I have $10,000 and four months. Where do I invest?

(MONEY Magazine) -- Question: I have a budget of $10,000 for a stock simulation I'm doing for a business and personal-finance class. What stocks should I invest in to make the most money in four months? -- Matt

Answer: I hope for the sake of you and your fellow students that this simulation represents some sort of academic exercise as opposed to your instructor's views on the right way to invest in the stock market.

As I've noted before, investing is more like a marathon than a sprint. So I don't believe that performance over a few months -- or even a few years -- is a very good gauge of one's prowess as an investor or stock picker.

I also think that focusing on such a short time period could make it more difficult to cultivate the patience you need to succeed as an investor.

But with those caveats in mind -- and assuming the $10,000 you're investing is theoretical money as opposed to real bucks -- I'm going to tell you what you should do to give yourself the best shot at making the most money within four months and beating your classmates in this exercise. (more)