Preparing for an investment club (Nittany Lion Fund) this fall

First off, I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum. I wasn't sure where to post this.

I'm currently a rising sophomore at Penn State University. I wasn't sure what I wanted to major in freshman year, so I didn't get nearly as involved as I should have. My GPA is currently a 3.9, but my involvement in finance-related clubs is nonexistent.

To remedy this, I'm looking to join the Nittany Lion Fund next year. It's a pretty well-known and respected club with very strong placement. However, with membership being exclusive as it is, the process to apply and join is rigorous. The interviews are known to be brutal, and prospective members are expected to have an extensive knowledge of the fundamentals of finance as well as the current market. And as of right now, my finance knowledge is limited.

I was wondering, then, which steps I should take this summer to prepare myself -- literature, online lessons, or otherwise. I've tried to do my own research, but it just seems like there's such an abundance of information and recommended material that I don't even know where to begin. Thanks in advance.

 
Best Response

It would be best to ask the source i.e. get in contact with the board members of the club and ask to talk to them about how you can prepare. This will show interest as well as help you prepare what you need to know.

Otherwise, read the well-known investing books like Graham's The Intelligent Investor and keep up with the market every day/read WSJ.

 

Ryan,

I have to first say that I am going to be a freshman at UP this year. One of the reasons I picked PSU was because of the Nittany Lion Fund (100% placement on the Street). I would try to network with students in the NLF and/or talk to Woolridge or other Finance professors as they probably have knowledge of the Fund and how to prepare. There is always WallStreetPrep and other online modeling software if you want to do that. GL

 

I'm currently on the fund. Most important thing you can do right now is read everything you can get your hands on. WSJ, Bloomberg economic calendar, yahoo finance, etc. Also, get a head start on technicals by reviewing the Wall Street Oasis and Breaking Into Wall St guides if you can. Once you start at PSU, it will be very easy to get distracted by everything going on. If you want to get on the fund your first semester, you have to maintain your focus and tune a lot of the distraction out. Spend time in the trading room, get to know fund managers, learn about the fund in general. Make sure this is something you're passionate about - if you just have a passive interest don't do it. Lastly, start developing a market outlook and opinions. The industry is not conducive for shy behavior - have an opinion and be able to defend it intelligently. You're already ahead of the game by thinking about this early. Most rising freshmen haven't even heard about it yet. Use this to your advantage and get ahead. Besides that, best of luck. While you should focus your first semester, don't forget to have fun. PSU is an amazing place, you'll love it.

 

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