Looking for a Good Financial Valuation/Modeling Online Course

So, as the title says, I am looking for some sort of financial valuation/modeling online course. I basically want to take this outside of my regular courses this semester.

I would like to know what other people have done and what they think, even if it might not be a WSO product. I was considering a Wallstreet prep premium valuation and modeling self study course for $499.

I would like a credible course, one that recruiters will recognize as a valuable experience.. if that makes sense. Also, I assume almost any of these online courses would be able to be completed by working weekends through a single semester.

Also, please let me know if this is not going to really set me apart or be a big help when I interview for full time positions in August. I am taking a pretty difficult course load as it is and don't want to bother with something if it is not going to end up helping me anyway.

I appreciate all advice.

31 Comments
 

"Also, please let me know if this is not going to really set me apart or be a big help when I interview for full time positions in August. I am taking a pretty difficult course load as it is and don't want to bother with something if it is not going to end up helping me anyway."

Hate to break it to you this is not going to help you one bit in terms of screening. Basically, someone will read it and say "huh" because they will not have taken it nor will they care.

The big problem here is each firm has their own templates, models, powerpoint macros, excel macros, MSFT word macros etc. Understandably, you're trying to get an edge so the bigger question again comes down to the same, what is your experience and what course load did you take.

It's hard to understand sometimes for young guys but Advanced accounting would be 100x more helpful on your resume than "Chemical engineering creating the next universe". Eventhough Chem is likely harder, we don't care because its not going to show us you know anything about finance and it also is not directly applicable to the job.

Do you already have some sort of finance experience? Second is do you have the right courses under your belt (corp finance etc.). That is exactly how your resume will be screened after a glance at your GPA, Major and School.

With all that said if you feel like just taking the class go for it if you'd like. Come to think of it, after a job offer a hard core excel and PPT short key course would be in your best interest for your overall health and well being.

 

Good to know DCF, comps and Sum of the Parts. (Note that some hedge funds just only do a 3 statement model. Some funds don't even do modelling and just look at Historical Price Trends).

U wont go wrong with WSP, BIWS or TTS if your willing to pay for something. If your feeling stingy, Macabus, IbankingFaq or Damodaran's site should do you fine.

 

If they're paying, do the week-long TTS program. You'll get more days off, you'll arguably get better quality instruction, and you'll have the opportunity to make better contacts -- TTS is the industry standard. This coming from a guy who did a Wall Street Prep course.

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 

I would not recommend AMT very strongly.

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 

Yup, went through a formal training through AMT.

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature."
 

I did the 5 day TTS course in July. I've also done 2 Wall Street Prep 3-day courses and BIWS online.

Overall, I thought TTS was best. They do a fair amount of lecturing as opposed to just going through the models. Overall I felt TTS helped you grasp everything much more clearly than others and their templates wor easiest to use as references when you're building something from scratch on your own.

I'd recommend BIWS on the side for personal development - was too much good stuff not to spend the ~$500 to have it.

I've never gone to the AMT courses but I have some workbooks from them and really like those as well.

Hope this helps.

"If you want to succeed in this life, you need to understand that duty comes before rights and that responsibility precedes opportunity."
 

Interested in this too. It seems like most people on this site recommend BIWS, but maybe just BC they're partnered with the site.

Is a course like this necessary for SA interviews? I'm taking an accounting and corporate finance class right now, but I don't think I'll learn how to do full models.

 

Took a live Training the Street course (financial modelling in excel). It was really good. I am in ER and liked the Excel tips, but it is certainly geared toward banking.

When I was wanted to do banking, I read:

Investment Banking: Valuation, Leveraged Buyouts, and Mergers and Acquisitions

http://www.Amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=investment+banking

What I learned probably would have got me a job in it--had I taken the interview ;)

It has detailed DCF, LBO, Comps excel examples, templates, etc that come with it. and they walk you through them from a banking perspective.

 

Our bank uses Training the Street ("TTS") during training for about two workweeks. It was a fantastic program, and from someone with little finance and accounting experience, I was very proficient by the end of it.

I would recommend taking a live course if possible because they will drill you harder on not using your mouse while you rip through excel.

Good luck

-- Support WSO.com and visit these links! Financial Modeling Training Guide to Finance Interviews
 

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You know you've been working too hard when you stop dreaming about bottles of champagne and hordes of naked women, and start dreaming about conditional formatting and circular references.

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