Disagree. I’ve interviewed quite a few people who are prepping and are senior. Even for those who have been at FAANG before - it’s common to spend multiple months prepping nights and weekends. Taking a full two months off just to study is uncommon. But if you think just doing an hour a day is sufficient - you’re wrong. Most candidates (even senior ones) fail with that level of studying.

I know because I’ve talked to dozens if not hundreds of people who have tried to get into FAANG with that level of study. It definitely takes more for the average person. Some people get lucky and spend maybe two weeks studying for a couple hours a day. But they’re lucky and shouldn’t be considered the norm.

Also - LC and the whole process is very fungible. You can say they did well if you happen to like the candidate for some other reason and you can knock them down if you don’t like them either. I’ve seen it go both ways where terrible candidates get offers and amazing ones get rejected. Ultimately - LC is still only part of the interview. If you are really handsome and charming - you might get an offer even if you’re not very good at LC.