Valuation Master Class vs Breaking Into Wall Street (BIWS)

Breaking Into Wall Street (BIWS) gets you in the door. VMC helps you thrive once you’re inside.

Breaking Into Wall Street is the best resource for landing a finance role, bar none. Brian deChesare’s courses, interview guides, and the Mergers & Inquisitions blog have helped tens of thousands of candidates break into investment banking and finance.

Valuation Master Class is for what comes after you’ve broken in. Once you’ve landed the role and the interview prep is behind you, VMC helps you develop the deep valuation expertise that turns you from a competent junior analyst into someone who can actually value companies with confidence.

Choose BIWS if you’re preparing to break into investment banking or finance and need interview prep, networking guidance, and foundational modeling skills. Choose VMC if you’ve already entered finance (or have equivalent knowledge) and want to master valuation. Do both if you want the complete path: break in, then level up.

What BIWS Does Well?

Let’s be clear: BIWS is phenomenal at what it does.

The definitive “breaking in” resource.

The Mergers & Inquisitions blog is the single best free resource for anyone targeting investment banking. Brian deChesare’s transparent, no-BS approach to IB career advice has earned the trust of 56,000+ community members. If you’re trying to break into finance, you’ve probably already read his content.

Outstanding value.

BIWS Platinum gives you access to every course, interview prep, financial modeling, Excel, and industry-specific modeling for $497/year or $1,497 lifetime. That’s more content per dollar than almost any competitor.

90-day money-back guarantee.

The lowest-risk purchase in finance education. If you don’t like it, you get your money back. That speaks to confidence in the product.

Comprehensive interview preparation.

The IB Interview Guide, networking toolkit, and technical question banks are specifically designed for the recruiting process. BIWS doesn’t just teach you finance; it teaches you how to get hired in finance.

Real modeling, not textbook exercises.

BIWS courses use actual deal scenarios and company data. You learn to build models the way analysts actually build them on the job, with downloadable Excel files you can reference later.

Brian deChesare is honest.

He openly says BIWS isn’t for everyone. He tells you when his courses won’t help. That transparency builds genuine trust, and it’s rare in education marketing.

If you’re trying to land an investment banking or finance role, BIWS is one of the smartest investments you can make.

After You Break In

Here’s the thing nobody tells you before you land the job:

Getting in is hard. But staying and advancing is harder.

BIWS prepares you brilliantly for the interview. You can answer technical questions about DCF, LBO, M&A, and enterprise value. You can walk through a merger model. You’ve practiced your “walk me through a DCF” response until it’s second nature.

Then you start the job. And the questions change.

Questions BIWS Prepares You For	Questions the Job Actually Asks
“Walk me through a DCF.”	“What growth rate should we assume for this company’s revenue, and why?”
“What are the main valuation methodologies?”	“Which methodology is most appropriate for this company, and defend your choice.”
“How do you calculate WACC?”	“Our client thinks our WACC is too high. How do you respond?”
“What’s the difference between enterprise value and equity value?”	“Do you think this company is overvalued at the current price? Why?”
“Walk me through an LBO.”	“Here’s a company. Build the model, write the memo, present to the investment committee.”

BIWS gives you the confidence to answer the left column. That’s essential, you can’t get the job without it.

But the right column? That requires something different. It requires the ability to work with ambiguity, make judgment calls, defend your assumptions, and produce professional-quality analysis. That’s what VMC builds.

What Valuation Master Class Is Built For?

VMC is designed for the moment after you’ve broken in.

You’ve landed the role, or you have the knowledge equivalent to someone who has. Now you need to perform. Not just execute tasks assigned by senior analysts, but develop the valuation expertise that earns trust, drives better decisions, and advances your career.

Here’s what VMC delivers:

Deep valuation work on real companies

Not case studies or interview prep exercises. You analyze actual publicly traded companies, their real financials, their real competitive dynamics, and their real uncertainties. There’s no answer key because there is no “right answer”, just analysis that’s well-supported or poorly supported.

12 weeks of guided practice

Valuation judgment doesn’t develop in a weekend. VMC’s intensive format gives you time to develop real expertise through repeated cycles of analysis, feedback, and refinement. Over 350 hours, you build the pattern recognition that experienced analysts develop over years on the job.

Daily mentorship from a 30-year practitioner

Dr. Andrew Stotz isn’t teaching from a textbook. He’s a former #1-ranked equity analyst who spent 30 years valuing companies for institutional investors. He reviews your work daily, challenging your assumptions, refining your approach, and teaching you the judgment that only comes from decades of practice.

4 professional equity research reports

You graduate with a tangible portfolio of work that demonstrates what you can do. Not certificates, not quiz scores, actual investment analyses that you can present to employers, clients, or promotion committees.

Investment communication skills

In the real world, your analysis is only as good as your ability to present and defend it. VMC explicitly trains you to articulate your investment thesis, handle tough questions, and tell a compelling story with data.

How the Programs Compare

Dimension	BIWS	VMC
Core focus	Breaking into IB/finance (interview prep + foundational modeling)	Valuation mastery and judgment
Format	Self-paced video courses	12-week intensive with live sessions
Total content	300+ hours (all courses)	350 hours (focused program)
Instructor model	Pre-recorded by Brian deChesare + coaching credits	Daily personal feedback from Dr. Stotz
Output	Skills and certification quiz scores	4 professional equity research reports
Community	56,000+ member community	Cohort-based learning with peers
Pricing	$497/year or $1,497 lifetime	$2,900 one-time (lifetime access)
Guarantee	90-day money-back	7-day money-back
Career stage	Pre-hire and early career	Post-foundation, advancement-focused
Best for	Landing the finance role	Excelling in the finance role

The Complete Path: BIWS Then VMC

The smartest finance career strategy is sequential: break in, then level up.

Phase 1: Break In (BIWS)

• Study interview technicals until you can answer them in your sleep
• Build foundational modeling skills with real deal scenarios
• Use the networking toolkit and career guidance to land interviews
• Get the offer. You’re in.
• Timeline: 2-4 months of focused prep

Phase 2: Level Up (VMC)

• Now that you’re in, develop the depth that the job actually requires
• Apply your modeling foundation to real company valuation under expert guidance
• Build 4 professional equity research reports that demonstrate your analytical capability
• Develop the judgment and communication skills that drive promotions
• Transform from someone who can model into someone who can value
• Timeline: 12 weeks, intensive

The combined investment: $1,497 (BIWS lifetime) + $2,900 (VMC) = $4,397 for a complete career toolkit. Less than many MBA courses and more directly applicable to finance career success.

Who Should Start with BIWS?

BIWS is the right choice right now if you:

• Are preparing for investment banking or finance interviews
• Haven’t yet mastered the fundamentals of financial modeling
• Need networking guidance and career strategy for breaking into finance
• Want the most comprehensive, affordable preparation for IB recruiting
• Are a university student or MBA candidate targeting finance
• Want a large community of peers going through the same process

The ideal BIWS user is someone preparing to enter finance who needs interview prep, foundational skills, and career guidance.

Who’s Ready for VMC?

VMC is the right next step if you:

• Have already broken into finance (or have equivalent foundational knowledge)
• Can handle basic modeling but want to develop real valuation judgment
• Want a portfolio of professional work, not just more certificates or quiz scores
• Are ready for intensive, guided learning with daily expert feedback
• Want to accelerate your growth from junior analyst to trusted valuation professional
• Need to master the “so what?” that turns numbers into investment insights

The ideal VMC participant has the foundation and is ready to develop the expertise that drives career advancement.

What VMC Participants Say?

“The Boot Camp condensed my previous four years of finance education into only weeks.” — Kidakarn Srilawongseree

“A high-intensity, hands-on course that taught me uncertainty is part of finance.” — Alan O’Sullivan

“Significant turning point in my career transition.” — Peter Oguntoki

VMC graduates work at BCG, Citi, JPMorgan, and Barclays — many of whom used resources like BIWS to prepare for their initial roles before seeking deeper expertise through VMC.

Pricing Comparison

	BIWS Premium	BIWS Platinum (Annual)	BIWS Platinum (Lifetime)	VMC Boot Camp
Price	$497	$497/year	$1,497 one-time	$2,900 one-time
Access	Lifetime (Level 2 only)	All courses, 1 year	All courses, lifetime	All content, lifetime
Content	Core modeling courses	300+ hours all courses	300+ hours all courses	350 hours focused program
Mentorship	Not included	Coaching ($100-250/hr extra)	Coaching ($100-250/hr extra)	Daily feedback from Dr. Stotz (included)
Output	Skills + certification	Skills + certification	Skills + certification	4 professional research reports
Guarantee	90-day	90-day	90-day	7-day

How to think about the investment:

BIWS is one of the best values in finance education, especially the Platinum lifetime option at $1,497 for 300+ hours of content. VMC costs more because it includes something BIWS doesn’t: intensive, personalized mentorship over 12 weeks and the guided creation of a professional portfolio.

Think of it this way: BIWS is the best self-study option in the market. VMC is the best guided-practice option. They’re different tools for different stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need BIWS before enrolling in VMC? 

No. BIWS or equivalent foundational training is helpful but not required. VMC assumes basic finance knowledge, understanding financial statements, knowing what a DCF is, and being comfortable in Excel. Whether you got that from BIWS, CFI, a university program, or work experience doesn’t matter.

I used BIWS to land my IB role. What’s next?

Congratulations, now it’s time to excel in the role. The skills that got you hired (interview prep, basic modeling) are different from the skills that get you promoted (valuation judgment, investment thesis development, analytical depth). VMC is specifically designed for this transition.

Is VMC just an advanced version of BIWS?

No, they’re fundamentally different programs for different purposes. BIWS teaches you foundational skills and prepares you for interviews through self-paced video content. VMC develops valuation expertise through intensive guided practice with real companies, daily mentorship, and portfolio creation. They’re complementary, not substitutes.

Can I use what I learned at BIWS in the VMC program?

Absolutely. BIWS graduates tend to do well in VMC because they arrive with solid modeling foundations. Instead of struggling with Excel mechanics, they can focus immediately on developing valuation judgment, making assumptions, and building their analytical voice. Your BIWS training gives you a head start.

Is VMC worth the price difference over BIWS?

They deliver different things. BIWS delivers exceptional self-study content at an unbeatable price. VMC delivers intensive mentorship, personalized feedback, and a portfolio of real work at a premium price. The question isn’t which is “better,” it’s which you need at your current career stage. Most professionals benefit from both sequentially.

Where can I develop deep valuation skills after learning the basics?

Valuation Master Class is built for exactly this transition. The 12-week Boot Camp transforms foundational knowledge into applied valuation expertise through hands-on analysis of real companies, daily mentorship from Dr. Andrew Stotz, and the creation of 4 professional equity research reports.