20 Seats. 8 Weeks. $1 Million to Invest.
The Wall Street Master Class® is designed for high school and college students who want to understand markets, become confident investors, and build practical skills they can carry into college, internships, future careers, and their own financial lives. Whether Wall Street is the goal or not, learning how to invest, assess risk, and make informed financial decisions is a skill for life.
The Wall Street Master Class® blends rigorous education with immersive, hands-on learning. Built around discussion and exposure to real-world markets, investors learn to connect financial theory with what is happening in the world, follow economic and market news, understand how events influence companies and sectors, and develop the habit of staying informed.
At the heart of the Wall Street Master Class® is The Investment Committee. Each investor takes a position at the table, researching companies and sectors, evaluating opportunities and risk, and bringing investment ideas before the Committee.
At The Academy of Finance®, we believe in learning by doing. Through portfolio challenges, market simulations, mentorship, and repeated practice, investors turn financial concepts into practical skills and experience.
Traditional Education
The Academy Experience
The program is led by James E. Demmert*, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of a $3 billion investment advisory firm and nationally recognized Barron’s advisor, alongside Mario DiFiore, PhD, Dean and Professor of Finance at Fordham University. Together, they create a powerful combination of real-world investment management experience, academic expertise, and high-level economic research. *See Disclosures
Every participant manages a $1 million virtual investment portfolio using the industry's leading stock market simulation platform. Working individually and as part of an investment committee, students research companies, evaluate economic events, manage risk, and defend their investment decisions throughout the program. This is where classroom concepts become real-world experience.
Each week, accomplished professionals from some of the world's most respected financial institutions join the Academy to share their experiences, investment philosophies, and career journeys. Because cohorts remain intentionally small, students have the opportunity to ask questions, engage in meaningful discussions, and build authentic professional relationships.
Students are given rare access to some of the most iconic institutions in finance and experience firsthand the environments where markets move and decisions are made.
The Academy dress code is “Come to the Office.” Every student receives a custom Academy uniform and kit, including the signature blazer and tie, Academy notebook and pad, and The Journey to Wealth. It introduces students to The Academy Code, a standard of discipline, preparation, punctuality, and professional conduct designed to prepare them for the expectations of the professional world.
Graduates walk away with the real-world experience and confidence to build their future personal wealth and skills.
SCHOOLS
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President, Options for College, Inc - School Counceling
Wall Street Master Class Spring 2026
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Student, Bard High School Early College
Student, Sacred Heart University
Student, Tamalpais High School
Student, Northeastern University
Student, Stuyvesant High School
“The greatest investment a young person can make is in their own education, in their own mind. The more you learn, the more you will earn.”
At the heart of the Academy’s curriculum is the award-winning book The Journey to Wealth, written by our co-founder and Chairman, James E. Demmert — one of Barron’s Top Financial Advisors and a respected voice on Wall Street. This acclaimed guide forms the foundation of our program, offering students a clear and strategic framework to understand financial markets, build lasting wealth, and make sound decisions.
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