I'm a Sophomore at College, Where to Start? And am I behind?

Hi Everyone,

I am currently a sophomore attending at non-target state school, majoring in finance. I didn't know what I really wanted to do with my finance degree until I exposed myself to the investments club at my school. Personally, I love researching the markets and learning about fundamental analysis/top down approach.

However, because I recently joined, I have no knowledge about the markets whatsoever. I do enjoy learning about how the economy affects our portfolio and the valuation/modeling/Bloomberg stuff we do, but because I have no prior exposure I feel as if I am behind. (I haven't taken a Finance class and won't until the fall, hoping to use summer to gain exposure).

Thus, I have 2 questions:

  1. For someone who doesn't know sh*t about the field, what is a good place to START? What can I do to grow myself?
  2. Do you guys think I am behind in terms of pursuing a career in investments/PE/HF or even corporate dev?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

 
Best Response

You're already started. You joined the investments club and identified it's something you enjoy. Many successful people in finance learned this way later than sophomore year of college.

Does your club have an advisor? I'd see if you can set up a conversation with him to pick his brain about how undergraduates at your school navigate their way into finance. Are there important electives to take? Are there other clubs that might expose you to a different part of the finance world? What resources does the career center offer for connecting you with potential internships?

The careers you listed (investments/PE/HF/Corp Dev) can be really different. Try to meet as many people as possible with knowledge of these fields so you can ask them questions about what they actually do. There's a ton of jargon in finance and the way the different participants interact can be pretty convoluted. Actually understanding the finance world can be like peeling back an onion. Just keep asking questions. The more of this you do, the more likely you are to pursue an area that's right for you, and the more fluently you can speak the language when it comes time to interview.

 

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