• Business in New York City - International Business, Grade 12
  On this program students will head to the infamous streets of Manhattan. They will understand the true influence of 'Big Business' as they make trades in front of the Financial District's legendary bull statue and walk down the gilded staircase of Trump Tower. Students will be filled with the energy of global trade as they land on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and are swept up in the world of Wall Street. The culminating competition will be an 'Apprentice' style task on Fifth Avenue which always brings our the best in our contenders. The intentions of this program are practical in nature; students will learn how successful business players invest and the universal strategies they utilize. Our journey to the 'Big Apple' will allow students to see firsthand the extraordinary reach of global finance as they stand on Broadway and explore ground Zero.

Courses

Courses offered for grade 12 students

• International Business

  The Business course is designed to give students the practical knowledge of trading, entrepreneurship and real estate investing. During the online portion of our program, students will learn how to use state-of-the-art trading platforms, receive professional guidance on piecing together an industry-standard business plan and study the basics of what makes a good deal in the ever-shifting real estate market. Now, more than ever, future opportunities will be in the international market-place. This course will give students a marked advantage when entering into a business program at the university level.

  Why study business in New York City?

  New York City is the financial heart of the world. As the old saying goes, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Students will have a chance to experience trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, design and sell products on 5th Avenue and participate in an Apprentice-style competition starting in the Trump Tower. Students will also get to enjoy the fruits of their labour while dining in classic New York City restaurants and enjoying entertainment on Broadway.

Itinerary

• Dates

  • Course Begins: February 7th
  • Departure Date: March 11th
  • Return Date: March 21st (tentative)
  • Course Ends: May 13th

• Weeks 1 & 2:

  The focus of our program is practical in nature. There will be three primary areas that give shape to the course: Trading, Entrepreneurship and Economic Fundamentals. These areas of focus will be geared to giving students foundational concepts that will allow them to expand their level of thinking, give them practical knowledge and enable them to synthesize what they have learned to apply it to their own future business plans. For Trading, students will be required to use Think or Swim as a platform for trading purposes. We will begin with basic purchases and market analysis as students begin to compete with each other for the most successful portfolio. In studying Entrepreneurship, students will learn that every entrepreneur has to begin with a dream and a vision. We will focus on what it takes to create an entrepreneur and how to build a dream into a successful operation. In Economic Fundamentals, they’ll be introduced to the idea that anyone involved in business who doesn’t have their eye on the big picture and the forces that influence stocks and the global marketplace will eventually be at a loss. This portion of our course will be to encourage financial literacy in basic terms and concepts that make our economic system work.

• Week 3 & 4:

  In weeks 3 and 4, we will diversify our Trading knowledge and look at sector trading, as students begin to build their own portfolios of five stocks. In the Entrepreneurial section of the course, we will begin to look at what it means to be the financial manager of an operation. Students will learn basic accounting and management principles from payroll and start up capital to building the first stages of a viable plan. Furthermore in Economic Fundamentals, students will be looking at financial indicators that check the pulse of our economic health.

• Week 5:

  A week prior to leaving, students will focus on developing their entrepreneurial activities and preparing to trade on the NYSE. We will be focusing on the markets that we will be visiting in New York City and students will begin to conduct their research projects on one of the flagship businesses on 5th Avenue.

• March Break Excursion to New York City
  (March 11th- March 20th, 2011)

  Students will head to the infamous streets of Manhattan. They will understand the true influence of ‘Big Business’ as they make trades in front of the Financial District’s legendary bull statue and walk down the gilded staircase of Trump Tower. Students will be filled with the energy of global trade as they land on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and are swept up in the world of Wall Street. They will record podcasts live in Central Park and take in the city’s famous sites such as the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Statue of Liberty. There will be three focuses for the academics while in NYC. Students will have a five day competition based on their experience at the NYSE. Students will learn the role of a specialist on the trading floor and have a behind the scenes look at how the heart of the Western world’s economy operates. Our Entrepreneurial focus will be to analyze how the most profitable companies in the world have made their fortunes. Students will research the story behind the scenes of the entrepreneurial vision, the structure of successful companies and how they maintain their market share in a very competitive world economy. Finally, there will be two “Apprentice” style competitions that will happen while in NYC that will be conducted from Trump Towers that will bring out the best and perhaps the worst in its competitors, but always prove to be truly valuable exercises. The winners will indulge in the fruits of their labour at one of the city’s fine restaurants before taking in a live show on Broadway.

• Online Session Continues - Week 7:

  Once we’ve returned students will have a debrief from their various assignments and activities conducted while in NYC. Students will be allowed to complete and refine their trades, reflect on their entrepreneurial activities and Apprentice style competitions.

• Week 8 & 9:

  Students will begin trading complex derivatives in order to get a full picture of how the economic speculation on futures is conducted. They will be using sophisticated software developed by Think or Swim to help make this analysis accessible to the novice trader. Continuing with Entrepreneurial studies, students will further develop their skills as marketing managers for their own business. In the Economic Fundamentals section, we will be focusing on topics such as branding, sales, logos to manage the vision into a focus concept. Students will analyze the recent economic downturn of 2008 and learn the key factors that precipitated that event.

• Week 10 & 11:

  In the Trading section, students will be introduced to currency trading and how money functions as the lifeblood of the global economy while for their Entrepreneurial studies, students will be delving into the role of a manager of people and look at hiring, firing, training and developing an enthusiastic and reliable staff.

• Week 12 & 13:

  In the last two weeks of the course, trading focus will be on putting together a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds and options to achieve a financial goal. We’ll also take a brief look at real estate and how it can be a useful tool in creating wealth. Furthermore, their Entrepreneurial focus will be on lead generation and how to manage a database customer satisfaction and creating leads into sales. Continuing with Economic Fundamentals, students will be researching the rise of China and India and the basic economic factors that will make them inevitable force to contend with in the next generation of global business.

• Week 14:

  Students will use the final week to tie everything together and complete their final trades for the semester and close out their balances, submit and revamp their completed business proposals and complete their personal forecast for business in the next five years using their knowledge of Economic Fundamentals.

• NEW YORK CITY
  in NEW YORK CITY, students will stay on Broadway in the theatre district, one of Manhattan’s most exciting neighbourhoods. From street vendors selling roasted nuts, hot dogs and piping hot coffee to the elegant shops on Fifth Avenue and the lush oasis of Central Park, students will have the city that never sleeps at their fingertips.

MEI Gear

• Clothing and Accessories
  At MEI, we not only provide our students with the best possible education, staff and travel experience - we also provide them with the best in fashion and accessories! After years of experience, we understand that having the proper clothing is an important aspect of travelling. With that in mind, we have designed a number of clothing articles for all types of climates and activities so the student can be prepared for any situation. From hoodies and tees to windbreakers and flip-flops, MEI gear allows you to travel in comfort and in style! MEI gear includes other items as well, like our high-quality water bottles. Each student is also issued a beautifully bound journal for their travel writing and cultural observations.
• Health and Fitness
  Healthy living, exercise and active learning is a big part of the MEI lifestyle. Each morning students are encouraged to start their day off on the right foot by doing some exercises or exploring the city with a supervised jog. With our MEI workout gear, keeping in shape will be easy and comfortable. Healthy bodies equal healthy minds, and students who are in the best physical condition are sure to stave off fatigue and make the most of their experience abroad.
• MEI Gear Store Coming Soon
  Look here for ways to order exclusive MEI gear soon!

• Transportation
  
  • Return airfare from Toronto's Pearson International Airport
  • Transportation between hotel locations via private coach
  • Transportation for all listed program excursions
  • Transfers to all accommodations
• Trip Related
  
  • Breakfast and dinner daily
  • Entrance fees to all course-specific sites
• Course Components
  
  • Ministry-approved credit(s) upon successful completion of the course(s)
  • Custom course pack
  • Student Login
  • MEI journal
  • Digital yearbook
  • Fall reunion