Students who want to start investing while still in college might consider a discount or online brokerages. Below are some tips for finding a broker and how you can utilize student services available on campus to help you with the investment process.

Investing as a College Student

If you have a part-time job or have some income that isn’t going directly to your education, you might consider investing that money instead of putting it in low-interest savings account at the bank. One way to do this is by setting up a brokerage account. Brokerages offer low-risk investment options that you can take advantage of, but you’ll want to get some help before you get started choosing a broker.

Using a Discount Broker

One benefit of online brokers is that they offer low commissions relative to traditional full-service brokerages. But not every discount broker is the same, and trade prices can vary greatly. For example, you might be expected to pay from $7.99 to $20.99 per stock or equity trade. Examples of popular online brokers include TD Ameritrade (tdameritrade.com),  E*Trade (etrade.com), and Charles Schwab (schwab.com).

When you investigate the fees of each brokerage, you’ll want to check the price of market orders and limit orders. Also, firms might charge higher commissions on certain purchases, such as purchases of 1,000 shares or more. Commissions are not the only form of a fee you need to worry about. Most brokerages charge maintenance fees if you have less than the minimum account balance.

Doing Research

Unlike full-service brokers, online discount brokers offer no advice or recommendations. Instead, you’ll be expected to do your research and fact-checking before purchasing investments. Some brokers offer third-party research tools, such as Standard and Poor’s stock reports, while others provide in-house reports.

Find Campus Resources

Suppose you’re worried about the fees you’ll be charged. If you want to do additional research on online brokers and investments, or you want a better understanding of how discount brokers handle your money, seek out help from the services available on your college campus.

Training Programs

You can find numerous investing courses available through the business school or continuing education departments. Some schools offer online courses on investing that might not have a fee. Check with your academic advisor for course options.

Student Services

Stop into your student services department to see if they can offer you any support. Some student services centers feature seminars, workshops or online documents that you can use to learn more about discount brokers and to invest.

Investment Clubs

You also might be able to find investment clubs or programs available through your college. These programs provide additional training to help you make decisions about choosing a broker and can introduce you to other students with similar interests. Investment clubs likely also have resources to help you with your investment choices, such as podcasts, website suggestions or counsellors.