PE interview prep · Timed drills
Walk into your modeling test already knowing the score.
Analyst Drills are timed practice reps in the exact format PE firms use — paper LBOs, technical Q&A, and Excel modeling tests — each with a diagnostic answer key that shows you precisely where you lost points.
How it works
Interview skill is a reps game. We sell the reps.
Reading about LBOs doesn’t pass modeling tests. Doing them against a clock does. Every Analyst Drills pack follows the same loop:
Drill under time
Set the timer. Work the exercise the way the interview runs it — pen and paper for paper LBOs, a blank workbook for modeling tests. No pausing, no peeking.
Diagnose with the key
Every drill ships with a diagnostic answer key: the worked solution plus the exact mistakes that cost candidates points, so you know what to fix.
Drill again until it’s automatic
Rotate through fresh scenarios — different leverage, growth, and exit assumptions — until the mechanics are reflex and your judgment does the talking.
Drill packs
Pick your battleground
Start free. When you’re ready for volume, each paid pack is a stack of fresh timed scenarios with full diagnostic keys.
Free Paper LBO Drill
$0 free forever
- 30-minute timed paper LBO exercise
- Diagnostic answer key with scoring rubric
- The 5 errors that sink modeling tests
Timed Paper-LBO Drills
$29 one-time
- 6 full timed paper-LBO scenarios
- Worked solutions + mistake diagnosis
- Sensitivity and recap variations
PE Technical Q&A Bank
$19 one-time
- 120+ technical questions, organized by topic
- Answer frameworks, not memorized scripts
- LBO, accounting, valuation & returns
Excel Modeling Tests
$29 one-time
- 5 exercises mirroring real PE assessments
- Clean model solutions with checks
- Speed techniques that save minutes
Free · No card · No email
Try the format before you spend a dollar.
The free paper LBO drill is the real thing: a 30-minute timed exercise in the exact format PE firms use, with a diagnostic answer key that shows you where you’d lose points. If it doesn’t make you sharper, don’t buy anything.
Download the free drillPDF workbook · Print it or work on screen · Yours to keep
Learn
Interview intelligence, free.
Practitioner-written guides on the exact topics PE interviewers test — with worked examples and the judgment behind the answers.
Paper LBO Practice Problems: 5 Timed Drills with Worked Solutions
Five full practice problems — entry multiples, leverage tweaks, dividend recaps — each with a complete worked solution.
Paper LBO Example: A Full Walkthrough with Answer Key
One deal, worked start to finish: sources & uses, the five-year build, debt paydown, exit, IRR and MoIC — plus how to narrate it.
MOIC vs IRR: Which Matters More, and How to Answer It in a PE Interview
When the two metrics agree, when timing drives them apart, and the exact framework for answering it like a practitioner.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is a paper LBO?
A paper LBO is a simplified leveraged buyout analysis done with pen and paper — no Excel. PE firms use it in interviews and modeling tests to see whether you can build the core logic of a deal (entry price, leverage, growth, exit, returns) under time pressure.
How should I prepare for a PE modeling test?
Drill under timed conditions. The test format is predictable — a case or paper LBO with a fixed clock — so the candidates who pass are the ones who have rehearsed the mechanics until the arithmetic is automatic and they can narrate their judgment clearly.
Is the free drill really free?
Yes. The free paper LBO drill is a complete 30-minute timed exercise with a diagnostic answer key — no card, no email required, no catch.
Who is Analyst Drills for?
Investment banking analysts recruiting for private equity, MBA students, and lateral candidates facing PE interviews, modeling tests, or case studies.
How are the drill packs delivered?
Instantly, through Gumroad. Every pack is a downloadable PDF workbook with timed exercises, worked solutions, and diagnostic answer keys you can print or work through on screen.