How to Swing trade Dividend Stocks?

I can't be certain as I do not fully understand the dividend process, but my dad did mention to me that many people with the same strategy do this and make it thus impossible to "win out" unless you have excellent timing. For what it is worth...

Yeah basically it's not possible to buy a stock just in time for the dividend and then sell it,
at least not for a profit, I don't fully understand it either but it's another way of saying
"they thought of that one, too"

That's not to say dividend-paying stocks are a bad deal, but you have to be in it for the long term.

The price of the stock automatically drops by the amount of the dividend the next day, so there is really no point in "swing trading" dividend stocks...

I do find, however, that if you own a dividend stock and have made a nice profit on it, it is sometimes better to sell it in the days leading up to the dividend rather than taking the payment. People will be buying in the days before the dividend to do just what you are talking about, and the price may go up more than the amount of the dividend, then fall farther after it goes ex-dividend.

This is hardly scientific of course, and other things such as taxes and fees can come into play.

Yes kinda what he just said. People do like you're suggesting which is buy in to a stock leading up to the ex-dividend date. The problem for you is that you are buying on the high and the dividend sells you low. You'd have to see the stock rise once again after the dividend is paid to make a profit. But if everyone is selling out once the ex dividend date passes then the price is likely to drop.
Now a question would be to look more in to when a stock declares a dividend to be paid out.
Say XYZ declares a dividend of .45 today. It will be paid out May 15th. With the ex-dividend date being April 25th.
I'd maybe look in to the prices of stocks on declare dates and what they are when the ex-dividend date occurs. Since people are likely to buy in to the ex-dividend date then if you get in right on the declare date or around it you would make the profit of the rise in stock price as well as the dividend.

But to add, I'm sure my thoughts to using that strategy has been used as well. The market is efficient so XYZ declares the dividend. My guess say XYZ was $17 and upon the declaration of dividend it immediately jumps to(gaps) @$17.75 (.30) above the dividend payment. Well, then what?

It's a fascinating idea and something I haven't been able to study much in to...alot to do with the fact that currently I don't have the money to make investments so the urge to do it now isn't necessary.
But if you wanted to try a strategy like what you are proposing that'd be the way I'd go about studying in to it.
Of course if you do solid DD and the stock is a keeper/buyer to begin with then really doesn't matter because you're expecting the stock price to rise in the first place.http://onlinetradersforum.com/styles...foro/clear.png