FIN 341 is a two-course sequence that involves students in the Dragon Fund, a student-managed equity portfolio that is part of Drexel University’s endowment. The courses count as finance electives towards fulfillment of finance concentration requirements. Conditional on satisfactory performance in FIN 341, it is expected that students also enroll in FIN 342 when it is offered.
Application Information
Enrollment in FIN 341 is by application.
- For enrollment in the fall quarter, interested students should submit their application by the end of July.
- For enrollment in the spring quarter, students should submit their application by the beginning of February.
It is expected that classes will meet once a week on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
What to Know Before Applying
- The workload for these courses is very high and requires a substantial time commitment outside class – past Dragon Fund analysts have estimated the workload to be at least twice that of a finance class such as FIN 321.
- Dragon Fund analysts are expected to actively contribute every week; class participation makes up a substantial fraction (25% or more) of the overall grade.
- Given the interactive and team-based class approach as well as the interaction with an external audience, attendance is mandatory and professional business conduct during all class meetings is expected.
- Admission decisions are made based on the application and possibly an interview. Space is limited. Based on past experience, a class size of around 15 students offers the best student learning experience.
Admission Tips
Admission to FIN 341 is competitive and reflects the nature of the class as well as the responsibility for managing part of Drexel’s endowment. Successful applicants will typically:
- Have done very well in FIN 321 and/or can demonstrate a working knowledge of discounted cash flow valuation
- Have taken STAT 202 and are comfortable with linear regression or able to quickly get up to speed on statistical modeling
- Not be on co-op or have a substantial work commitment parallel to class
- Have a class schedule that allows full commitment to the Dragon Fund
- Have a specific and targeted interest to become analysts in institutional money management or investment banking. For students with a more general interest in investments, FIN 340 (the finance seminar class) may be more appropriate. FIN 332 (the investment analysis class) also covers stock valuation, but with a particular emphasis on financial statement analysis.