Sophie Macon 
CPA pass rates are a critical metric for any candidate. They offer a benchmark, an insight into the exam’s difficulty, and a tool to help refine your study strategy. Let’s look at what these historical pass rate trends mean for each section (Core and Discipline), and some solid tips for each section to improve your …
The demand for alternative investments is expected to rise. According to Blackrock, their institutional clients currently allocate an average of 25% of their portfolios towards alternatives, which is expected to rise to between 30-40%, whereas ordinary investors will increase their alternatives allocation from 3% to 25%. The demand for alternative investment managers is likely to continue …
Are you considering CAIA certification? We often get asked how difficult the CAIA exams actually are. While CAIA pass rates and its historical trend is one way to judge this, it can be tricky to compare difficulty between designations such as CAIA vs CFA as well. CAIA exams are tough in the sense that you’ll …
It can be a nail-biting experience waiting for your CAIA exam results, and even more so if you don’t know when results are announced. While CAIA Association provides reasonably accurate time guidance of results release, the wait has been longer due to the pandemic’s disruptions. To be helpful, here are our predicted CAIA exam results …
Whether you’re applying for an entry level financial position or looking to move into a more senior role, after passing an initial phone interview, you may be offered a video interview instead of an in-person meeting. While the pandemic undoubtedly brought video calling into the mainstream, the process of interviewing potential employees is one task …
Financial modeling is a critical skill used by people in a range of analytical and planning roles, and plays a key role in the decision making process, especially in almost every financial career path. So let’s explore what makes it so important, and see how it is used to help professionals make informed decisions. We’ll …
Wondering what the FRM certification all about? If you’re keen on a career in risk management, consider the FRM exams by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP): a two-part, self study set of examinations with global recognition. This comprehensive guide is packed with the latest information that will aid your decision making on this qualification. Let’s …
Finance certifications such as CFA and FRM are a cost effective way (compared to an MBA) to give your finance career a boost. We do receive a lot of questions from our readers trying to understand the core differences between them in deciding whether to pursue CFA or FRM. Hence, for those still on the …
Note: this cheat sheet is updated for the latest 2025’s curriculum. Derivatives. Perhaps no single word has a greater ability to strike fear in the hearts of CFA candidates. The readings on this topic are replete with graphs, formulas, all of which seem indecipherable, and gratuitous references to Greek letters. However, it doesn’t need to …
If you’re thinking about becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), you’ve probably realized there’s a bit more to it than just passing an exam. While the core CPA requirements are broadly the same throughout the United States (education, exam, experience, and usually an ethics requirement), the specific rules vary depending on the state where you’re …