How do the top students at Wharton and Ivey do it?
I don't go to W, but another top target. As I look at PE analyst programs (like KKR, WP, SLP) and top-tier IB programs (like PJT RSSG, EVR M&A, MOE LA), no one can deny that Wharton kills it hard. However, many of these firms will interview across a wide variety of schools, it just seems like Wharton students continue to get the job. For example, someone pointed out in another post that SPC, which has hired W interns out of undergrad for many years counting, actually interviews at a lot of places, it just seems that the top students at W are the ones ultimately hired. For any alum, students, or interviewers, what specifically makes students at W stronger in finance and investing than other schools? I can understand liberal arts majors at H/Y who have never taken a finance class before, but what about business students with built out investment clubs (EX. Ross), or people at H/Y/other top targets who choose to surround themselves with finance EC's and classes, thereby making their college experience similar to a business student's anyways? It seems like every school now has investment clubs with mentorship, finance classes, pitch competitions, so I'd like to better understand where the technical competency comes from. Or is it from a stronger network of alum on the Street? I also don't buy the argument that any high school senior going to W has a more solid understanding of finance than their peers at other top schools - most students have no idea what IB/PE is in high school and only become interested in college. Edit: I find this is also pretty true for Ivey as well.
I interviewed for two mega fund PE analyst roles and these are structured very similarly to the PE associate interview (exclusive of a modeling test but this depends on firm and period time when your recruit as modeling tests have been on and off for last two decades for analysts apparently...). You literally have 8-15 interviews with different people on the team so reading though M&I to develop what amounts to a superficial understanding of finance that is sufficient for IB is not going to cut it. Firstly, if you're serious, purchasing the PE Prep Guide is a good place to start. Secondly, you need to really understand the fundamentals of finance and valuation at a deep level as the interviews are not just regurgitating technicals but also case style (which is a second order thinking as you have to then apply these concepts):
It's not bullshit $10 of depreciation, how do you calculate equity value and what about enterprise value, etc. by any means so if you want to prepare it would be understand these financial concepts (statements, valuation, the connection across the two, how does a change on this line item flow through everywhere else, does it have an impact on valuation) and consulting casing. It's really not a question or game of what they're looking for but how well do I grasp these concepts, can I apply them, and can I walk through them in a logical structure. But you will get those finance questions too but that's like 10% of it I'd say.