Is Adventis Financial Modeling course worth it for a sophomore in college?
I am a sophomore looking for a way to differentiate myself and stand out from the pack. My goal is to obtain a summer internship next year in Asset Management. Is the $295 for a financial modeling class worth it? How can I use a financial modeling certification to my advantage?
Damodaran online course (Including the weekly valuations) followed by asimplemodel is probably all you need at your stage.
You could follow that up with macabus after if you were getting very very keen but probably unnecessary at your stage. Best to focus on getting the basics sorted 100% first.
Basics of a stock pitch are the most important thing at entry level recruiting. They want to see you pitch something and make a logical argument as to why you beleive something isn't already in the share price (even if you're wrong). Models are good to know but from experience of interviewing at Franklin Templeton, Aberdeen Asset Management etc. and now working as a buyside analyst, they would rather you knew the drivers of a stock,how to read financial statements in a logical fashion and structure an argument for why sell side earnings expectations/current price multiples are wrong.
From my own experience, the importance of financial modeling is vastly overstated at every point in the undergraduate Asset Management recruiting process. When you're recruiting in your junior year, your top priority should be learning how to put together a strong stock pitch. At the undergraduate level, even the best stock pitches don't rely on DCF models; as long as you know how to read financial statements and do basic valuation with something like EV/EBITDA, it's sufficient.
While you're at it, keep up with financial markets (learn to speak to a couple mega-cap companies, e.g. "What do you think about Facebook?") and read an investing book or two. If you're at a non-target, spend some time networking as well. And be sure to refine your "story" as to why you want to work in asset management, rather than investment banking or whatever-- qualitative fit is as important as anything else during your interviews. All of these things should take higher priority over paying for a modeling course. This comes from my own personal experience interviewing all over, including at Fidelity, T. Rowe, Putnam, multiple sell-side equity research shops, and all the other usual suspects.
I helped promote the Adventis program at my school and got to participate for free. It would be valuable for someone with zero modeling experience. The WSO modeling tutorials are also pretty good from what I have heard.
I'll sell you some of my old Training the Street m&A books for a few bucks
Hey do you still have these books? I would be super interested!
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