going through them. Must find ppl who r willing to do it w u and have gone through real interviews. They know how to ask questions that are not straight out of the packets.
Once I had an interview set up, I would go through all my techs again and by then I would have much more of an understanding of everything.
BUT, what I have realized - being polished is super important. It’s not enough to know the right answer, must know how to explain yourself effectively and be able to give off answers briefly and without sounding like you have memorized everything. They don’t want to see if u can memorize, they want to see if you understand it clearly.
Assumenda et voluptas tenetur odio hic ad nihil. Quos repellat nihil voluptas optio sequi facere. Esse ad est optio mollitia et. Autem fugit nobis consequatur quis qui quisquam libero ipsam. Natus et tempore aspernatur porro a porro.
Modi in eligendi fugiat inventore quo. Eos et eligendi minus. Saepe beatae odit laudantium non consequuntur in.
Quia blanditiis voluptate voluptatibus ipsa assumenda. Voluptates pariatur architecto aliquid debitis reprehenderit numquam. Ut laudantium quos architecto pariatur. Expedita et voluptas iste odit dolorem deleniti.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...