Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Build a diversified personal investment portfolio in this 2-week program for middle school students on Georgetown University’s campus.
Seats are limited, and this course may sell out for summer 2027. Enroll early to save your seat.
Course Description
How can money today support a goal years from now? Students build an accessible introduction to finance, investment management, and capital markets. They examine saving, interest rates, and the power of compounding before comparing how stocks, bonds, funds, and cryptocurrency differ in risk, return, volatility, and liquidity.
The course turns concepts into decisions. Students define financial goals and time horizons, explore personal risk tolerance, and study why diversification matters. Research and simulation activities ask them to interpret company or economic news, distinguish expectations from outcomes, and recognize common behavioral pitfalls such as acting from fear or excitement.
By the end of the course, students design a personal investment portfolio. Their choices must fit a stated goal, time horizon, risk and reward tolerance, and diversification plan. The emphasis is on responsible decision-making, patience, and explaining a strategy, not on promising a particular return.
This two-week course takes place at Georgetown University. The course is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic exploration with campus life, growing confidence and independence, and clearer direction about interests students may want to explore next. The program is developed by Georgetown University and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What Will You Do?
• Calculate how compounding affects savings over time
• Compare stocks, bonds, funds, and cryptocurrency
• Assess personal goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance
• Research how company and economic news may affect investments
• Identify behavioral pitfalls in investment decisions
• Design and explain a diversified personal portfolio
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain compounding, risk and return, volatility, liquidity, and diversification
• Compare common investment types in relation to a financial goal
• Construct a diversified portfolio aligned with time horizon and risk tolerance
Students leave with a completed personal portfolio plan and a stronger foundation for responsible saving and investing decisions.
Why Personal Finance Skills Matter?
Personal finance skills help students understand why time, risk, and diversification matter before real money is at stake. Compounding shows how early choices can grow, while volatility and liquidity explain why two investments with attractive returns may not fit the same goal.
Behavioral finance adds self-awareness. Students consider how emotions, headlines, and short-term price changes can affect judgment. Researching choices and writing down a plan encourage discipline, curiosity, and personal responsibility, habits that support lifelong financial literacy. Together, the work reinforces careful reasoning and the ability to revise a conclusion when new evidence changes the picture.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for middle school students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and want to understand saving, investing, markets, or how financial goals shape decisions. It fits students who enjoy working with numbers and asking why an investment may rise, fall, or suit one person better than another.
Why Georgetown University?
Studying on Georgetown University’s campus gives middle-school students a memorable place to learn, have fun, and experience campus life in Washington, D.C. The historic campus sits near embassies, institutions, and public conversations that make the wider world feel close, even when the course itself is not connected to government or policy.
The program combines active academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students navigate a new environment. Students can try unfamiliar subjects, share ideas with peers, and build confidence through a structured summer experience. For families, the program offers an engaging balance of learning and fun, with the community and guidance younger students need as they develop independence and discover what they may want to explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive