Am I Ready for IB Interviews?
15 real interview-caliber questions across 5 core categories. Find out where you stand in under 5 minutes.
A company reports $100M in revenue and $60M in COGS. SG&A is $15M, D&A is $10M, and interest expense is $5M. Assuming a 25% tax rate, what is net income?
How to Know If You're Ready for Investment Banking Interviews
Investment banking interviews test five core technical areas: accounting and financial statements, valuation methodologies (DCF, comparable companies, precedent transactions), mergers and acquisitions (accretion/dilution, synergies, goodwill), leveraged buyouts (LBO mechanics, IRR, MOIC, debt tranches), and market knowledge (interest rates, yield curves, risk-on/risk-off dynamics).
This free diagnostic quiz tests your readiness across all five categories with 15 interview-caliber questions — the same difficulty level you'll face in superday interviews at Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other top banks. Each question is modeled after real questions asked in recent IB interview cycles.
What Your Score Means
80–100%: Interview Ready
You have strong technical foundations across all core IB topics. Focus on polishing any remaining weak spots and practicing under timed conditions. You're prepared for first-round and superday technical screens at bulge bracket and elite boutique banks.
50–79%: Almost There
You understand core concepts but have gaps that an interviewer will find. Common weak areas at this level include enterprise value bridge mechanics, LBO return attribution, and accretion/dilution analysis. Two to three weeks of targeted daily practice can close these gaps.
Below 50%: Needs Work
You need to build stronger fundamentals before interviewing. Start with the three financial statements and how they link, then progress to valuation and M&A. With consistent daily study (30–60 minutes), most candidates reach interview-ready levels within 4–6 weeks.
Categories Tested
- Accounting (3 questions) — Three-statement linkage, depreciation adjustments, prepaid expenses, working capital impacts. These are the most fundamental questions in any IB interview.
- Valuation (3 questions) — DCF mechanics, terminal growth rate sensitivity, comparable company multiples, precedent transactions vs. trading comps. Interviewers test whether you understand why each methodology gives different results.
- M&A (3 questions) — Accretion/dilution analysis, synergy types and credibility, goodwill calculation, P/E arbitrage in stock deals. These questions test deal judgment, not just mechanics.
- LBO (3 questions) — Sources and uses, debt tranches and seniority, return drivers (EBITDA growth, debt paydown, multiple expansion), IRR vs. MOIC. PE firms expect you to think like an investor, not an analyst.
- Market Knowledge (3 questions) — Federal Reserve rate impacts on deal activity, yield curve interpretation, risk-on/risk-off capital flows. Shows you follow markets and can connect macro to deals.