Random Thought/Tip for College Students

Looking back, I wish I had taken English or had paid more attention in writing classes in college. I AP’d out of English Lit and half-assed my way through a writing course in undergrad and I now regret it. During my time in banking, and especially now on the buyside, stronger writing skills would have served me well. This is really evident now when writing lengthy IC memos where I sometimes struggle with proper grammar, using active vs. passive voice, and writing in a clear and concise manner. It’s also beneficial when reviewing language in legal docs as you advance in your career.  
 

Everyone loved to go full hardo in the finance and accounting classes at my school, but writing skills seem to be something often overlooked that turns out is massively important in this line of work. Food for thought for current undergrads – look into taking a writing-focused English class, and actually pay attention/try. 

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This is a great point. My favorite classes in college were two English courses and a grammar class. Having to read and write extensively for the English courses was a great benefit, but even more helpful was getting pages of reference material on grammar. Instead of searching Google for the correct answer and trying to sift through SEO optimized garbage, I can find a high-confidence answer in the textbook and notes I kept. 

Also, if the last book someone read was Harry Potter or 1984 they probably aren't going to write like someone exposed to a wide variety of books. Analyzing dense writing at a college level gives you so many tools for your own writing. 

 

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