Which Investing Bootcamp is Best?

Those looking to study investing can learn this skill by enrolling in a bootcamp. Bootcamps are available from many top providers around the country in person at training facilities and live online. Students can select from full-time and part-time programs, as well as those that focus on skills development or career development. Read on to find out more about how to decide which bootcamp is right for you and how these programs can provide you with the training you need to land a job in finance.

What are the Most Important Criteria to Evaluate in Investing Bootcamps?

Many types of investing training options are available, which can make it challenging to find the one that’s best for you. When deciding which program to select, there are several important factors to consider. The first is the focus of the class. Some courses, such as skills classes, provide instruction on investing as a stand-alone skill set. These classes are typically short and take about one day to complete. Students receive hands-on instruction in core investing strategies and skills, such as how to read financial statements and understand the factors that influence stock prices. Other bootcamps and certificates are more comprehensive in their focus and provide learners with in-depth training over several weeks or months. These programs are available in topics like financial analytics, financial modeling, or angel investing. These programs provide students with a deeper dive into finance-related topics. They also often include career-focused incentives like individual mentoring, career counseling, or access to networking events.

Determining if an investing class is at the right difficulty level is another consideration all learners will need to weigh. Those who are just getting started working with finance-related concepts or who don’t have a background in using Excel will likely benefit more from an introductory-level skills class or a bootcamp that begins by covering basic financial concepts. On the other hand, individuals who already have spreadsheet training or prior financial experience may wish to enroll in more advanced or specialized training, such as a course that focuses on angel investing or financial modeling. 

Finally, it’s always a good idea to read student reviews of bootcamps to see what their learning experience was like before enrolling in a program. These can typically be found online when searching for an educational provider. Reading specific reviews can be a great way to determine if the course is at the appropriate difficulty level if the content being covered is pertinent to your study needs, and if the pedagogical approach is in line with your learning style.

What are the Top Investing Bootcamps?

You can find investing bootcamps near you by using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. Coursework is available for those who are new to investing, as well as intermediate and advanced-level learners who want to take their financial knowledge to the next level.

Those who are interested in focusing their studies on the stock market can learn the basics in Noble Desktop’s Stock Market Investing. This one-day program was designed to help beginners learn essential investing concepts, including how Investors value stocks and the variables that move stock prices. Learners work with valuation multiples and earning releases from major companies like Apple and Google to create a framework for investment research. Those who graduate from this class have a working knowledge of how financial markets work instead of get-rich trading plans. Learners can take this class in person in NYC or live online. 

Noble also offers a Financial Analyst Training Program that offers the training necessary to pursue a career at a top financial firm. This rigorous program covers beginner, intermediate, and advanced Excel skills like working with shortcuts, cash flow projection tools, PivotTables, Goal Seek, and financial functions. Participants also study corporate finance and accounting concepts like corporate valuation, DCF modeling, and enterprise value. By course completion, participants will graduate with an integrated 3-statement financial model. This program is available in person in Manhattan and live online. It includes a free course retake for up to a year.

High school students who live in New York City and are interested in exploring the basics of investing can do so in Columbia University Precollege’s Introduction to Finance and Investment Management. This program provides comprehensive instruction on core investment and finance strategies. Those who graduate from this beginner-friendly program leave with their own investment portfolios.

NYC Career Centers offers a Financial Modeling Bootcamp for those hoping to prepare for a career in financial analytics or investment banking. This program teaches students the fundamental skills they’ll need to work in a career that specializes in creating financial models. This program teaches advanced Excel functions for finance and prepares learners to create a DCF financial model. All participants leave with a financial model they can present as part of their professional portfolio. It’s helpful, but not required, that students have prior financial knowledge. Intermediate-level Excel knowledge is required to attend. This class is taught in person in NYC and live online. 

Enrolling in an Investing Bootcamp Part-Time or Full-Time 

Deciding whether to take an investing course part-time or full-time is another decision learners must make. Skills classes typically are short and offered in a one-day training format (some are slightly longer). Bootcamps and certificates generally take longer to complete since they offer a more robust type of training. Some of these programs provide learners with the choice of enrolling full-time or part-time. Those who select full-time training will likely need to have a week or longer available to attend class all day. One of the main benefits of full-time study is that it provides students with a focused period of time in which they can devote their entire efforts toward learning investing. This condensed type of coursework can provide a great way to concentrate on investing and not be distracted by other commitments. Those interested in putting their skills to immediate use upon graduation may prefer full-time study for this reason.

The full-time learning format is a good learning option for some individuals; however, it may not be a great match for those who have full-time jobs. For these individuals, attending class over several weeks or months of part-time study on weeknights and weekends may be the only viable way to balance investing training with work or family commitments. Part-time study affords the same learning benefits and outcomes as full-time classes. It also spreads lessons out over a longer period of time. Some individuals may find that this setup gives them the space they need to spend more time with an investing skill before moving on to another topic. 

Enrolling in an Investing Bootcamp In-Person or Online

Once you’ve decided to enroll in an investing bootcamp, another consideration is whether you will attend this program in person or online. This factor will likely depend on your educational preference and your proximity to a major city.

In-person training is an excellent option for those who thrive in the traditional classroom environment. Students complete their studies in a training facility that’s equipped with computers that have the most current investing software and tools installed. In addition to real-time instruction from a teacher who has industry experience making sound investments, participants also benefit from the support of other learners who are on a similar educational journey. Although in-person training does require having reliable transportation to and from classes, and being able to meet for regularly scheduled intervals, most individuals will find that the hands-on training this type of coursework provides is worth the added time the commute requires.

Those who don’t have reliable transportation or live far from a major city may opt to enroll in a live online investing bootcamp rather than attend one in-person. Live online bootcamps provide participants with the same learning benefits as in-person training, such as real-time access to an instructor and support from a cohort of students. Rather than having to commute each class to and from the training facility, particpants complete all lessons remotely using a teleconferencing platform. This setup allows students to ask questions as needed and even share their screen with the instructor (with permission) for additional assistance. Those interested in live online training should keep in mind that they will still need to commit to attending classes that are scheduled at regular intervals. This may pose challenges for those with busy schedules.

On-demand investing classes are also available for those who aren’t able to attend live classes or for those who prefer the flexibility of determining their learning speed as they study investing. These classes are pre-recorded and posted online by providers like Udemy and Coursera. Students work with asynchronous content like written tutorials and online videos, which cover investing concepts and tools. The learner has the freedom to decide when they wish to complete lessons, how long they want to spend on their studies, and the pace of lessons. This training format affords the flexibility of allowing students to pause, rewind, and rewatch content as often as necessary. No instructor is present in this type of training, though, which is an important consideration for learners who may find it challenging to find answers to questions on their own.

Do You Want to Start a New Career Using Your Investing Training?

If you’re learning investing for work-related purposes or to pursue a new career in finance, the coursework you select should ideally provide you with support with the job search. The good news is that many programs provide participants with a range of professional perks that are included as part of tuition and are aimed at helping them find a job as soon as they graduate. Some longer courses provide participants with much more than just hands-on investing training; they also include a range of career-related services and incentives.

Many bootcamps and certificates in finance offer students supplemental services to ensure they’re job-ready upon graduation. These programs may provide 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, mock interviews, access to networking events, resume and LinkedIn profile critiques, or professional portfolio reviews. These services may be offered in class or as additional sessions. Some programs also pair students up with career coaches or include money-back guarantees that they will find work within a certain time frame after graduating. It’s important to read about the bootcamp you’d like to enroll in before committing since not all programs offer career support. 

Which Investing Bootcamp is Best For Me?

Determining which investing training format is right for you is a choice that will depend on a host of factors. Learners will need to consider whether it’s better for them to enroll in an in-person course, a live online program, or an on-demand class. This decision will likely depend on their proximity to a major city, whether they have reliable transportation to attend class, and if their schedule permits them to attend live courses. They will also need to weigh whether studying full-time or part-time is better for them. Those who need to acquire training quickly for work-related purposes may prefer full-time study, whereas those who have busy schedules may prefer spacing out their studies over a longer time frame and completing work on weeknights and weekends.

Although bootcamps can be an excellent way to learn investing, they’re not a good match for all learners. Those who aren’t interested in enrolling in an investing bootcamp can explore other training options. Free online investing resources like blogs, YouTube videos, and online tutorials can provide a low-stakes way to explore basic investing concepts or fill a skills gap. Some of these resources require only a few minutes of time and can be a good starting place in a longer educational journey. Additionally, useful investing information and tutorials are available online for students to read at their own pace. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s investor education and advocacy branch, investor.org, provides a brief introduction to key financial concepts like savings and investment, risk and return, and diversification. Those who want to try their hand at investing before they risk their own money can do so by using a free online investing simulator. Simulators provide a risk-free way for aspiring Investors to learn different investing techniques without having to use their own money. Some online simulators even use real market values to mimic the stock market. 

When opting for these self-teaching resources, it’s important for learners to keep in mind that these alone will usually not suffice to fully understand investing. These resources can be a good way for non-professionals to get started with investing. However, for those who hope to pursue a finance-related career, such as a Stockbroker or investment Banker, and hope to work with other people’s money, bootcamp study is usually a more pragmatic and useful educational approach.