How long does it take to prep for quant trader interviews?

Hey guys,

I'm in my last year of my MA studies (graduating this June) and I've just started to look at quant trader positions. I wonder how long is a reasonable amount of time for people to prep for the interview/test (mental math, brainteaser, market making games..) before actually submitting the applications?

I come from a math and econ background but I think I do need a fair amount of time to practice mental math and the brainteasers and etc. I binged on mental math today and have confirmed again how bad I'm at it lol (my scores on zetmac are 20~30). I'm also a full-time student so still have classes and homework.

With that being said, I know it's probably super late in the cycle, and I'm concerned that at some point, they just stop hiring.

Any suggestions?

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