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DCF Walkthrough Structure Checker

Paste your walk me through a DCF answer and this checker tells you which of the seven expected steps you covered, whether you kept them in order, and whether you wrote connected prose rather than a keyword list. It runs a fixed rubric in your browser, so the same answer always scores the same way. It checks structure, not the quality of your reasoning.

Your structure check appears here as you type.

How does the DCF structure checker work?

  1. 1. Write it the way you would say it

    Full sentences, not bullet keywords. The checker treats a keyword list as an incomplete answer because an interviewer listening to you would treat it the same way.

  2. 2. Seven steps get matched

    Forecast unlevered free cash flow, calculate free cash flow, calculate terminal value, discount at WACC, sum to enterprise value, bridge to equity value, and sanity check the result.

  3. 3. Order is checked, not just coverage

    The checker records where each step first appears and confirms that forecast, terminal value, discount, enterprise value and equity value arrive in that sequence. The right pieces in the wrong order still lose the interviewer.

  4. 4. The score is three parts

    Coverage is worth up to 70 points, correct order plus connected prose adds 20, and writing in complete sentences adds 10. Your numbers under the checker show which part you are losing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the right order for a DCF walkthrough?

Forecast unlevered free cash flow over the projection period, calculate terminal value using Gordon growth or an exit multiple, discount both back at WACC, sum to enterprise value, then bridge to equity value by subtracting net debt. Close by sanity checking the implied multiple.

Why did my answer score low even though it was correct?

The checker scores structure. A correct answer written as five disconnected keywords fails the connected prose and sequence tests, which is also roughly how it would land when spoken in an interview.

Should I use Gordon growth or an exit multiple for terminal value?

Name both, say which you are using, and say why. Gordon growth suits a stable business with a defensible long term growth rate. An exit multiple suits a business you can benchmark against comps. Interviewers often ask you to cross check one against the other.

Does this checker use AI?

No. It is a fixed keyword and sequence rubric running in your browser, so it is instant and repeatable. AI graded feedback on the substance of your answer lives in the DCF practice drills.

Practice graded DCF drills

This checker sees structure only. A graded DCF drill scores the substance: whether free cash flow starts from the right line, whether the discount rate matches the cash flows, and whether terminal value is handled and sanity checked.

Practice graded DCF drills

Free to start. No card.

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