Break Into Wall Street
Week 1–2: Accounting fundamentals + Excel shortcuts (daily 1–2 hrs) Week 3–4: Valuation methods + build DCFs (2–3 hrs/day) Week 5: LBO modelling + case studies (3 hrs/day) Week 6: M&A / merger models + precedent transactions (3 hrs/day) Week 7: Mock interviews + fit questions (2–3 hrs/day) Week 8: Review, timed builds, and networking follow-ups
These test your story and your grit.
Ignore Goldman Sachs. Target regional boutiques (Brown Gibbons Lang, Lincoln International, or local M&A shops). The work is the same; the brand is smaller. Do two years there, then lateral to a bulge bracket. break into wall street
"How many gas stations are in Los Angeles?" They don't want the answer. They want your logic: "LA has 4 million people. Assume 2 cars per household. Average gas station has 4 pumps, refuels a car every 5 minutes..." Week 1–2: Accounting fundamentals + Excel shortcuts (daily
Title: How to Break Into Wall Street: The 2026 Roadmap (No Ivy League Required) Meta Description: Think you need a trust fund and a 4.0 from Harvard? Think again. Here is the exact playbook for breaking into Investment Banking, Sales & Trading, or Private Equity. Title: How to Break Into Wall Street: The
Before you try to break in, you need to know which door to knock on. "Wall Street" is a catch-all term for investment banks, but the ecosystem includes several distinct roles.
Banks hire people they want to work 100 hours a week with. They need humble, gritty, hard workers who don't crack under pressure.