For the EY strategy and transactions graduate program , would i need to prepare for case study and would the technical on finance prep be fine to use or should i use the 400 IB textbook

Hi There!

For the EY Strategy and Transactions graduate program, you should definitely be prepared for case study exercises since they often test not just technical knowledge but also how you structure problems, interpret data, and communicate recommendations, which mirrors the work you’d be doing on live projects. 

The finance technical prep you’ve already been doing will be useful, but the 400 IB guide is often overkill for this setting because the focus is less on intricate IB-style modeling and more on showing strong commercial awareness, logical problem-solving, and clear communication. A solid approach would be to keep your finance basics sharp while spending time practicing consulting-style case studies and thinking about how you can demonstrate structured reasoning in a business context.

Hi,

you should expect some kind of case exercise, yes. The main goal is usually to see how you think rather than to check very specific technical knowledge. The finance preparation you have done will give you a good foundation, and you probably do not need to dive into very detailed textbooks for this stage, as Nitesh commented.

What often helps most is to stay flexible, show that you can approach a business problem in a structured way, and communicate your reasoning clearly. If you keep that in mind and balance your technical prep with some practice on broader business questions, you are on the right path.

All the best for the process,

Simon.