Is Wall Street Prep Worth It?
Trainees that complete Wall Street Prep’s Premium Package or live seminars are eligible for Wall Street Prep’s Certification in Financial & Valuation Modeling.
We often get asked, “Is Wall Street Prep worth it?”. So in the following post, we’ll address the most important considerations to ensure you make the most informed decision.
Wall Street Prep Certification Overview (2023)
Investment banks most often recruit candidates attending undergraduates and MBAs from top “target” schools, such as Harvard, Wharton, NYU, and Princeton.
While bankers are still recruited out of “non-target” schools, the process is less formal and structured.
Most prospective investment bankers pursue undergraduate degrees in finance, business, economics, and accounting, but it is not an application requirement at investment banks.
The statement above can be confirmed by the number of hires with liberal arts and engineering degrees, as banks focus on finding bright, motivated students that can be trained internally and molded, regardless of prior education.
In fact, it is widely recognized that the primary determinant of whether a candidate will get an interview are GPA, the reputation of the undergraduate or MBA program, and past work experience.
The result is that those interviewing for investment banking jobs as well as those eventually landing jobs as incoming analysts (and to some extent associates) have a wide variance in relevant academic backgrounds.
Even for those with undergraduate finance concentrations, the academic skill set is not directly applicable; at most schools, students never learn how to actually perform the types of analysis or build the types of models they would find themselves building on the job from day one.
Industry-Recognition of Wall Street Prep Certification
Investment banks hire companies – such as Wall Street Prep – to provide the highest-quality, rigorous training programs for new hires, with some programs lasting over 2 months).
The objective of Wall Street Prep’s Premium Package Certification is for individuals to gain access to the same type of training provided to the top investment banks, private equity firms, and business programs (undergraduate and MBA).
That way, all candidates, even those attending less prestigious schools, have a higher likelihood of landing an offer at the leading firms, as they are equipped with the skill set necessary on the job.
The courses are made available directly to all students, new and experienced hires alike, and are designed to enhance the skills and competitive profile of prospective investment bankers by equipping them with the skill set they will use daily on the job.
Wall Street Prep’s Certification Eligibility
Certification is issued only upon passing an online examination (70% is the passing score) which tests the concepts taught in the Premium Package and live seminars.
Upon passing the certification requirements, trainees can place the credential on their resumes, since simply enrolling in a program does not signal to recruiters that one actually completed the program.
Is a Financial Modeling Certification Necessary?
The primary determinants of whether a candidate will get an interview are the following:
- Undergraduate/MBA Program Reputation (Target vs. Non-Target)
- GPA and Test Scores (SAT, GMAT)
- Networking Prowess
- Relevance of Past Internship (or Work) Experience
If you do not have those things in place, no certification will help you, so prioritize those first.
However, when those other elements are in place, the certification can help “round out” the profile.
Do Investment Bank and Private Equity Recruiters Care?
In a nutshell, some recruiters care while others do not.
The reason is that since Wall Street Prep works directly with corporate clients, the certification is a “seal of approval” of sorts that hinges on the reputations of the training providers.
At Wall Street Prep, we consistently receive calls from employers to validate certification claims on candidates’ resumes – employers would only do this if the certification mattered.
For international students and students that come from a liberal arts background, certification is a highly effective way to demonstrate basic competence in financial concepts and modeling.
So those who complete the program and receive our certification have the option to place it on their resumes. While some recruiters might not view the credential as a “significant” resume booster, others believe that the certification does in fact enhance a student’s academic profile.
But frankly, understanding financial modeling can only serve to benefit you in interviews and on the job.
The Bottom Line
It should be noted that some have argued that such a credential may potentially be counter-productive because it will expose the trainee to more challenging technical questions.
This is a red herring; it is true that the more candidates represent what they know during interviews, the more they will be challenged.
But this is not unique to candidates who complete a program like this: A finance major will undoubtedly receive more challenging technical questions than a music major.
But stronger resumes are also more likely to lead to an interview in the first place.
From our experience, if the candidate is careful about not “overselling” the experience, the advantages of using such a Certification as a credential far outweigh any perceived risk.
In closing, Wall Street Prep’s certification offers a way to gain confidence and succeed in interviews and during the networking process by providing students with intuitive, step-by-step training in what they would actually be doing on the job.
I highly recommend WSP. I did their self study program and learned an incredible amount of information you would never see at the university level in such detail. It’s not a waste of time if you truly learn and figure out how to market the information. Basically, you have to… Read more »
What is the validity of a premium package account once I register? I mean is there a maximum time limit for course completion once I enroll?
Hello,
What is the average number of hours in total needed to complete the Premium Package?
Pranav:
The premium package consists of 6 modules with around a total course material time of 45 hours, so I would assume a total time required of about 50-60 hours including the exercises and quizzes.
Best,
Jeff
Is training program is good or online program? Do both provide certificate
Gagan, Passing the WSP certification exam will help you obtain the certificate. Going to the class will help you get an in-class experience of the content that you will be tested on in the Certification exam. It depends on how well you learn in a classroom, or on your own… Read more »
Do u provide a physical copy of the certificate in addition to the online one after we have passed the exam
Hi, Robin,
I believe we can, but please direct this question to [email protected].
BB
Once we buy this is there a time limit to complete or can we go at our own pace and finish the premium package whenever?
Hi, Muhammed,
Your purchase should procure indefinite access, but if you run into any problems, just let [email protected] know.
BB
EXCELLENT course, totally worth the money. I exceeded my boss expectations during my Investment Banking Summer Internship at a BB.
What is promo cod? how can I get it Promo Code:
Hi, Addisu,
When you click on the enroll today button at the bottom, they provide a coupon code for checkout.
BB
where can I take the certification exam? I can’t find any link for the certification exam on the Wallstreet website? Thank you.
Hi, Yanbin,
To take our certification exam, you must purchase and complete our premium package, which you can find on the website (there is a link to it in the article).
BB
Hello, what are the key differences between FPAMC and Financial and Valuation Modelling (Premium Package)?
Rishabh, The FPAMC provides the skills needed to succeed as an FP&A professional and focuses on building operating models, long-range planning, and visualizing analysis with Excel dashboards. The Premium Package is geared towards investment banking and private equity professionals. It includes Excel Best Practices, Financial Statement Modeling, DCF modeling, Comparable company… Read more »
Can someone tell me if you should have a finance/business background to take this Financial Modelling Premium certification? Or is this supposed to be for beginners?
Kenneth:
You should have a strong enough finance background to answer complex modeling questions.
Best,
Jeff
Mikel:
I would reach out to support at wall street prep dot com for further assistance with this.
Best,
Jeff
Hello,
I plan to take the ultimate excel vba course exams and it just seems to me that 138 questions are a lot for only 90 minutes. Do I only have two attempts?
Maria:
Yes, I believe that is correct. If you would like more info I would reach out to support at wallstreetprep dot com.
Best,
Jeff
Q1. With your premium package will there be exam for each 6 courses or will there be just one certification exam??
Q2. Can it can used as a designation like CFA or CA ??
Q3. Is your course updated to 2020 with new case studies??
Rachit:
1. It’s just one exam.
2. There’s no prohibition against using it like that but I probably wouldn’t.
3. No, it doesn’t matter which courses you completed (the new Apple course or the old Apple course).
Best,
Jeff
Hello,
Do you have a full package of all online courses premium+powerpoint + project finance, etc.?
Best
Edgar:
I would reach out to [email protected] to see what we can do.
Best,
Jeff
Hi WSP team,
I just bought the Project Finance Modelling course, and I intend to get the premium package once I have completed it. I saw that the premium package comes with lifetime access . Is it the same for the project finance course ?
Many thanks,
Martin:
I would reach out to [email protected] for that information.
Best,
Jeff
Two questions:
1. Does the course have a lifetime validity ?
2. Do you provide financial aid ?
Thank you
Suraj:
1. Yes.
2. No.
Best,
Jeff
Bandar:
They are similar: the new FSM/DCF courses are updates to the older Apple course. If you plan to take the Certification Exam it shouldn’t matter which FSM or DCF course you took.
Best,
Jeff
Can I sit for the online exam and if I fail, make another attempt immediately thereafter, say 6 hours later especially if my mark was very close to the pass mark
Matome:
Unfortunately no, there is a one-month waiting period between exams.
Best,
Jeff
Please I failed the wall street prep certification exam, how do I retake it?
Kezia:
You have to wait a month to re-take. You should email [email protected] for inquiries.
Best,
Jeff
Jeff,
If you fail twice, is a retake no longer an option?
Waleed:
That is correct.
Best,
Jeff
For the course exams it says there is “one attempt”, what happens if you fail this exam?
Paul:
You get one attempt and one re-take.
Best,
Jeff
So if one were to fail e.g. excel crash course exam, then a retake should be available after one month?
Paul:
Yes, there is a retake for the Excel exam, but in this case, there is no one-month waiting period.
Best,
Jeff
Thanks – i failed one of my course exams and seem to have no option to retake though. Is this something that could be decided by the company one work for maybe?
Paul:
Yes, I believe that is an option.
Best,
Jeff
I have 16 courses on my courses page, which ones are included in the certification exam? and can I know the weights for each course in the exam
Bandar: The certification exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions and focuses on major topics covered throughout the self-study course; each of the major areas (financial modeling, DCF, Comps, M&A, and LBO) is fairly equally represented on the exam. It typically takes 2.5-3 hours to complete the exam, which must be… Read more »
How many time I can take the exam if failed?
Ruba:
You have three attempts to take the exam.
Best,
Jeff
Hello! Can I download the videos once I pay for the premium package?
Yes,
There is a download icon above each video that you can use.
Best,
Jeff
James, 1) You will get access to our self study materials. Currently we do not have videos produced for this course. 2) As mentioned, this course is self-paced – you should assume about 2-3 days of time to devote to the course to fully complete it 3) Please email [email protected]… Read more »
Does the Premium Package access expire? How long do I have before I must complete the exam?
Zaman,
If you purchase the Premium Package you will have lifetime access. Access to the Certification Exam will not expire. You can take the exam at any time.
Would you recommend taking the online premium package course first and then also taking the boot camp in-person course for F & V modeling or is that essentially the same curriculum and redundant?
I think that’s a good approach – the live course gives you a flavor of some time pressure, and you benefit from the instructor’s perspectives on modeling/valuation. The premium package offers more courses than the live instruction, but it depends on how disciplined you are in watching online videos. 🙂
Hi,
How many retakes can we take in total?
Gagan,
You have 2 attempts per exam – thanks.
That means 1exam and 2 additional attempts?
Gagan,
It means 1 exam and 1 additional attempt – thanks!
users may attempt to take it no more than 3 times within 24 months from the date of enrollment.
This is correct. But there is a one month grace period in-between attempts.
Best,
Jeff
Which courses are the most important to pass the Excel exam? Will the test cover all of the courses, or only a select few?
Patrick,
For the Excel exam specifically, I would make sure I go through the Excel Crash Course thoroughly. Hope this helps.
– Haseeb
Does Excel Crash Course has Certificate of completion ?
Hi, Afsfga, You can send an email to [email protected] to inquire about a certificate for the Excel Crash Course. But we would strongly recommend completing our financial modeling and valuation course for that certification, which is more highly valued (and which assumes you have completed the necessary course work in… Read more »
Hi Haseeb,
Another question. Do you train on Interview Questions and Answers. If so , which program is that? I could not find it in any of the packages. Thanks.
Zaki,
We do have a private tutoring program – if you are interested please email [email protected] to find out about our private services – thanks!
Hi Haseeb, I have graduated from Masters in Economics in Canada and I went back to my country and it has been almost years since. But I want to find a job in Toronto. You can say I am not a recent grad. Do you think Wall Street Prep only… Read more »
Zaki,
WSP is a great continuing education / re-tooling resource – the topics discussed here will definitely help in recruiting for boutique IB banks or sell-side research companies – thanks!
– Haseeb
Hi, Where can I have the re-take of the examination?
Sam,
After you take the exam and don’t pass, there is an automatic link available for a re-take. Let me know if you are having trouble with this – thanks.
Best,
Haseeb
Hi Haseeb,
I do not see the link available for a re-take. Is there any other alternative that I can re-take?
Samuel,
Please reach out to [email protected] regarding this matter – thanks.
– Haseeb
Would the Premium Package benefit someone desiring to go into corporate finance, or is it mostly geared toward investment banking?
George,
The premium package would definitely help someone going into any field within corporate finance; either at a company or at an investment bank.
– Haseeb
Would you say obtaining this certification helps when I’m applying to a top tier MBA program? Especially for someone who is not a finance major.
Dylon,
It definitely demonstrates your desire to become more proficient in finance, so yes, it would help.
– Haseeb
Adam,
If you’ve finished an exam and do not pass, you will get a prompt for a re-take. We allow 1 re-take per user. Hope this helps!
Best,
Haseeb
How many hours the exam and do I needs to pay the course and exam?
Cathy,
We recommend you go through all courses in our Premium Package before you take the certification exam – thanks.
– Haseeb
Hi,
I was curious as to what happens if you do not pass the exam? Whether it be on your first attempt or additional attempts.
Thank you,
Nick
Nicholas,
You have a maximum of two attempts to pass the exam – hope this helps!
– Haseeb
How can I retake it ? I have only used 1 attempt 3 months ago but I have not been able to retake it
Javier:
I would reach out to support at wallstreetprep dot com for help on this.
Best,
Jeff
Hi. I would like to know the format of the exam. How many attempts we get and is the exam taken online? Thank you.
Amaan,
The certification exam consists of multiple choice and fill in answers. You get two attempts to pass the exam, and yes, the exam is administered online.
I’ve purchased the 3-day Financial and Valuation Modeling Boot Camp package – will this give me access to the exams? Thank you.
Lin – please reach out to [email protected] for this question – thanks!
Thanks Haseeb
Can we only appear for the examination without enrolling for the premium package?
Hasmit,
You cannot get access to the exams without purchasing the premium package, so it’s in your best interest to review the materials in the premium package before taking an exam. Hope this helps!
Well i just want to appear for the exam as am well versed with the content ,as i am a financial modeler.It would be great if am able to just give exam or almost by paying something am at-least able to appear for the exam
Hasmit,
As this is a very specific request, please reach out to [email protected] – thanks!
I am willing to work with the team . thank you
Hi, guys
Once i fall the exam, would the second exam be same as the first?
Rola,
The exam will test the same content areas, but it will be different from the first.
Haseeb
so how long is the exam , how come some says 3 hours some says 90 minutes ?
WSP provides guidance that you should budget approximately 90 minutes to complete the exam.
I didn’t receive the excel shortcuts PDF. How do I get that with my premium package order?
You can download them here – https://www.wallstreetprep.com/knowledge/excel-shortcuts/
Hi, im planning on taking the wallstreetprep exam , how should i prepare myself? i just finished watching the financial modeling lectures and was wondering do i have to watch the entire video listings ? LBOs etc … should i prepare myself by watching the videos or i should also… Read more »
I would say you should review all courses that have “Premium Package” labeled on them – taking these courses will best equip you for the certification exam – thanks!
thanks Haseeb passed the exam on the 30th dec
best regards,
Bashar abu hwaij
Bashar – great job – apologies for the late response!
Hi Just had a few questions about the exam:
1. Is the exam timed?
2. Will I be able to view the correct answers once I complete the exam?
Your response is eagerly anticipated
It will be very applied – 50 MCQs – you will have more than enough time to complete the exam.
How many questions will be asked in the exam? and what is the expected allocated time? is it 50 MCQ questions or 24??
and how will the exam will look like one or few cases? and will there be theoretical questions?
Hi,
Can you elaborate more on how the exam is going to be like? what kind of questions should I expect? Will it be based on a case? Will I be tested on concepts or will I have to build a model?
Hi George,
The course is intended for newbies! We don’t expect you to have any working knowledge of the subject matter before starting the course.
Shannan
How much financial knowledge is required before starting the Wall Street Prep course?
Hi Matome,
We quizzes in some of our courses, but no we do not have any practice exams. The lessons themselves are hands-on practice and should be more than enough to prepare you for the certification exam.
Shannan
Kshitij,
The exam also includes LBO topics.
Shannan
Hi. I am based in Botswana in Southern Africa and would like to know if you have practice tests that one can use to prepare for the exams upon finishing the course.
Hi,
Another Question i had:
Does the exam cover topics that were taught in the advanced LBO modeling as well or only up till the M&A course?
Hi Kshitji,
Absolutely not, you have access to your package indefinitely!
Shannan
Dear Team,
Will i lose access to all the videos and materials of the premium (online) package if i pass the certification test?
Thank you for all the hard work you are putting into this educational platform.
Mukaddas, Wall Street Prep’s Certificate of Financial & Valuation Modeling is awarded to those who complete the Premium Package or a Wall Street Prep Financial and Valuation Modeling Boot Camp and have passed the Certification Exam by scoring 70% or above. The 3 hour examination in administered online, and users… Read more »