Brandes Scholarship Program Awards $20,000 In Scholarships; Millennials Show Risk-tolerant Investment Personalities

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Brandes Investment Partners announces the winners of the third Brandes Scholarship Program (BSP), which awarded $4,000 each to five students and found that a majority of millennial investors will consider including risk in their investment portfolio.

This summer more than 2,600 students between the ages of 18 and 22 submitted essays that explained what they learned about their investing personality after completing Brandes' online financial personality questionnaire, including which of several investor behavior tendencies best describes them, including "Strategist," "Thrill Seeker," "Analyst" and "Observer."

"This was the third year that Brandes has offered the scholarship program in the U.S. and we were excited by the number of students who submitted essays, many of whom demonstrated a marked understanding of risk tolerance and emotional influence," said Bob Schmidt, Manager of the Brandes Institute. "We strongly believe it is essential for students to understand their individual investing tendencies in order to be well-prepared for the financial decisions, challenges and opportunities that will arise throughout their lifetimes."

The quiz found that more than 68 percent of students demonstrated risk-tolerant personalities (24.3 percent of those fell into the "Strategist" category, 21.8 percent into the "Thrill Seeker/Strategist" category and 22.5 percent into the "Thrill Seeker" category). Another 26.2 percent had risk-neutral personality scores while only 5.2 percent self-identified as risk-averse. Overall, female respondents tended to have more cautious and balanced investment styles, while male respondents were more apt to take thoughtful risks. For the results, go here.

Five essay winners were selected to receive $4,000 scholarships to put toward their tuition costs. The winning essays can be found at http://www.brandesscholarship.com/winners/.

The 2016 BSP winners are:

• Gunnar, Indiana
• Joe, California
• Kelsey, Michigan
• Mark, Indiana
• Oscar, California

"According to the quiz, I am a strategist, both risk tolerant and ambitious," said Gunnar, a winner from Indiana. "This assessment fits as I consider myself both math-minded and competitive. I hold fast to an evidence-based, scientific approach to investing while always looking for a competitive advantage or the next novelty in my portfolio."

Kelsey, a winner from Michigan, wrote, "As an investor I evaluate logically over emotionally...I hope to learn how to take more risks while still being smart about saving my money in order to support my future."

Quiz questions and corresponding profiles were developed by The Brandes Institute, the thought leadership division of San Diego-based Brandes Investment Partners. The Brandes Institute researches aspects of investor behavior and portfolio management.

About the Brandes Scholarship Program:
The Brandes Scholarship Program is Brandes' initiative to advance investor knowledge and financial responsibility among youth. The Brandes Scholarship Program and the money personality quiz were originally developed as extensions of the Brandes Institute mission to challenge perceptions and raise awareness on various aspects of investing.

About the Brandes Institute
The Brandes Institute, a division of Brandes Investment Partners, strives to challenge assumptions and raise awareness on diverse aspects of investing and portfolio management. Collaborating with progressive thinkers, the Institute provides a forum for investment insights and their practical application.

About Brandes Investment Partners, L.P.
Brandes is a leading investment advisory firm, managing global equity and fixed-income assets for clients worldwide. Since the firm's inception in 1974, Brandes has consistently applied the value investing approach, pioneered by Benjamin Graham, to security selection and was among the first investment firms to invest globally using a value approach. The independently owned firm manages a variety of active investment strategies and applies its investment philosophy consistently in all market conditions. Headquartered in San Diego, Brandes and its related entities have offices in Milwaukee, Toronto, Dublin and Singapore.

SOURCE Brandes Investment Partners, L.P.