I was wondering if anyone on Clutchfans has taken the CFA? I'm graduating with a degree in Finance, Investment management specialty in two weeks and I was just wondering if anyone had any advice regarding the CFA exam. I plan on taking level 1 in December so any advice would be appreciated.
have you taken it? Just out of curiosity how old were you when you took it and what did you do after you received it?
Level 1 wasn't terrible if you did undergrad business but you do have to study a ton. Level 2 was easily 2X harder than Level 1. I failed Level 2 and also left the finance industry so I never have to waste my January-May of a single year studying for that god awful exam. If you have taken a Series 7 securities exam, the CFA Level 1 is like 10 times worse.
I have two friends taking the CFA Level 1. From what I can see from the Economics curriculum, you better know basic micro and macro inside out.
Maybe hang back and take the GMAT instead. I believe some current M.S. Finance programs are largely designed as preparation for the CFA.
I did level I and II and passed about 5 years ago, but have been too busy for level 3. I'm pretty upset about it, frankly cause I'm so close. Not even sure my first 2 still count. Was in a wedding one year. Work the next year. And am in the middle of youn family impossibleness right now. Is level 2 and 3 still only once a year? That's the problem for me. Even knowing when that date is way in advance, when you're an adult with various responsibilities it's tough to schedule. Anyway, to answer your questions. The CFA is like any standardized test. Study, study, study, even more on practice tests, confidence and a little luck. Do that and what happens happens.
Never took them, but I take actuarial exams and heard they are about as difficult, so they have to be hard.
I haven't even heard of a CFA exam before but some kid sitting next to me straight up copied my scantron on the SAT's back when it was still 1600.
Thanks everyone for their input. I talked to my derivatives professor today about the CFA and he said that he highly recommends me taking it as soon as I can. He said that because I'd be more likely to forget all the material that I learned in undergrad and would have to re-teach myself. As for grad school, do you think that it'd be too much for me to do both Grad school and study for the CFA while I'm back home in Houston?
One of my friends took two courses this semester, and is studying 7 hours a day for it. I'm not saying you should do that too, but that is the level of dedication some CFA people are putting into. Given that, from what I can see, I wouldn't recommend taking a full slate of grad courses.
I worked with a guy who passed level one and is preparing for level two. He quit like a month ago to study full time. Said to be succesful on the test he needed like 600 - 800 hours of study time.
Hi there, Anyone taking CFA level 2 exam in oman. I'll be taking that in june 2012. If anyone interested in forming a study group, let me know. Level 1 was pretty tough n boring to do on my own. Don't thnk i can do level 2 on my own.
