Day Trading

So a good guess would be 40%.

Online trading has lowered commissions to the point where they are no longer the primary consideration. Ditto for good execution, if indeed they are Direct Access. If you decide later to trade commodities, options, futures, or currencies, TerraNova may be the only one that you can trade everything, real time, online, direct access. A lot of online brokerages claim to give you direct access, but if they take more than a second to execute your trade, it aint direct.

What you probably should be concentrating on is the best trading software or trading platform. But even then, everyone's criteria are different.

Find the articles online that have evaluated and compared online brokerages. I found a good one online in Barron's, but you'll find others in the trading magazines. Active Trader, Futures Mag, etc.

This is worth putting a little time and effort into, because it's a pain to switch, so once you choose, you're kinda stuck with it.

Townsend Electronics, the Parent company of TerraNova, is the one that digitized and electronified the Nasdaq. They are technological industry leaders and have a powerful and well built trading system.

I use RealTick at TerraNovaOnline, but it costs $275/mo. I think the Investor package is free to use, and just uses one screen.

What you should try is a free trial of their Investor platform, which is free. Their rates are good also, but of course, it depends on how often you trade. It will take you months to learn all the bells and whistles of what this program can do.

The other top-of-the line program is TradeStation, but it costs big bucks to join and operate. Some people consider it the Cadillac of trading and technical analysis.

TerraNova is the home of the Day Trader, so they think nothing of you making several hundred trades a day. You don't have to do that, but it's okay here if you do.

Look into the Investor platform at TerraNovaOnline.com
I think this one is free if you open an account there. I use the full-blown package called RealTick for $250/mo. The Investor platform is the same software, sized down to one screen. I use five monitors. This is very technologically advanced softwarefrom Townsend Analytics, the one that digitized the entire Nasdaq last year. Cutting edge technology. If you make some money, then definately upgrade to RealTick.

First there are two books you should read. Way better than textbooks. The first is called "the math behind wall street".

http://www.amazon.com/Math-Behind-Wall-Street-Market/dp/1568581602/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9307096-4545628?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177570772&sr=8-1

Then read this one;

http://www.amazon.com/Investing-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/0764599038/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9307096-4545628?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177570661&sr=8-1

If you want to jump into it right away, the University of Arizona has a lot of good materials online. The books are better, but here is the link;

http://www.studyfinance.com/

Read the books. Read the Wall Street Journal every day, highlight the terms you don't understand & look them up online. Google the term "_____ definition".

Finally play the fantasy stock market. It is a cheap way to learn.

Here is that link.

http://www.investopedia.com/

And the guide.

http://simulator.investopedia.com/stock/game/

Buy a Hewlett Packard financial calculator ($40 bucks), & READ THE MANUAL.

If you do this and like it, I'd recommend finance as a major. Although it is pretty intense.

Very cool that you want to learn.

Good luck

Good luck