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Someone i spoke to during an IB prep webinar had done their training at Amquest Education, and they said the first time they watched a live model being build, it felt like watching someone code in a different language. Honestly, that's how most of us feel at first because regular Excel and IB Excel are worlds apart.
What makes investment bankers so fast is constant repetition under pressure. They don't just practice Excel they live in it. From 3 statement, models to merger models, they build everything from scratch, ofter with insane deadlines. Over time, their hands just start flying across the keyboard not because they're showing off, but because they've done it hundreds of times.
Training helps too. My contact said Amquest focused a lot on real case modeling, keyboard-only work, and logic building not just teaching formulas, but how to think like an analyst. That's what makes the difference: knowing why each cell matters and how it connects to bigger financial picture.
So freezing the first time? Completely normal. But with enough practice and the right guidance, you start building the model before you even realize it almost like muscle memory mixed with financial logic.