Topics Mode: Drill Specific Curriculum Tags on OFFERGOBLIN

Q: How many tags are there?

67 tags total, with about 7,400 question-tag links across the 3,500+ question bank. Tags cover technical concepts (accounting, valuation, DCF, LBO, M&A) and behavioral/recruiting topics.

Q: Should I use Topics every day or sometimes?

Sometimes. The right pattern is reactive — let GOBLINMODE expose a weak spot, then drill that tag in Topics. Using Topics every day undoes the balancing effect of GOBLINMODE.

Q: Can I combine Topics with Bank & Round?

Yes. The two filters compose. A candidate prepping for an Evercore Superday in M&A can filter for Evercore + Superday + the M&A tag bundle simultaneously.

Q: Is Topics mode on the free tier?

No. Topics mode is Accelerated only ($40/month). Free users see GOBLINMODE and GOBLIN100.

Topics mode lets Accelerated users filter the OFFERGOBLIN question pool by curriculum tag — accounting, valuation, DCF, LBO, M&A, behavioral, and more. How tags work and when to use them.

OFFERGOBLIN·6 min read

Direct answer

Topics mode lets Accelerated users filter the OFFERGOBLIN question pool by curriculum tag. There are 67 tags across technical and behavioral categories with 7,400 question-tag links overall. Use Topics mode to drill weak spots — working capital, LBO returns, accretion/dilution, behavioral storytelling — once GOBLINMODE has exposed where the gaps actually are. Accelerated only.

What tags exist

The OFFERGOBLIN tag catalog covers the topics banking interviews actually probe:

Accounting — three-statement linkages, working capital, EBITDA, depreciation, deferred taxes, revenue recognition.
Capital structure — WACC, free cash flow, debt vs equity, cost of capital.
Valuation — DCF, comps, multiples (EV/EBITDA, EV/Revenue, P/E), terminal value, CAPM.
Deal mechanics — M&A, accretion/dilution, synergies, LBO mechanics, paper LBO.
Market knowledge — coverage groups, sector trends, deal flow.
Behavioral — frameworks, stories, why-banking, why-this-firm, deal walkthroughs.
Recruiting — networking, pipeline, target schools, summer programs.

Each question is tagged with one or more topics. Total question-tag links: roughly 7,400.

How filtering works

A candidate selects one or more tags from the Topics filter. The card pool narrows to questions tagged with any selected tag. The GOBLINMODE engine then runs over the filtered pool — same phase × health weighting — surfacing unseen and weak cards in the topic.

Multi-select is supported. Selecting both "DCF" and "WACC" gives a pool of every question tagged DCF or WACC, with the engine prioritizing what the candidate has not yet mastered.

When to use Topics

The right pattern is reactive: GOBLINMODE exposes a weak spot, then Topics drills it.

A candidate notices, after a week of GOBLINMODE, that they keep getting working capital wrong. They switch to Topics, select "working capital," and run 30 cards in the tag. The next week of GOBLINMODE has fewer working-capital surprises.

The wrong pattern is to use Topics as the daily mode without context. Picking a tag at random and grinding it does not produce balanced prep. GOBLINMODE's whole purpose is to balance reps across the curriculum — replacing it with a self-chosen tag every day reproduces the failure mode of every other prep tool: the candidate drills what they like and skips what they need.

Topics versus Bank & Round

Bank & Round filters by source firm and interview round. Topics filters by curriculum tag.

The two compose. A candidate prepping for an Evercore Superday in M&A can stack:

Bank: Evercore
Round: Superday
Topics: M&A, accretion/dilution, LBO

Now the engine surfaces only Evercore Superday questions tagged with the M&A bundle, weighted by the candidate's grade history.

Tag granularity

The 67 tags are broad enough that the catalog stays usable. Tags do not nest — "DCF" exists as one tag, not as a subtree of "valuation > DCF > terminal value > Gordon Growth." Some questions get multiple tags; that is how the catalog handles questions that span concepts (a question about how WACC affects a DCF gets tagged both WACC and DCF).

If a candidate wants finer granularity than tags allow — for example, drilling only the Gordon Growth method of terminal value — that level lives in the article content under Learn, not in the tag catalog.

What Topics mode is not

Topics is not a study guide. The mode is purely a question-selection filter. The teaching content sits in the Learn library — the article on a topic explains the concept, and Topics mode drills the questions that test it. Most candidates use both: read the article, then drill the matching tag.

Pricing

Topics mode is Accelerated only ($40 a month). The Free tier sees GOBLINMODE and GOBLIN100; the broader filtering options unlock at the paid tier. See Free vs Accelerated for the breakdown.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Topics mode on OFFERGOBLIN?

How many tags are there?

Should I use Topics every day or sometimes?

Can I combine Topics with Bank & Round?

Is Topics mode on the free tier?