There are many sources of information dealing with the financial services industry. Read publications such as Barron's (https://www.barrons.com), Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com), Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/), Businessweek (https://www.bloomberg.com/businessweek), Fortune (https://fortune.com), Financial Times (https://www.ft.com), and The Journal of Investment Consulting (https://investmentsandwealth.org/journalofinvestmentconsulting). In the print or online versions, you will find a wealth of information on stocks, mutual funds, finance, education, careers, salaries, global business, and more. You can also conduct company research. You might have to become a subscriber to access certain sections online.
While in high school, you might volunteer to handle the bookkeeping for a school club or student government, or help balance the family checking account to become familiar with simple bookkeeping practices. You can ask a parent or teacher to help you research and analyze investment opportunities. Choose a specific industry (e.g., telecommunications, technology, or health care), study companies in that industry, and select and track several stocks that appear to have growth potential.
Participate in competitions, investment clubs, and related activities during high school and college to develop your stock-picking acumen. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania offers the Knowledge@Wharton High School Investment Competition, a free global online investment simulation for students, 9th to 12th grade, and teachers. According to the Wharton Web site, “students learn about teamwork, communication, risk, diversification, company analysis, industry analysis, and investing.”
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