Take your seat at the investment table.
An eight-week experience for high school and college students. Research companies, pitch your ideas, and learn directly from investment professionals.
Build the confidence to understand markets, assess risk, and make informed investment decisions. Through live discussions, portfolio challenges, and mentorship, you develop practical skills for college, your career, and your own financial 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.
Every student takes a position at the table. Research companies and sectors, weigh opportunities against risk, and bring your strongest 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.
Graduate with practical investment experience, professional confidence, and connections for your next chapter.
01 / RECOGNITION
Official Wall Street Master Class® diploma and a personalized letter of recommendation from industry leaders.
02 / PRACTICAL SKILLS
Portfolio management, investment analysis, financial markets, risk management, and disciplined decision-making. A foundation in long-term wealth creation, plus professional communication, presentation, networking, and business etiquette.
03 / YOUR NEXT STEP
Access to internship pathways, career referrals, and the Academy’s alumni circle.
Academic credit eligibility, subject to approval by your institution.
STUDENT OUTCOMES
SCHOOLS
Parent
President, Options for College, Inc - School Counceling
Wall Street Master Class Spring 2026
Parent
Student, Bard High School Early College
Student, Sacred Heart University
Student, Tamalpais High School
Student, Northeastern University
Student, Stuyvesant High School
THE WALL STREET MASTER CLASS®
Explore upcoming cohorts and take the next step toward becoming an investor.
UPCOMING SESSION
Eight weeks. A small cohort. Real-world investment experience.
FORMAT
In person
SCHEDULE
Weekdays after school or weekends
DURATION
8 weeks
COHORTS
High school · Grades 10–12
College · Undergraduate
FALL 2026 TUITION
For accepted applicants only.
The Academy of Finance® is committed to expanding access to high-quality financial education. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are awarded to qualified students each cohort.
Recipients are selected by the Admissions Committee based on the strength of their application, individual circumstances, and available scholarship funding. Selected recipients are notified at the time of admission.
2027 COHORT
Eight classes. A small cohort. Real-world investment experience.
FORMAT
In person
SCHEDULE
Fridays
DURATION
8 classes
COHORTS
High school · Grades 10–12
College · Undergraduate
Eight class dates
Jan 22, 29; Feb 5, 12, 19, 26; Mar 5, 12
WINTER 2027 TUITION
Contact the Academy for tuition details.
The Academy of Finance® is committed to expanding access to high-quality financial education. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are awarded to qualified students each cohort.
Recipients are selected by the Admissions Committee based on the strength of their application, individual circumstances, and available scholarship funding. Selected recipients are notified at the time of admission.
2027 COHORT
Eight classes. A small cohort. Real-world investment experience.
FORMAT
In person
SCHEDULE
Sundays
DURATION
8 classes
COHORTS
High school · Grades 10–12
College · Undergraduate
Eight class dates
Apr 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; Jun 6, 13
SPRING 2027 TUITION
Contact the Academy for tuition details.
The Academy of Finance® is committed to expanding access to high-quality financial education. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are awarded to qualified students each cohort.
Recipients are selected by the Admissions Committee based on the strength of their application, individual circumstances, and available scholarship funding. Selected recipients are notified at the time of admission.
2027 COHORT
Eight classes. A small cohort. Real-world investment experience.
FORMAT
In person
SCHEDULE
To be determined
DURATION
8 classes
COHORTS
High school · Grades 10–12
College · Undergraduate
Class dates
Starting June 2027. Exact dates to be determined.
SUMMER 2027 TUITION
Contact the Academy for tuition details.
The Academy of Finance® is committed to expanding access to high-quality financial education. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are awarded to qualified students each cohort.
Recipients are selected by the Admissions Committee based on the strength of their application, individual circumstances, and available scholarship funding. Selected recipients are notified at the time of admission.
02 / INTERVIEW
Take part in an admissions interview.
03 / DECISION
Receive a decision within two weeks.
“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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