Self-Study is the foundation of any solid finance interview prep. It’s not just about memorizing definitions. It’s about building a solid understanding of financial concepts and relationships that you can apply confidently during interviews.Self-Study should typically be the first step in your finance interview preparation. Focus on building a solid understanding of accounting, valuation, and M&A – you’ll need that foundation to apply concepts confidently later.What Should You Focus on During Self-Study?To get the most out of your self-study, it’s important to approach it with structure and intention. Focus on building a solid foundation in core finance topics before jumping into practice questions. Here's how to go about it:1. Create a study plan.Start with a clear and structured plan. Break the content into manageable parts and include time for regular reviews. Use tools like Excel, Trello, or a simple checklist to stay organized.During your self-Study phase, make sure to cover these essential topics:Structure and interaction of the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statementCompany valuation (especially DCF and multiples)Basics of the leveraged buyout (LBO)Understanding capital structure and corporate financingFundamentals of M&A processes and deal logicFree Cash Flow (FCF) and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)2. Choose the right resources.Self-Study is about truly understanding financial concepts. You should be able to explain, apply, and connect them in interviews. Before diving into memorizing typical questions, focus on building deep knowledge.Different learning styles require different formats. These resources are especially helpful for building your finance foundation:Textbooks and lecture notes on accounting, corporate finance, and valuationOnline courses and video tutorials on topics like DCF, LBO, and WACC (e.g. Coursera, YouTube, or Udemy)Summary slide decks or technical interview guidesExcel models to practice simple valuation or LBO scenariosAcademic papers or real-world articles on topics such as capital structure or valuation methodsFeeling unsure where to begin? You’re already in the right place with our Finance Interview Basics. We’ve summarized the most important fundamentals to give you a strong and clear starting point.3. Learn actively.After covering the key topics, it’s time to apply what you’ve learned. Learning becomes effective when it’s active. Try explaining core concepts in your own words, write out sample answers, and solve basic problems or mini-cases. This will help reinforce your knowledge and quickly highlight areas that need more work.👉 Check out our Case Library with dedicated question sets tailored to finance interview prep. These examples could be especially useful for you: