As a physics master student, where do i start preparing for case interviews? Is it smart to first focus on studying the business side of things? Or is practise the way to go?
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Hi David,
Great question! I'd do both, but not one after the other: start with a light business foundation and then let practice take over.
As a physics student you already have the quant and the structured thinking. What you are missing is business intuition: how companies make money, what moves revenue and cost, why margins go up or down. So spend some time getting familiar with that. Read a case prep guide, learn to read a P&L, get comfortable with the basic levers. But without falling into the trap of over-studying the business side (I've seen many candidates doing so and getting to real interviews with plenty of theory and little practice, which usually doesn't work).
Then start doing cases, because you do not actually learn this by reading about it. The gaps you hit while practising are what tell you where to go back and study. Practice is the engine and the studying just fills the specific holes it exposes. Specifically, I'd recommend you do live cases with people as early as you can, not just solo on paper. A case is a two-way thing, thinking out loud, reacting to data, holding a recommendation under questions. That part only comes from doing it with someone on the other side, whether peers, forums or a coach.
Last point, leverage what physics gave you. The rigor is a real advantage. The two things to watch are building that business judgment and communicating your ideas simply, and both come with practice.
Hope it helps and good luck with the prep!
Federico
