The Leveraged Buyout (LBO) Modeling Bootcamp is an intensive two-day program designed to introduce Chicago Booth students to the essential financial modeling and analytical skills required for private equity careers. Through hands-on learning, students will build leveraged buyout models and develop the analytical expertise to evaluate acquisition targets, structure debt financing, and assess risk-adjusted returns while building a portfolio of sophisticated models. The program’s primary objective is to help students develop the technical expertise while learning the underlying investment logic and decision-making framework needed to succeed in private equity.

Instructed by Chris McGowan, Adjust Professor of Entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth and Faculty Advisor to the Svider Private Equity Program, this course will include a set of comprehensive modules featuring real-world modeling scenarios with partner-based learning. Students accepted into the program will be required to complete the Wall Street Prep module “Excel Basics (Windows)” and it is highly recommended for students to complete the ”Excel Crash Course” as well. The LBO Modeling program assumes all participants will begin with fluency in Excel and will bring a personal laptop to work from each day. This LBO Modeling course material does not support Mac users as Macs have different formulas and keystrokes.

Please note, accepted students must attend both sessions which take place on Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2 from 9:00am – 4:00pm. If you are not able to attend both days in-person on-campus (there is not virtual option), please withhold submitting an application.

All Chicago Booth students in the MBA, MiM, and MiF programs are eligible to apply. We particularly encourage applications from students pursuing careers in private equity who are looking to build foundational experience in the field.