This prof is an excellent instructor. Knows his stuff, is very interested in the students learning, encourages questions. If only he would teach more at Fordham.

great professor. agree with previous post.

I took this course a while ago but felt the need to give this guy his due: hands down one of the best and enthusiastic professors at Fordham. Makes me sad that there are not more professors like him at Fordham Business. And as far as I know he is only part time. The School needs to wake up and get some more young teachers like Prof Zirpolo.

This guy is terrific. The material is presented clearly and he is very clear on what he expects from you. Every week is a new topic and it is covered completely. Final at end of class is tough, but you will learn alot if you apply yourself. I wish he taught another class. Better than most of the full time finance professors at Fordham.

Great Class. It was a mini-class that left me wanting another 7 weeks. Very well organized. The material goes quick so you have to pay careful attention, but it's easy to understand. Take it!

A good guy with a lot of energy. Weekly homework assignments and a final that wasn't too bad. If you do comp analysis for a living you will get a lot out of this class.

Teacher was a former MS I banker and really knows his stuff - he also teaches I banking programs to associates on wall street. Great teacher - a must for any finance student.

Zirpolo is full of IB expertise, knows his stuff! Very hands on class that will give you a taste of relevant IB valuation techniques. Learned plenty, but tough final. Highly recommend!

One of the best at Fordham. Too bad its only a 1.5 credit course. 100% agree with review below.

One of the few professors actually concerned with ensuring you understand the topics. Very helpful and Engaged. Weekly homeworks and in class handouts very helpful. Tough final but a great class.

Professor Zirpolo is an amazing and energetic professor. If all classes in Fordham were taught by him, we'd be higher rated than Columbia. I think this class is one of the best in the curriculum. One of the only classes to actually give you a real world grasp of things.

Excellent teacher, great class! The test is hard, but what you can learn from this class is well worth the effort. This is the way Principles of Modern Finance should have been taught! Much like Werner, Zirpolo enjoys and knows how to communicate finance to both experienced and less than experienced students alike.

He cares that his students learn and understand the material-unlike other finance professors at Fordham. He's very knowledgable and enthusiastic.He makes the class setting a fun yet learning environment. Highly recommend this professor. He's got a great sense of humor, too.

Great class, great professor. Hands down one of the best courses for finance majors, taught by one of the best professors at GBA. Keeps you on your toes, wants you to learn it so you can use it practically, and makes full & productive use of class time. Pay attention or you may miss something very useful! A+

Prof. Zirpolo is a great instructor...probably the best in Forham GB school. Great class...highly recommended; no textbook, he gives extensive handouts that serve as the textbook. All finance majors should take this course. Final exam is long and hard, but very fair. "Giddy up!"

Class should be a requirement for all MBA students. Clear, Concise and Thorough instruction. One test - comprehensive but not overwhelming. You will not get your grade until the end of the semester, regardless of which half you take the class in. Highly Recommend.

The best teacher at Fordham by far. Real IB experience. Fordham should hire more like him!

Professor Zirpolo is the real deal. He teaches you in a clear, concise, and logical manner that I have only experienced a few times at Fordham. Do yourself and your education a favor - take this class.

Just finished taking this class. I would definitely recommend this class, its probably the most interseting finance classes I've taken so far. Zirpolo's able to keep the class flowing that even though it was my 8-10 class I never walked out feeling bored or exhausted.

By far the best professor and best class at Fordham. If Fordham wants to have better rankings...get more teachers like this guy!

It's a crime that they don't let Joe teach more classes. He's one of the best teachers at Fordham. This class is a must for anyone even remotely interested in finance. Clear, straightforward, fair, useful.

Definitely recommended. His excel models rock. And make sure you take notes regarding concepts on top of your booklet math notes. It will help you in the final.

A must take for all Finance majors. He is the best professor Fordham has ever, ever, retained. I feel he is Fordham GBA program's biggest asset. Everyone else pales in front of him. I learnt a lot from his course which I even today apply at work!

Awesome! Simply the best! The brightest, the smartest and just fabulous:) Highly recommended:)

Very helpful class and truly valid Professor. I wish he was teaching more classes@Fordham. You are going to learn a lot out of this course. Recommended the textbook if you are not familiar with the topic.

1.5 credits for 3 credits worth of work. assignments due AFTER the class is over too (3 deadlines), which kind of defeats the whole purpose of a mini-course. he rushes to squeeze in the material and doesn't spend enough time on each topic. not helpful when you email him, makes u email two other people in class first (gee, thanks). you do learn tho.

A half course with the workload of a full course. Really enjoyed the class and the way how Prof. Zirpolo makes you think. You'll continue to work after the course is over. Great course and definitely sets the bar high for the rest of the Finance Courses.

Attended his three workshops: Excel for consulting, 3 statement analysis, M&A and LBO. Zirpolo is a very cool and professional professor. He is so experienced with financial modeling and Excel. He teaches us shortcut keys, It is helpful for us to use them since it will save a lot of time. Definitely excellent professor.

Every finance student should take his class. Definitely one of the best professors at Fordham. Purely practical financial modeling skills and rich knowledge in valuations. He got over 25 years of banking and teaching experience. You will get easy-to-follow instructions for all you need in Excel and financial modelings. Plus so much humor in class.

Prof Zirpolo is bar none the best prof I've ever had, including the ones I had at Wharton as an undergrad. 350 chars isn't enough to explain it all, but if he's having any sort of class or workshop, I wanna be there. Fordham is beyond lucky to have him. His main goal is to give you the skills you will need to get a good job in finance and do well.

Professor Zirpolo is one of the best professors I've had at Fordham! His class is one of the only ones that teaches you the REAL skills you need in the workplace. Advanced excel, financial modeling, and valuation are relevant in any career in business and I guarantee you will have a better understanding of it after his class. One of the best!

Professor Zirpolo is probably is the most qualified professor I have had at Fordham. He is extremely knowledgeable and makes it a point to be personable and available to his students. There is a lot of work that you need to stay on top of, but overall a great course

Professor Zirpolo is the most knowledgeable professor I have had at Fordham, he is a true expert in his field. The material he teaches is extremely helpful to anyone looking to break into the finance industry. Its a lot of work but it is most definitely worth it to take his class. Great guy and great professor.

Joe brings his career as a financial practitioner in investment banking to the classroom. Starting from the ground up, he teaches the relevant industry anaylsis and modelling techniques that can be used outside of the classroom. Joe instills industry best practices and finds opportunities for his students to succeed wherever possible.

Joe is an outstanding teacher. He brings his industry knowledge into the classroom and works to strongly incorporate the real world into his class. He ensures that his students understand what they learn and how these skills will transition into finance-related roles. Joe cares about the success of his students both inside and outside the classroom

Prof Zirpolo is a must take for anyone looking to go into FO finance roles. He runs IB training at Houlihan and his expertise is second to none. You will learn the ins and out of excel (plus some awesome shortcuts). He teaches valuation in a concise, easy to follow way. Do not take if you aren't interested in learning valuation/excel. Overall 10/10

This guy is a beast. One of the best at Fordham. He is the epitome of the perfect professor. If you care about valuation and a career in Investment Banking he is the guy to go to. His class is hard and a lot of work, but it'll all click and be very enjoyable if you're interested in this industry. If you don't like him you don't like Finance.

For a 1 credit course, I don't think it can get any better than this. Prof Zirpolo gives a helpful coursepack which gives a good overview of DCF valuation. He also teaches how to use Excel efficiently through shortcuts. The class is fast paced and does have a lot of homework (esp towards the end), but if you are serious about Finance, its worth it.

You must take Prof Zirpolo if you are a finance student at Fordham. Easily the best professor and the most valuable class I've had during my MBA program. The homework reinforces classroom learning and the final exam is difficult but fair. You should put in the effort to learn the material from his class - you will reap the benefits in your career.

Easily one of the top 5 professors I have ever had at Fordham. Really knows what he is doing, and has a ton of real-world experience. If you are a finance major you MUST take his class. A good amount of work for a one-credit class, but if you go to class you'll do well. You'll get really good at excel and have an appreciation for it. Giddy-up

Good professor but a lot of work for a 1 credit class, should be 3. Gives clear directions for each assignment but is extremely nit-picky as he wants everything a certain way. Quizzes are easy. He drops the lowest homework and quiz grade. Just follow his directions and you'll get an A. He's also very easy on the eyes.

Zirpolo is the best professor I've had at Fordham. He brings real world experience to class and makes the material highly practical. He's also just an excellent and helpful guy who wants his students to succeed. This is a class that you can really get a lot out of if you apply a little bit of effort. Grading is also incredibly straightforward.

This is a finance-heavy, IB course so if ur not going into banking, don't take it lol (for the previous reviewers). Zirpolo's class was by far the most useful class I've taken at Fordham. You learn financial modeling and there's weekly hw/ quizzes but it's easy if you do the work. Final was straightforward as well. Just do the hw and you'll be fine

Professor Zirpolo's class is one of the few classes that will actually be useful for you post-graduation, especially if you are going into finance. He is someone who is actually in IB and you learn a lot of useful things about excel. The homeworks are definitely time consuming for a 1 credit class, but you learn many valuable things.

As long as you pay attention and actually READ his instructions you will do well in his class and its an easy A. Quizzes and HW due before each class. He's helpful with hw and you can submit early and resubmit before the deadline for a better grade (he often gives corrections). He is very knowledgable, at times it can be stressful but overall great

Prof. Zirpolo is a great teacher who wants to prepare his students to succeed in the real world of banking. If you are not motivated/driven/interested in banking, there are other IP classes you can take and he makes that clear day 1. This class helped me understand how to build a DCF and allowed me to practice my excel skills among other things.

This is a one credit class that will have more work on a weekly basis than most of your 3 credit classes. Can be very stressful and that's added by Zirpolo. But, if you do the work, follow directions, and show up to class you will get an A.

This was probably the most useful class I've taken this year. Professor Zirpolo won't take excuses and poor quality work but if you're a finance major, it's super fair as long as you do the work and meet all the criteria. Ofc you have to show up but you don't really have to listen much. He also records lectures so you can always go back. Awesome!

Solid class and knowlege

This class has a lot of work for being only a 1-credit course, more work than most 3-credit courses; however, the work he assigns is very beneficial to finance students.

Professor Zirpolo is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure his students will excel in their future careers in finance. The tasks assigned during the class are great talking points in Investment Banking interviews and will grab the attention of the firm you are interviewing with. This course needs to be 3 credits. For IB, go to Prof. Zirpolo.

Prof. Zirpolo is very knowledgeable (especially in IB) and honestly does mean well. He assigns quite heavy hw for a 1 credit class and can be a tough grader, but if you submit the hw for extra credit every week leading up to the final exam and case, you should be more than fine. Pay attention to what he says in class, and ALL assignment details.

I promise this class really isn't hard. Does it require a lot of effort? Yes. But the assignments themselves are not incredibly difficult. Zirpolo is a nice guy. He's got a bit of an ego, but he's really just not in the mood to handle laziness. It's more work than a 1 credit class is worth, but it's important material. EC is always available.

Take this class specifically with this professor and you can thank me later. Everything you learn is incredibly practical and can be applied to a future internship you take. This prof is truly the best, you have to put in the work but once you do it pays off

my dad!

If you are a finance major, you need to take him! He knows what he is talking about and teaches useful things. The homework can be time-consuming, but in my opinion, it's worth it. I would take him again

Easy A, finished with a 112/100

A lot of work but easy A

I really enjoyed my semester with Professor Zirpolo. He's a straight forward teacher and outlines what he expects from you at the beginning of the semester. You meet once a week and as long as you pay attention in class the assignments will be easy. He also offers extra credit for submitting the assignments by the end of the work week.

I took this class as a Sophomore and absolutely loved it. The class was relatively easy as a finance major but was a lot of work. HW is due Monday, but you get extra credit for submitting them on Friday. You can email him or look at lecture recordings if you need help. Online quizzes every week that are similar to the HW. No midterm, just a final.

I took this class as a Sophomore and absolutely loved it. The class was relatively easy as a finance major but was a lot of work. HW is due Monday, but you get extra credit for submitting them on Friday. You can email him or look at lecture recordings if you need help. Online quizzes every week that are similar to the HW. No midterm, just a final.

Professor Zirpolo teaches a class that prepares you for the environment and processes of real-world experiences. He will set you up for success in any professional field you want to pursue. Zirpolo is fair and respectful of all his students, even when some make him repeat himself 10 times. He is an amazing lecturer who cares about his students.

Hands down one of the best professors I've had. The workload can feel a bit heavy for a 1-credit class but he genuinely knows the material and cares about his students. His style is very unique and makes concepts interesting and engaging. If you stay active and keep up with the assignments, you will have no problem getting an A. Highly recommended!

One of the best finance classes I have taken at Fordham yet! Really helped me solidify my modelling and valuation concepts, and his undeniable energy in class just made it better. Just be ready to get graded on a super-specific homework criteria with a quiz + homework every week.

I think people who write nasty things about Professor Zirpolo don't like to do the work. He is old school, a very good grader and actually very fair and wants to cause no one any harm by giving people low grades.If you want to learn then please take his course.