H-ton Business Students Study Financial Advising

Career and Financial Management class students have been engaged in a financial advising project that has proven to be both informative and enlightening.

“We have been working in our financial planning unit for most of December where students started by learning about the importance and details of stocks, mutual funds, employer retirements plans, banking instruments and individual retirement plans,” business teacher Bryan Outsen explained.

Students worked on two small projects tracking $10,000 worth of stock growth and reallocating retirement spending and accounts “before jumping into our big project for the unit; being a financial advisor,” Mr. Outsen said.

In the run-up to the winter recess, students were tasked with drafting interview questions for prospective clients in order to complete a client portfolio worksheet. The questions were subsequently asked during initial client meetings on December 20.

Faculty members Suzi Biagi, Paige Tyree, Allison Bean, Daphne Marcelin, Brenden Cusack and Ivy Alvayero all volunteered as prospective clients and each had a specific client scenario given to them beforehand, which they used to answer student questions.

“This week students have been analyzing the information they received in order to create a new financial portfolio for their client and will then pitch their plans and rationale to them in an attempt to be hired by the prospect,” Mr. Outsen said.

The simulation included the “exact steps” that an actual financial advisor takes in order to gain clients. The majority of the material shared with students was taken from an actual financial advising firm that it used to train its new hires. “Both students and staff have really enjoyed the unit so far,” Mr. Outsen said.