<p>I 100% agree with the fact that business have to train everyone coming in, regardless of majors. There is just a much greater learning coming out of certain fields. Working on one’s math and computer skills as Inmotion said, and being able to demonstrate that on your resume and/or interview, is crucial to landing a job in this economy.</p>
<p>Benentode, the main reason why I chose Tulane was your post on CC in the first place.
and from there I did a lot of research and I liked it a lot due to the trading system and the burkenroad reports they offer…which I believe is a huge advantage as a finance major. Also the 10k scholarship by being in Phi Theta Kappa is a plus.<br>
The only con with Tulane, is I hear its very dangerous outside and it is not somewhere to wonder off…in which I like doing in my spare time. And I wonder how their recruits are. </p>
<p>Also i am currently at a cc and have 1 semester left to finish up prereqs for major. </p>
<p>Villanova also has a trading system but I slightly walked away from that due to its very low diversity and I also hear of how “mostly” everyone is stuck up…and growing up in an enviorment which was pretty much the same, Im definently steering away from that.</p>
<p>Juggetnaut, I will definently take a look at UIUC and University of Michigan and might apply for a summer internship at Wolverine Trading next year. So def thanks!</p>
<p>SwimSwim, UCLA doesnt even have a finance major…Thats why even if i get accepted i highly doubt I want to study something I dont want to study…</p>
<p>And as far as the economics/finance degree…in general I like both…but want to focus on finance… I think economics will definently help me in my trading strategies but I can also learn that on the side…such as when euro is tanking, buy their exports-BMW/Mercedez…</p>
<p>
I know this is not the point of the thread, but in the uptown/Audubon area where Tulane is located it is pretty safe. Is there zero crime? No, but there is no college campus, and certainly no urban one, that has no crime. Trust me, my D is like 5’4" and maybe 100 pounds and there is no way in hell I would have sent her there if I thought it was dangerous to that extent, alumni connection be damned. She wanders all over, just not alone of course. I mean in the immediate area she can go places alone during normal hours, but if she wants to explore some other areas or it is getting dark she gets a couple of friends and they go. I would hope she would do the same no matter where she might have gone to school. The Tulane web site has police stats for both on campus and for the surrounding area. Take a look and just use common sense when you want to wander. You will be fine.</p>
<p>If you want to day trade, invest and play with the market, you can easily register an account with etrade and play around.</p>
<p>If you want to work for a company as a trader, get an internship as an assistant trader, help your trader make plenty of money, buy him food, become good friends, learn your basic programmings, master excel and he will bring you in. That is the quickest path.</p>
<p>If you want to do well in finance, take an advanced Excel course. Learn data validations, macros, and how to summarize a 1,000 line data file into 1 printable page.</p>
<p>It helps to know finance, accounting, and economics for any position in any job. Is it necessary to work in finance to have a finance degree? no, because they will train you but it does help when they throw out finance terms and you understand what your manager is talking about.</p>
<p>If you want to day trade, that is one thing. </p>
<p>If you want to WORK in finance (as a trader or other), that’s another animal. You won’t get a job in finance without a degree. So why not spend the next fours years gaining valuable insight into the industry’s methodologies and earn your degree at the same time. </p>
<p>Yes, accounting, economics, and finance will all give you useful tools that you’ll need. That’s why I recommend taking all three. Usually that isn’t an option if you’re a finance major as you’ll be required to take some of each. I took 15 credit hours of accounting, 12 hours of economics, and lord knows how many finance hours as an undergrad. When picking a major though, finance will look better to some, particularly if your school has a finance program. </p>
<p>As mentioned above, learning Excel (including data tables, pivot tables, VBA, ect.) is a must. Financial Modeling Using Excel and VBA by Chandan Sengupta is a good book for some basic and some advanced stuff that you’ll learn. I picked it up a few years back at B&N in the bargain bin. DO NOT pay full price for that book, i just looked at the price and its $95. It’s a good book at $40-50 though.</p>
<p>For trading, Tulane offers a few energy trading courses, an FX trading class, and I’m sure some that I don’t know about. You’ll trade for a grade in some if not most of those. They’ll teach you everything you’ll need to trade from open outcry (to trade in the pits) to developing your own program trading system, to learning the ins and outs of a dozen ECNs. So when you get on the job or internship front, you can hit the ground running. </p>
<p>Will employers train you regardless? Yes. But wouldn’t you rather be the guy or gal that knows what is going on from the get-go and survives the initial ‘weed outs’.</p>
<p>It also helps to read bloomberg, ect. Also know your current financial news. For example, you don’t want to bad mouth TARP funding in an interview with a firm that received funds.</p>
<p>In terms of getting a job/internship, I used to have a standard list of numbers that I always knew. The company’s 52 week, CEO and CFO, and history for the founding and then the last 10 years, and finally its market cap. I also memorized the SP, Nasdaq, Crude oil, gold, and the EUR/USD. Was that crazy? Yes. But I never wanted to be asked about it and have no clue. And I was asked about it so I guess my paranoia had its merit. </p>
<p>Remember, you can always double in finance and economics. </p>
<p>Hope all this rambling is helpful.</p>
<p>commentcomment, I have already opened up an account and trading and making pretty nice profit…shorting the market =] though I laid off my shorts when we couldnt break below 1065 on the $SPX
That internship idea sounds good though…I dont know too much companies like that around the SD area unfortunately.
I also plan to study advanced Excel on my freetime. </p>
<p>Benetode, That info on Tulane is sick! I always wanted to do FX…Even if I cant get a job after graduating from Tulane, I can start trading on my own! mwahahah…Do they also teach you on trading stocks from NYSE? </p>
<p>But yeah remembering those numbers is a little crazy hahaha…but I guess theres no harm in being prepared for anything. </p>
<p>Does anyone know of any schools that focus on technical analysis? Its probably similar to the OP, but I am in love with technical analysis and managing a portfolio would be a very fun job.</p>
<p>As an aside suggestion, MG Forex offers a free demo trading account to everyone. There are no strings attached and it costs no money. It can help you to learn japanese candlestick charting without having to put up so much as money for a book or a class. </p>
<p>In terms of technical trading of stocks, if you can trade FX, you can trade stocks. They respond to the same indicators and market numbers. Remember, technical analysis alone is the same across almost all markets. Obviously you need to be aware of different numbers that come out and how they tend to affect the market you’re in, but otherwise the technical indicators will be the same. </p>
<p>Also, Tulane and others that have these multi million dollar trading rooms are going to use them. So just because Tulane or Villanova, or which ever school may not have a trading course today that you really want to take, it may very well be there by the time you get to that school or at least by the time you get to the class level to take more electives. </p>
<p>And so you all are aware, if a class has ‘trading’ in the title, it will cover technical analysis a great deal. That will be the same at all universities with a trading floor/room.</p>
<p>If you are trading on your own already, please use stops and limits. :)</p>
<p>Benetode, this is a little off topic from the OP but since you graduated from Tulane, how are the recruitments? I dont believe New Orleans has many financial industries…
But yeah I love Japanese candlesticks, and I am already using my stops and limits =]</p>
<p>The main centers for finance in the US are Chicago, NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and a few smaller ones out west (large cities mind you, but more regional centers of commerce). </p>
<p>Tulane business grads (BSM’s including finance, acccounting, marketing, ect.) are concentrated in Boston, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, New York, and Washington DC.</p>
<p>The largest placement for 2009 was in the Northeast. With 3 quarters of the student population of the university as a whole coming from 500+ miles away, it’s fair to say that Tulane has alumni everywhere.</p>
<p>I can give you a list of financial firms in New Orleans but you’ll only be looking to get hired there if you really want to stay in New Orleans. They are smaller firms, some boutiques, and not all have offices outside of New Orleans though some do have offices in Houston and Dallas. That prevents lateral moves. They are great for ‘during the semester’ internships but probably only hire a few kids each year between the lot of them for full time positions after graduation. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/cmc/docs/BSM_2009_Employment_Profile.pdf[/url]”>http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/cmc/docs/BSM_2009_Employment_Profile.pdf</a></p>
<p>The NYMEX, Goldman Sachs, ConocoPhilips, Citigroup, and Shell are among those that come down to Tulane for recruitment specifically for traders. </p>
<p>List of judges: [Freeman</a> School @ Tulane](<a href=“http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/trading/2009/judges.php]Freeman”>http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/trading/2009/judges.php)</p>
<p>About a competition at TU: [Freeman</a> School @ Tulane](<a href=“http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/trading/2009/about.php]Freeman”>http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/trading/2009/about.php)</p>
<p>Obviously they come down to TU for other positions as well, but with regards to trading in particular, Tulane does very very well. Even in this economy they come down to New Orleans for talent. Maybe they will ultimately hire fewer students, but the point is to get face to face time with recruiters and at Tulane you will get that. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Benetode, thank you very much for that information. I honestly appreciate it, probably because I am biased towards Tulane and have a huge interest in trading.</p>
<p>Tulane is looking like the school for me =]
Thanks again.</p>