NotebookLM

Study setup & prompts

A single NotebookLM notebook is the study engine for this curriculum. Set it up with the readings and cases as sources, keep it clean, and drive it with the prompts below.

Setting up the notebook

Create one notebook for the whole program, not one per week. A single notebook keeps the cross-references between modules, cases, and readings intact.

1. Create one notebook named for the program.
2. Add the readings as sources, one per work, named by role.
3. Add the case materials as sources, named by deal.
4. Add the model-standard rules and core formulas as a single source.
5. Use the prompts below for study, synthesis, and interview practice.

Keep the notebook grounded in the sources. Every answer the study engine gives should cite the specific reading or case it came from, so you can always return to the primary material.

Source hygiene

A study engine is only as trustworthy as its sources. These rules keep the notebook accurate, searchable, and free of contradiction.

Source quality over quantity

Upload only the canonical source for each idea. A clean, primary source (the textbook chapter, the case, the course notes) beats ten duplicate summaries.

One concept, many sources is the exception

Keep multiple sources only when they genuinely disagree or cover different angles. Otherwise consolidate to a single authoritative source.

Name sources by what they teach

Label each source by its role (e.g. 'DCF - Koller ch.6', 'LBO - Rosenbaum ch.4'). A well-named notebook is a notebook you can search.

No raw scrapes

Never paste unstructured forum threads or unedited web dumps. Clean the text to the idea before it enters the notebook.

Keep formulas with their assumptions

Every formula you save must carry the assumption it hides. A formula without its caveat is a trap in an interview.

Prune weekly

At the Day 6 consolidation, delete sources that never get cited and merge duplicates. A lean notebook is a trustworthy notebook.

The prompts

Eight prompts that turn the notebook from a reference into a tutor. Run them against the sources at each stage of the cadence.

Explain the concept

Explain [concept] as if teaching a new analyst with no finance background. Use the sources in this notebook, cite them by name, and end with the one sentence that captures the idea.

Cross-source synthesis

Compare how [source A] and [source B] treat [topic]. Where do they agree, where do they differ, and which difference matters most in practice? Cite each source.

Formula drill

Give me the formula for [metric], the assumption it hides, and the most common mistake analysts make when computing it. Pull each part from the notebook sources.

Case decision

Present the [case] as a decision I must make. Summarize the facts, the key valuation question, and the two strongest arguments on each side. Then ask me to decide before revealing the actual outcome.

Interview simulation

Interview me on [topic] for a front-office role. Ask one technical question at a time, wait for my answer, then push on any gap before moving on. Use only the notebook sources as the answer key.

Thesis defense

I will state a valuation thesis. Play the skeptic: attack my assumptions, find the weakest driver, and force me to defend the number. Use the sources to challenge me.

Error audit

Given my model's assumptions block, list the five most likely errors and the specific check that would catch each one. Reference the model-standard rules in the notebook.

Concept map

Build a concept map connecting [topic] to the rest of the curriculum: which modules it depends on and which cases it explains. Cite sources for each connection.