Essential Preparation Guide
Setting yourself up for success requires the right foundation. Here's what you need to gather and prepare before diving into your financial education journey.
Resource Requirements
Financial education isn't just about reading materials and watching videos. Success comes from having your personal financial foundation organized and ready for analysis. Think of this as creating your financial laboratory.
Before our October 2025 program begins, you'll want to gather these essential materials. Don't worry if some seem obvious — most people skip these steps and struggle later.
- Bank statements from the past 12 months (all accounts)
- Credit card statements and current balances
- Investment account summaries and transaction history
- Pay stubs or income documentation
- Monthly expense receipts or tracking records
- Insurance policies and coverage details
- Debt statements including interest rates and terms
- Tax returns from 2023 and 2024
Setup Process
Getting organized doesn't happen overnight. Start this process at least six weeks before classes begin to avoid last-minute stress.
Document Collection
Create physical and digital folders for each document type. Request missing statements from banks and creditors. This usually takes 2-3 weeks for older records.
Analysis Tools
Set up spreadsheet templates or download budgeting apps. You'll need calculation tools that can handle multiple scenarios and projections during coursework.
Goal Framework
Write down your current financial concerns and what you hope to achieve. Specific goals help focus your learning and make coursework more relevant to your situation.
Meet Corina Blackwell
Financial Education Coordinator
Corina has spent eight years helping Canadians organize their financial lives before formal education begins. She knows exactly which documents people forget to gather and which preparation steps make the biggest difference in learning outcomes.
"Most students who struggle early on simply didn't have their personal financial picture clear before starting," she explains. "When you know where you stand financially, the concepts we teach become immediately applicable rather than theoretical."
Getting Started Support
Corina offers monthly preparation workshops via video conference for students enrolled in upcoming sessions. These 90-minute sessions cover document organization, goal setting, and common preparation mistakes to avoid.