Finance Classes for High School Students in Chicago

Financial literacy is a must-have for every person. Made up of several basic skills, financially literate people know how to open a bank account, pay bills on time, create and manage a budget, how credit works, how to improve your credit score, tips for using debt responsibly, how to save money for retirement, and how to compare financial products like credit cards and investments.

Over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck; mastering basic financial skills can help you avoid falling into this group. Being financially literate means you can create an emergency savings account, leverage credit to your advantage, master budgeting, and experience the freedom that comes from financial stability.

Why High School Students Should Learn Finance

Learning finance at a young age can positively impact your future. The power of financial literacy has motivated seven states (and counting) to implement financial literacy requirements in schools. The Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA) Foundation reports that students with higher financial literacy were less likely to have late fees, make only minimum payments on their credit cards, and take out payday loans. Georgia, Idaho, and Texas are three states that implemented mandatory financial education, and three years later, they all reported rising credit scores and decreasing delinquency rates.

Studying finance in high school can also help prepare you for your academic future. Taking a finance class can be a great way to study for the AP finance exam, which can also help improve your chances of college acceptance. And, with plenty of top-notch finance programs at nearby universities like Loyola University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois, you’ll have plenty of top-notch schools to choose from.

In-Person Finance Classes in Chicago

While there currently aren’t any in-person finance courses for high schoolers in Chicago, there are several online options available.

Georgetown School of Continuing Education’s investing course is designed for students 13 years old and up and can be completed in a one-week intensive or a two- or three-week session. You’ll explore concepts like the foundations of finance, valuation approaches, and how to build investments. You’ll also study the union of technology and finance in FinTech, discover the steps to buying stocks, and consider various college majors related to finance and investing.

EVERFI offers a free online financial literacy course for high school students who teaches how to make wise decisions with their money to promote financial well-being throughout their lives. You’ll use real-life scenarios to learn about budgeting, consumer skills, managing credit and debt, financing higher education, and how insurance works.

Virtual Finance Classes

Live online classes can be an easy and accessible way to learn more about finance. Held in virtual classrooms, your only required materials are a computer and internet access. Most (if not all) of your curriculum will be online, so there are no additional costs. Live online classes let you interact with your instructor and other classmates, ask questions, and receive feedback in real time. With your permission, instructors can see and control your screen to help troubleshoot any challenges you may encounter. Plus, you can attend from anywhere—whether that’s your home, favorite coffee house, or local library.

NextGen Bootcamp offers an Excel, Finance, & Investing Summer Program which is held live online and consists of 25 hours of in-depth learning. You’ll learn to use Microsoft Excel, one of the most important business tools, and cover topics such as valuation (including P/E ratios and DCF analysis), financial statements, and fundamentals of stock investing. This two-week course consists of three hours of daily live instruction and is ideal for high school students since it has no prerequisites.

NextGen Bootcamp also offers a FinTech Summer Program, covering Microsoft Excel, finance, stock market investing, and Python for data science. Created for novices, this live virtual course helps students gain an advantage in future internships and college by learning the skills that employers value. This course is essentially the Excel, Finance, and Investing course mentioned above, with the addition of Python programming. You'll learn data science concepts using Pandas, Matplotlib, and scikit-learn so you can learn to input, analyze, and graph data.

How to Choose a Finance Class

Unsure how to choose the right finance course for you? The top factors to consider are listed below, along with some tips and tricks to help you make the right choice.

• Cost: Finance class prices can vary widely, so it’s important to know your budget. Some programs may offer financial assistance or payment plans to make their training more accessible.
• Duration: Programs also vary in length and may be offered full-time or part-time. Part-time courses offer more flexibility if you work or have a demanding schedule. If you want to study finance during a school break, choosing a course that fits into that window is important.
• Level: If you’re brand new to finance, a beginner-friendly class with no prerequisites is essential. Intermediate or advanced courses are best for students already familiar with basic financial concepts and looking to expand their knowledge. You’ll want to choose a course that challenges you without overwhelming you.
• In-Person or Online: Your learning style also matters. If you prefer a structured, face-to-face environment, look for in-person options. Online classes are ideal for those who need more flexibility or prefer learning independently in a quiet space.