Virtual Trading University

These are some of the positive testimonials and reviews we receive about our course program. As of we have not received any negative comments about our course, but if we do we will post those here as well.

I have been reading (studying) your course and I must say it is eye opening. I have taken at least three or four other courses over the last 8 or 9 years and nothing really just "clicked" with me. As for your course, I had always thought that the chart patterns like the triangles, Head & Shoulders, 123 tops and bottoms, etc. were something that the professional traders did not do. I guess that I felt it was too simple for the professionals. Your course has opened my eyes as to how wrong I was.

I am truly enjoying your course and can't wait to get started again. My hat is off to you for simplifying what I thought was so complicated.

I joined your organization in late August 2008. I found your site while surfing for good options trading services after many attempts to learn options trading from other options service providers.

I did make a few trades with two services providers over a period of time, but with poor service and not enough information and clear understanding of the options trading business, I discontinued these services. I never had a good feeling about what I was doing. I broke even and closed all accounts on both occasions. I was disappointed with all of them.

There are many details they leave out that create frustration and skepticism for the reader and potential trader. They leave you hanging. No one wants to put up real money to trade when there is a lack of information to do so, and when the scare of losing your shirt everyone talks about is lurking inside you. I believe that most “so called” professional traders and instructors write these courses for the money they can make selling courses and books but lack the teaching and writing abilities you posses.

However, I had bought one book, a few years ago, David Caplan’s: New Options Advantage, which provides all the guidelines for trading but lacks the necessary details to make trades. It is more like a text book than a trading guide. It is difficult to read if you are just starting out but I stuck to it and learned a lot---referencing other supplemental materials from other sources. I did read this book several times, perhaps five times over a period of two years. Every time I read it I picked up more information in concepts and principles, but that was all. I did not have the right information to make trades.

But, when I saw your service, I jumped at it as it seemed promising. I read all the materials over a week continuously every day until finished. I found that your course materials made everything in Caplan’s book clearer to me. It has come together finally. Your course is written very well. Is it simple and clear.

I sense that you feel for new comers of the frustrations they go through trying to understand trading options. It is really simple process if the right person teaches it ----like you. Why other option trading providers make it difficult, I do not know.

I think that your philosophy of your Small Account trades is that the trades you suggest are not sensitive to market gyrations that are common for the short term trades when you get stopped out quickly. Instead, your trades follow the longer term time tested methodologies evidenced by the proven chart formations. I guess that those who follow SMA, Bollinger bands and other indicators are susceptible to getting stopped out of their trades because they trade short term for quick profits but have to keep a watchful eye or the trade can go against them in a hurry—if they are not looking. Newcomers with little money get caught if they trade short term and option service providers do not make this distinction to them, so they lose money. Keep up the good work!

I just read your note below, and it, along with many previous other notes that you have sent have really been appreciated.

It has been a couple years or more since I became a life member of your courses and updates and today it was impressed upon me to thank you for your personal touch in the way that you sincerely make every effort to provide the service that you do in regards to trading, to your membership.

In the past I have spent thousands on different software programs and courses that were to help me become a better trader. Certainly I did glean some information from those pursuits but quite honestly your service covers everything I've read in the past and I would have to say much more. I have had no need to purchase any other trading courses since having hooked up with yours. Your support goes a long way, Archie and I just wanted to say thank you. warm regards, Reiner Oeste

I want you to know that I am glad to be one the life time members of your Virtual University. I believe it is one the best investments I ever made. Thank you Archie. Gustavo

In March of this year I started out with two thousand dollars in my account. On December 28, 2007 I liquidated all positions and I have six thousand six hundred and eighty-one cents in my account. Through the year, I questioned you, bugged you, got frustrated by not catching on quicker, but I learned and had fun. More importantly, I discovered that I could make money in the futures market using options the way you do. At times, the markets seemed slowed. Other times, the markets were so fast that I didn't get a chance to hop aboard. In the end, patience and keeping steady on the goal, and your invaluable help and assistance made the day, and made the year.

Hello Archie, My name is David B--- and I am a fairly new student. Firstly I would like to compliment you on the Virtual Trading University. It is a great resource for beginners like myself. I am so glad that I came by your website via a Gecko Software forum where somebody mentioned it. I like your style of trading. I see many people using a whole number of different indicators and the like in regards to making trading decisions but your method is very straightforward, simple and most importantly; very effective (these being the things that I was searching for)
Regards David B.

Archie,
Just thought I would update you on how I am progressing. Last Thursday and Friday I sold to close 4 May Orange Juice 185 puts, increasing my account by $9225. I considered keeping one put option and letting it ride, but in the end I decided to take the money and bank it. There will always be another trade.
I have now been trading for about 12 months, my account is up 55% and as well reading your market updates I am now beginning to see trades of my own.
I am truly a satisfied customer. regards, Stephen
VTU Lifetime Member - Australia

Hello Archie.
I am Ron Thewlis, a fairly new Options Course Lifetime Member.

A few years ago (more like 10) I purchased the Ken Roberts course, which I used to learn to paper trade. Good thing that that's all I did, as I never would have made any real money!

Anyhow.....he briefly explained Options, in his TWMPMM manual, which seemed to interest me, but I never could really wrap my head around it all.

In the fall of 2007, with a renewed interest, I signed up for your Options Trading course.
It was like it all finally clicked. You do a fine job of explaining the mechanics of Option trading, in terms even I could understand.

At the time Sugar was in a sideways channel. Right after I noticed this, you recommended the July 08 10.50 call.
This made a whole lot of sense to me, so I bought one at a cost of appx $500. My 1st option purchase! I obviously should have bought several!

I also agreed with the Dec 08 Cotton recommendation and bought in at NEARLY 0 cost( I had trouble getting a fill) by purchasing the 73 Call, and selling the 80 call and a 64 put. Well, it looks as though I'll be able to buy back that 64 put very soon, and let the trade work. So far these are my first and only trades.

Anyhow....If I closed out both positions right now, my very modest trading account will have more than tripled.
I may close the sugar soon. Cotton however, has a long time to decide. Ron Thewlis

I just wanted to say I thank The Lord for you and Virtual Trading University. I’ve said this before and I’ll be happy to say it again - you are an angel sent to provide guidance for those who seek direction. Because of your willingness to go the extra mile to help us learn & understand, your level of thoroughness & attention to detail in your teachings & methods, trading updates & timely email responses to critical questions simply shows that you care and you want us to succeed in this business.

Ever since I’ve enrolled in the VTU my trading career went from trading w/ contracts & the sleepless nights, frustrations and near-impossible success rate associated with them - to trading with options with a clear frame of mind and to have a clear frame of mind has rebuilt & increased my confidence, which has helped me grow and hone my charting abilities at a much faster rate than before.

In less than 10 years I’ve lost 15,000 in trading contracts and out of the money options ‘sold’ by brokers who really don’t care about your trading career. But in less than 6 months as a student of VTU I’ve had a net ROI of 1459.2% over 6 options trades and can honestly enter another trade with confidence and sound planning. I’ve learned a lot from you in a short amount of time, but the main lesson I’ve learned from your teachings is longevity and how to preserve it. That lesson in itself allows more chances of profit taking.

Traders need your help Archie. And we’ve all been burned in this business, but I hope traders can look beyond that and see that it’s a new day, a new time, with new opportunities, and that you care and you are here to help them grow and be the best they can possibly be in this business. God Bless & Good Luck! Wendell Gaines"

"I've studied futures and options trading under Archie Johnson for nearly three years. I continue to learn from him because of his knowledge about trading, his dedication to teaching traders, and his integrity. Archie doesn't just teach trading; he knows how to trade. There's no substitute for successful experience in trading; there just isn't. Archie keeps it simple, thorough, and honest. His course material is comprehensive, yet understandable. Importantly, if there is anything you don't understand, Archie will take whatever time is needed to bring you to the necessary level of understanding. It's his personal commitment to your learning experience that makes the difference.

Archie will teach you that becoming successful at trading the markets is as much about trading psychology as it is about entry strategies, as much about overcoming fear and greed as it is about understanding the difference between puts and calls, and as much about self-discipline as it is about drawing trend lines. Learning to trade with Archie is a process, one that allows you to progressively build knowledge, experience, and confidence.

You can't get rich quick trading, but you CAN learn to trade and be successful at it. I have; and I owe that to Archie Johnson. Investing in your self and investing in Archie's course is one and the same. You won't find a more effective way to learn how to trade. You won't find a better trading education value than VTU; and you won't find a better mentor than Archie Johnson."

You have access to all sections as soon as you enter. No games, no gimmicks, nothing is hidden or kept back. No tests of any kind. For once, the outside of this site is understated, not overstated. There is no exaggeration of any kind. This site delivers 200% on what it promises. VTU gives you the tools to think for yourself and come up with a style of trading that suits you, not someone else.

This course can be as easy to understand, or as technical as you want it to be. Employing any number of disciplines. Elliot Wave, Gann, etc. It's foundation is 100% technical based on chart formations. There really is no subjective quality to it. Fundamentals are supplied if, and when, you need them.

The material itself is first rate. And there is a ton of it. If you are going to print it off, be sure to have some extra ink cartridges handy. My first "course" was over 102, 10 point font, typewritten pages. There is really more information here than the average person will need. Also, everything is arranged on this site in the most helpful way possible. A lot of time and expense has gone into this site and it shows. When you are looking at intraday charts, for example, fundamentals, government reports, recommendations, chart formations, etc, are all right there to help you. It really is nice. You can get addicted to the convenience.

In addition, the "bookmarks" page can take you all over the web to different sites to further your education, find a broker, expand your knowledge in anyway.

The options course is everything an options course should be. It is explained in very easy to understand language, no complicated math formulas to stumble through.

My experiences with Archie Johnson have been first rate as well. Every question has been answered promptly (usually within hours) and professionally. He has been helpful, considerate, and enlightening. He is an excellent teacher, who obviously loves what he is doing. It shows.

Archie also includes his "Trend Tracker Charts" which he puts out three times each week. These are very informative. It covers both low risk futures and option paper trades. They include charts for reference and are very detailed. It is clear, well organized, complete with charts and full explanations. If you ask me, this is worth the price of admission alone.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this course to anyone. Feel free to contact me about any aspect of VTU.

I offer this review of the Virtual Trading University as an individual with no connection to VTU other than as a student. I am receiving no incentive or reward for offering this review, other than my satisfaction in helping those looking for an excellent educational program. If you find this helpful, then pass it on - trading education is a personal process with the more experienced helping the less, and each of us in turn will have something to offer someone else, if only we will take the time to do it.

VTU, and it's owner Archie Johnson, is just such a great mentor. I started my trading education in the summer of 1999, with a lot of self study, and some expensive errors purchasing study material that sounded wonderful but was of little value. I was introduced to VTU last fall, and have renewed my memebership since then. I find it to be an excellent value for the money- here's why:

1) VTU, at it's heart, is an education program that encompasses both futures and options material. It starts from the most basic, and progresses to reasonably advanced material and techniques. It will teach you how the markets work, the basics of technical analysis, money management to protect profits and minimize losses (critical, and often over looked), how to develop a trading plan to organize your methodology, and much, much more. This is material that will teach you how to be a discretionary trader, selecting only those trades you deem to be low risk/high probability. This is not mechanical trading with a cookbook approach - thinking for yourself is fundamental to success in this tough business. And all of this material is available to you up front - no"structured program", no "tests", and most important NO EXTRA OR HIDDEN CHARGES!!!! Your membership gives you the whole package, from minute one!

2) There is a wealth of resources at VTU, and I mean tons and tons of material! Everything you need to be a successful trader, in terms of information access, is right here. Charts (several sources in different formats), fundamentals info, technical info, volatility studies (CRITICAL to option success, and glossed over in many other programs), weather info, market studies and background, broker reviews (good and bad - you don't find that just anywhere!), two discussion forums, and so much more. And I mean it, this just scratches the surface. Frankly, the cost of the program is worth it for just this, to have one place you can click into and get all the tools you need in one spot. It's amazing.

3) You get the VTU Trend Tracker Charts which he puts out three times each week. This is both a teaching tool and a paper trade guide that covers the best opportunities that Archie sees for his students. He shows the charts, talks about what he sees, relates it to any underlying fundamentals or market conditions that are important, and then makes recommendations for you to experiment with! And there is also a weekly chart study for you to work on that is discussed the following week - very helpful in learning technical analysis.

4) Finally, you get Arch. He is here to answer any question you have - and believe me, I've asked some pretty dumb ones. I have always had a complete, thorough, and polite answer - and with such speed that I can't believe that Arch does much else but sit in front of the computer. If he's in town, you'll get your answer promptly. If you don't understand, ask for follow ups. If he doesn't know, he'll find out and get back to you. Got a suggestion or something you want to see? Throw it out, he will answer you. The service is just outstanding.

In summary then, VTU is worth the money, and then some. It is a superb place to start your trading education, and if you are already working on that, it has a wealth of material available to help you progress. If you have not gotten your money's worth elsewhere, you WILL NOT feel cheated here. Please feel free to contact me if I can help you or clarify anything in any way, my e-mail address is available from Archie. I am very grateful for the help I have received from so many people along the way, I hope that this helps you. Best wishes and good trades,

My term at VTU is coming to a close, and I wanted to make a couple of comments and ask a question. First, I want to compliment you on your materials & commentary. This course is a great follow up to the Ken Roberts course, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who asks me about a solid course of study. (In truth, I could have saved the considerably higher cost of Ken's course, had I known of your site then!) I particularly appreciate that you often include trade suggestions for smaller accounts. Many of the forums I visited prior to VTU take a very contemptuous attitude toward anyone not having $20-50K to trade with. I look forward to that day, but one has to start somewhere!

I GREATLY appreciate your site!!! You are an excellent teacher and, from the sounds of it, a wonderful person as well. I only wish I had known about you 7 or 8 years ago when I first started "experimenting" with commodities. Your advice would have saved me many thousands of dollars and a great deal of stress and heartache. May God richly bless you!!!

Arch, I have said this before and I will tell you now that I will say it again, and more than likely many times but from my heart I thank you. Being able to learn from your years of experience is something that I am learning I can not put a price on. I not only feel that I have a friend but I have a guide in the learning process of this business. I can see why people say that this market is so dangerous. but I feel like I am learning my trade a lot like the way I learned to fight fire. Back when I went into the fire service the main way you learned to fight fire was to get with one of the experienced firemen and learn by watching and doing with them right there.

This feels that same way, I can say that the men that taught me to fight fire will always live within my heart, and that same feeling is here as well.

I know that you have heard this often, and probably will continue to hear it but here it is again. Thanks a million for creating this web site and your courses. They have helped me more than you can imagine. I have traded for the last 2.5 years with some success and some failure. Prior to finding your course, I among countless others followed the Robert's way; needless to say with more than a little cash outlay/loss. You have greatly demystified the concept of logical and sensible trading modalities.

Please let me know when it's time to renew my tuition to your classes. I plan on continuing to be a student for a long time to come.

Mr Johnson, thanx for all your help. My paper trading profits are about $7,500 since Jan. 5,. I am opening my real account next week. yipee!!

I am in archie's class and am finding it very good and very interesting.For me he has a way of explaining things and making them very clear.I've seen a lot of others books and coarses and this one catches my interest more than a lot of them. Also if you e-mail him with a question , he is nice enough to get back to you overnight usually. That impresses me..... Shows me he cares about how you are doing.

I have to agree with you all. Before I signed up for classes at VTU, I knew nothing about commodity trading. I wanted to learn how to trade to supplement my families income. I quickly learned from Archie that there is more to commodity trading than I had been led to believe. I am more confident now than when I first began, and I have Archie and his willingness to help, and past experience to thank for it. Like one student commented here, Archie answers his students questions immediately, and that does show he really cares. Thank you Archie!!

I would like to say that I checked into other courses before deciding on VTU, and most cost way more than the tuition at VTU, and none of them offered one on one training from the author as he makes his trading decisions.

Mr Johnson - Every now and then, a person in a particular field comes along that really cares about the success of others. Archie, you are one of those rare individuals. I was very skeptical when I first signed up for classes at VTU, mainly because of the very low tuition you were asking, and such a high level of training you were claiming to give. I must say taking your classes and following your trades, is by far the best training I've ever had. I've spent over $2,000 for books and courses, and all of them left me lacking the confidence that I needed to succeed in futures trading. Little did I know, $119.95 for VTU's tuition would be the key to my success. I hope you don't think that I'm dumb when I keep signing up for classes when my term ends, but your market knowledge is priceless to me and I want to continue taking advantage of it. Thank you my mentor.

Archie - I can't thank you enough for what you and vtu has done for me. I have taken several courses, i.e., Ken Roberts, Mickey Methods and the Hume Commodity course. None of these offered me the personal touch that you give. It really makes a difference when I can ask you questions, and run trading ideas by you, and actually get answers the same day, I've learned a lot. And now, I've won a refund! Gezzz thanks!

I am quickly becoming a big Archie fan for among many other things, your incredibly quick e-mail responses. The integrity and quality of VTU tells me I.m in the right place. I can't help but worry that my tedious(?) Q's will wear out their welcome! At any rate, I'll throw caution to the wind and ask another one!

PS, The more I learn about this business, the happier I am that I never bothered with Ken Roberts or Larry Williams.

We know you will be thrilled with the superior quality of your VTU membership that we back it with a 100% refund guarantee policy.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just to chat about the markets.