cfa exams things i wish i knew beforehand orig

CFA Exams: 20 Things I Wish I Knew Beforehand

Umpteen years ago, after checking that I met the eligibility requirements, I signed up for my CFA Level 1 exams as a sprightly, wide-eyed innocent. Now that I’m a CFA charterholder, I wished I had someone who’d gone through everything to point out the potholes of the journey I’m on. For example, warning me about the …

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cfa vs caia comparison

CFA vs CAIA: Which Is Superior? Or Do Both?

CFA and CAIA designations can appear very similar at first sight, especially since the introduction of the CFA Level 3 Specialized Pathways, as they both target investment and financial professionals. However, there are differences in global recognition, breadth and depth of topics studied, career focus and exam difficulty. They could even be a complementary set …

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cfa vs mba

CFA vs MBA: Which Is Better for Your Career?

If you currently or aspire to work in finance, and have evaluated if MBA is worth it to you, a natural follow up comparison question could be: CFA vs MBA which is better for me? Like most comparisons, the answer is – it depends. Firstly, it’s not straightforward to compare a CFA charter and an MBA …

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deadline rushing time work

How To Pass CFA Level 1 Without Studying (Much)

Hi, I’m Alexander Law, a CFA Charterholder.  Back in 2017, I managed to pass the CFA Level 1 exam with just five days of study. My scores were over 70% in all subjects except Alternative Investments and Financial Statement Analysis (those were in the 51-70% range). Luck definitely had some role to play in this, but …

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cfa level 1 fra

CFA Level 1 FSA: Our Cheat Sheet

Note: this cheat sheet is updated for the latest 2025’s curriculum. Ah, I remember the days where I looked at the sheer volume of formulae and concepts in CFA Level 1 FSA (Financial Statement Analysis) in despair. And how I felt 5x worse when studying Level 2’s FSA section… Financial Statement Analysis is one of …

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cfa level 1 derivatives cheat sheet

CFA Level 1 Derivatives: Our Cheat Sheet

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 …

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cfa and frm

CFA and FRM: Best Way to Get Both Quickly

When looking to boost my financial expertise and qualifications, I went through what was a fairly common dilemma a few years ago: CFA or FRM? My question was then: why not both CFA and FRM, together? In a competitive world of finance, with companies desiring prospective employees to have a broad range of skillset and knowledge, …

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study research working

CFA Curriculum Changes 2025: A Solid Summary

Note: This article is for the new 2025 curriculum. For last year’s info, check out our article on 2024 CFA curriculum changes. The new 2025 CFA curriculum is now out for all 3 levels, with some exams already open for registration. With CFA Program’s big revamp hopefully done (for at least 5 years we hope), …

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cfa ethics

CFA Ethics: Top 10 Tips To Nail This [All Levels]

The Ethical and Professional Standards section is challenging for most CFA candidates given the more subjective nature of the topic and questions (vs. the rest of the curriculum), and the sheer amount of readings to go through. Regardless whether you’re new to CFA exams or a seasoned CFA Level 3 candidate, CFA Ethics section plays …

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is cfa worth it

CFA Value: Is CFA Worth It? Should I Take It?

Is CFA worth it, especially considering the 1,000+ hours you need to complete all 3 levels over an average of 4 years and the relatively low pass rates? What are the benefits of CFA charter? The answer depends on your personal circumstances, your career goals and what you make of it.  Drawing from my personal …

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